Mining Accidents and Their Prevention

MINING ACCIDENTS AND THEIR PREVENTION - 1889 - The following admirable paper on Accidents in Mines was originally read before the Institution of Civil Engineers, in London, by its distinguished author, Sir Frederick Augustus Abel, and with the discussion accompanying it is republished by the Scientific Publishing Company of New York by the express permission of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The edition of the laws governing coal mining iq every State and Territory of the United States, and those of Great Britain and Prussia, add a feature of great value-for these laws have never before been collected or published in accessible form. - CONTENTS. - MINING ACCIDENTS, BY SIR FREDERIC A K U GUSTUAS BEL DISCUSSION . . BRUCE, PRESIDENT a a ABEL, SIR FREDERIC A K UG USTUS . m . LUPTON, PROF. ARNOLD a a TYLDEN-WRIGHT C, . . a . BAINBRIDGE E, MERSON a MORGANS W, ILLIAM a WALKER, SYDNEY Fw a W a a MOSLEY, COL. PAGET . a HALL, HENRY a SHAKESPEACORL, . J. D. a HUMBLE S, T EPHEN a ELLIOT S, IR GEORGE SMYTH S, IR WARINGTON L SAWYER A, . R. . . a GILES, A. a m w BEDLINGTON R, . a COMBESE, DWARD . m a S a SEYMOUGRE, ORGE . HARRIES H, E NRY w m a w COCHRANEW, ILLIAM . a ASHWORTHJ, AMES . . m a ATKINSON, J. B. ATKINSONW, . N. a W BROUGH, BENNETT H. . . m . BROWN, T. FOBSTER W m COXON, S. B. m S FOSTER C, . LENEVE W m GALLOWAY W, . a m a GEORGI, MAX . a a GRESLEY, W. S. . . a iii PAGE i CONTENTS. PAGE LONGDEN J, . A. . I93 SENNETTA, . R. 196 STORY-MASKELYN M E ., H . N. . . I 99 SOPWITHA, RTHUR . 200 STEAVENSO A N ., L. . 203 STOKES A, . H. . 6 205 AEEL, SIR F REDERICK A UGUSTU Si n reply to discussion 207 LIST OF SAFETY APPLIANCES, ETC. . 234 DETACHMEN O T F MINERAL FR OM ITS BED . 234 CARRIAG O E FMINERA T L O THE SURFACE 234 DIFFICULTIAEST TENDAX O T N THE PRESENC O E F GASES, E TC. 235 SAFETY-LAMP O S il and Spirit . . 235 SAFETY-LAMP E S lectric . 236 MISCELLANEOUS . . 237 MINING LAWS INDEX ACCIDENTS IN MINES. PART I. THE causes of accidents in mines, and the development of measures and applications for combating or avoiding them, have, for many years past, been the subjects of careful study and experimental investigation, at the hands not only of practical men possessing special knowledge and experience in connection with mines, but also of eminent authorities in science and its applications. Since 1835 a succession of Royal Commissions and of Parliamentary Committees has collected and weighed the results of experience and the views and opinions of miners, mine-managers and scientific experts legislative enactments consequent upon these successive official inquiries have, from time to time, effected important improvements in the condition, the working management and the supervision of mines, whereby the proportion borne by accidents to the number of men employed, and to the coal or minerals raised, has been gradually diminished. Much of the improvement which has been effected in the working and management of mines since 1850 has unquestionably been due to the appointment at that time of Government In spectors of Mines, and to the provision by the Act of 1856, of certain important general rules for the conduct of mines, as well as of power for owners to frame special rules for the government of their mines, defining the conduct of the various workers in a manner best calculated to promote the safety of those employed therein, -such special rules . being submitted to the HomeSecretaryj and becoming, after his approval of them, as legally binding as the clauses included in the Act itself. I 2 ACCIDEhTTS IN MINES...