Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1884 — DEATH FROM CARELESSNESS. [ARTICLE]

DEATH FROM CARELESSNESS.

kilning Engineers Pass on the Censes of the Pocahontas Mine Disnstee. [New York Dispatch.] Stuart Buck, of Coolbaogh, W. Va.; J. H. Bramwell, of Roaneke, Va.; and E. 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 seported “an exceedingly dry mid 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 doom tended while the main door was left fastened open daring the night was another contributory cause. The committee found that the subordinates were not only careless but failed to follow the rales of the company in reporting such a state of affairs to the Huperintendent. It was found that powder bad been carelessly used in blasting off from too solid without making the necessary under cuts. « There was the tore possibility, In the committee's estimation, of a very slight amount of fire-damp, as shown by the persistency of fiaroe of blown-out shots, and when the smoke from the bit*st was subsequently ignited. No trace of gas was found in any part of the mine' before the ventilation was resumed. Any of the causes nSmed were harmless singly, but combined were sufficient to cause the explosion. Dust was the agent for extending the explosion. Ha/1 it been gas it woaid tore been local. The mine w?o» well ventilated, and toe carrying out of the rales of the company by its employes wonbl bare spared toe neceaaity ot uivestifattion.