Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1884 — DEATH FROM CARELESSNESS. [ARTICLE]

DEATH FROM CARELESSNESS.

Mining Engineers Pass on the Causes of the Pocahontas Mine Disaster. [New York Dispatch.] Stuart Buck, of Coolbaugh, W. Va.; J. H. Bramwell, of Eoanoke, Ya.; andE. H. Williams, Jr., of Bethlehem, Pa., a committee appointed to investigate the Pocahontas (Va.) mine explosion of March 13, submitted a report at the meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. They reported “an exceedingly dry and dusty mine, the dust floating into the chambers,” was among the causes leading to the disaster. The ignorance of the under bosses in having unimportant doors tended while the main door was left fastened open during the night was another contributory cause. The. committee found that the subordinates were not only careless but failed to follow the rules of the company in reporting such a state of affairs to the Superintendent. It was found that powder had been carelessly used in blasting off from the solid without making the necessary under cuts. There was the bare possibility, in the committee’s estimation, of a very slight amount of fire-damp, as shown by the persistency of flame of blown-out shots, and When the smoke from the blast was subsequently ignited. No tiace of gas was found in any part of the mine before the Ventilation was resumed. Any of the causes named were harmless singly, but combined were sufficient to cause the explosion. Dust was the agent foi; extending the explosion. Had it been gas it would have been local. The mine was well ventilated, and the carrying out of the rules of the company by its employes would have spared tho necessity of investigation.