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36 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
SUMMER MEETING OF THE
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
CENTRAL MINING INSTITUTE.
The Western Pennsylvania Central Mining Institute
held its summer meeting at Pittsburgh
on July 18. There were no papers read and after
the business of the meeting had been concluded
the remainder of the day was devoted to an informal
discussion of subjects pertinent to coal
mining. Mine timber and its preservation was
tyhe rqost important theme of the discussion.
Francis Z. Schellenberg. of Pittsburgh, told of
the practical timber tests which the agricultural
- department of the United States government is
making in different parts of the country and that
he had received word that the department would
be glad to conduct tests of timber furnished from
this part of the country. Mr. Schellenberg spoke
of the importance of the subject and how too little
attention had been paid to the subject of the durability
and lite of timber under varying conditions.
The government has been making tests in many
parts of the country and the reports which have
been made and will be made on the results are of
practical importance to miner as well as builder
and contractor. President Frederick C. Keighley,
of the institute; Harry M. Stock, editor of
Mines and Minerals; C. B. Ross. Elias Phillips.
Thomas K. Adams, Secretary I. G. Roby, of the
institute, and others took part in the discussion.
In his address to the institute, President Keighley
reviewed the great events of the last six
months and made the point that the results were
due to unity and continuity of effort on the part
of those, who brought about, decisive results.
Applying this principle to mining he said:
"I have said before that the great battles fought
on land and sea were subordinate in their results
to the battles of the mine, the manufactory, etc.
All depends upon the feeling of confidence that
the other man will do his part. This is the principle
we will have to work upon in the future.
The time has passed forever when one man could
do it all. The mines of to-day are so extensive
that they cannot be operated successfully without
the faithful co-operation not only of the officials
but of the men themselves. Just as soon as we
can get our workingmen keyed up to the point
where they will feel that they are a part of the
whole, and that all are really working to one end,
labor troubles will disappear.
"To-day, the workingman has a tendency to
feel that his employer is his enemy, and the employer
has a tendency to think that he must be
at all times on his guard against defection and
opposition to his interests. This is all wrong,
and can be remedied and the late stirring events
in the east are indisputable proof of it.
"During the past six months some vexatious
things have occurred in the operauon of coal
mines. New regulations have been enforced. To
be more correct perhaps I had better state that
regulations heretofore not observed have been enforced.
These regulations pertain to the blasting
of coal and the measurement of air currents.
No one will dispute the wisdom of this action if
the conditions existing at the various mines are
duly considered. There seems to be a tendency
to enforce the regulations without due considera
tion of conditions, and as a natural cons?quence
the different interests go to the extremes instead
of taking the middle ground. It seems unfair
to make the safe mines live up to all the requirements
of a dangerous mine. This is not a nntter
for me to enlarge upon, but no doubt some of the
members of the institute will discuss this matter
as it is one of'general interest to the mine officia'.s
of the southwestern part of the state."
The following subjects for papers for the December
meeting of the institute were selected:
1. Electric vs. Compressed Air Drills.
2. Electric vs. Compressed Air Pumps.
3. What are the Three Essential Principles
Governing the Operation of Coal Mines?
4. The Application of Mechanical Conveyors to
Long Wall Mining.
5. Late Methods of Rib Mining.
6. Should the Present Mining Laws be Revised
and How?
BRICK STOPPINGS IN MAIN ENTRIES.
Chief Mine Inspector George Harrison, of Ohio,
in u.s annual report for 1S04, commends to the
consideration of all mine managers the necessity,
wisdom and economy of the use of brick or some
other hard material laid in lime or cement as permanent
stoppings between the intake and return
airways in all main entries, and more especially
so in all new mines. He says:
"The old method of closing breakthroughs with
lumber and by building slate and bone coal walls
and filling in with fine coal ought to be an out
of date system, if for no other reason than the
continual cost of keeping them in repair, to say
nothing of the annoyance they cause in permitting
leakages of air and a great source of danger by
feeding, fanning and fostering the rapid spread
of mine fires of every description, when the brick
stoppings will produce the direct opposite result,
and be both a powerful medium in preventing the
spreading of fires and a great source of safety and
protection in fighting them."
An explosion of fire damp at Anderlues, Belgium,
killed 14 miners and injured many more.