coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

32 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
nearly every coal-producing state might be given
to illustrate the importance of this investigation.
The problems of mine ventilation and health
conditions are still needing investigation, for poor
ventilation and resulting bad air are daily in­
juring the health of many miners.
Imperfect ventilation near the working faces
in many coal mines may result in
[NJUBY TO HEALTH
from the poison of powder fumes, or it may make
mine explosions possible by failure to sweep out
the explosive fire damp. On the other hand,
necessary ventilation of the larger part of any
bituminous coal mine in cold weather has a drying
effect, continuously absorbing and removing
moisture from the mine and leaving the dry coal
dust dangerously explosive.
The ill effects of bad air, contaminated by powder
fumes and other gases, in many metal mines,
and the serious prevalence of fatal lung diseases
in metal mines, and the serious prevalence of fatal
lung diseases in metal mines where the rock dust
is siliceous—these and other ventilation problems
are seriously in need of thorough investigation.
It is estimated that such an investigation would
cost about $40,000 per annum. The need of such
an investigation may not be so easily demonstrated
as that of one dealing with the causes
of those great sudden disasters, followed by a
long list of fatalities; but the demonstration of
this need is no less strong nor less pathetic, ii
one studies the disease and death rates due to
the breathing of unhealthful gases or the dustladen
atmosphere of many siliceous mines.
The waste in coal niining is another drain on
our national wealth which calls for serious and
extended inquiry and investigation. A preliminary
estimate, based upon limited inquiry and ex­
amination, indicates an annual waste or loss g_f
coal in mining and handling of not less than
250,000,000 tons per annum. This represents a
loss from our best and most easily mined coals
and those nearest our great centers of industry.
What is needed in connection with this loss is a
thorough underground survey and examination at
certain carefully selected areas in each of the important
coal fields of the country, with a view
to determining the exact conditions under which
niining operations take place and the possibilities
of adopting less wasteful methods. With this
large amount of accurate information laid before
the public, it will then be possible to obtain the
adoption of far less
WASTEFUL METHODS OF MINING.
Such an investigation, thoroughly conducted,
would cost about $50,000 per annum for several
years. It is confidently believed that the results
of such an investigation would mean a saving
in fuel resources having a value to the nation
of considerably more than 50,000,000 tons of coal
Iter annum. In addition, they would contribute
largely to greater safety in coal mining; for in
coal mining, the safety and waste problems are
too intimately associated to permit separate treat­
ment.
During the year over 46,000 persons (mainly
miners) visited the mine-rescue cars and stations
maintained by the bureau, nearly 33,000 niiners
attended the mine-safety lectures, and more than
6,000 miners were given rescue or first-aid train­
ing. .Miners and operators in all coal fields have
taken active interest in the demonstration work
of the bureau, and the number of operators who
have organized and equipped mine-rescue corps
at their own mines at their own expense has
shown a most gratifying increase.
On the whole, there has been a decided decrease
in the annual number of serious mine explosions,
and in the fiscal year 1913 there was only one
disastrous explosion, that at the Cincinnati mine,
near Finleyville, Pa. The total number of lives
lost by explosions of gas and dust annually per
1,000 persons employed has been decreasing since
1910, as shown by the following table:
Number of men killed by gas or dust explosions
in coal mines in the United States, 1910-1912:
Percentage Number
Number of total killed per
Year killed number killed 1,000 employed
1910 518 18.24 0.714
1911 379 13.94 .520
1912 301 12.71 .416
The following table shows how rapidly the sales
of permissible explosives increased in the different
coal fields during two years:
Quantity of permissible explosives sold in dif­
ferent coal fields in the United States, 1911-1912:
Coal fields and regions. 1911 1912
pounds pounds
Pennsylvania anthracite field. 1,917,412 2,177,172
Northern Appalachian region* 6,350,272 9,267,149
Southern Appalachian region. 3.377.26S 3,920,125
Eastern interior field 337,012 733,940
Western interior field 255,050 439,825
Rocky Mountain region 1,177,075 1,488,789
Paciflc coast region 14,150 122,977
13,428,239 18,149,977
* Not including Pennsylvania anthracite field.
In many districts where permissible explosives
have not been adopted the miner or the operator
thinks that they are too expensive or nnsuited for
the work to be done, but wherever the coal is
undercut, either by hand or machine, the cost of
blasting per ton of coal need be no greater with
permissible explosives than with black powder,
and safety is vastly increased; but, of course,