A WARNING TO MINERS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 28 March 1901, Page 4

A WARNING TO MINERS.

(To the Editor.)

Sik, —As I hoar it is tho intention of the manager to put naked lights in tho Brunner mine outsido tho fault, I would liko through your paper to warn the minors against what I think is a very clangorous practice ■ Naked lights arc dangerous in any coal mine, and should not be allowed. And Sir it is my opinion had safety lamps been used in the Brunner mine there would havo been no explosion on tho 20th March, 1896. The Brunner mine is liable to give off largo quantities of gas at any .time. Some of tho miners had a proof of this, when proceeding to their places after the Deputy had reported alright, thoy met tho gas, had naked lights been usod these men would havo been lost. There has been gas found in tho Brunner mino since the explosion from time to time, and in my opinion there is a large quantity on top of the falls where it is impossible to get to try it or get air to play on it to remove it. Should a fall take place above tho old falls, the air is checked, the gas expands (for according to Boyles' law as tho prossuro reduces the expansion increases), and if naked lights are used under such conditions it is a miracle if there is not an explosion. Outsido tho fault in my opinion is no safer than imide. It is well known to all miners in Brunner that a small scam of coal exists above the one being worked. This small seam contains gas. It might be as well to state here that when I speak of gas, I mean Proto Carburretted Hydrogen gas,, or C. H. Now this gas being heM' under pressure has a tendency to move to the place of least resistance. This would be where the pillars are being removed ; the rock breakers and large volumes of gas in some instances given oil' from the small seam. This gas being about half the weight of atmospheric air, it is bound to rest in the highest place, where it is sometimes impossible to find it until a sudden change in the air current pressure. Then I think it would soon be found by a naked light to the cost of those who use them. I also think that the Inspector of Mines should not allow naked light to he used in any part of the Brunner Mine, seeing that he knows of the existance of this small seam and that it contains gas. Thanking you for your space I will conclude by asking the miners to nip this in the bud.—l am, etc. M. I. C. E. Taylorville, March 2Gth.