228 Kansas Academy of Science. 



EXAMINATION OF COAL-DUST AFTER EXPLOSIONS IN 

 MINES OF SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. 



By Edward Bartow, University of Illinois, Urbana, 111., read before the Academy 

 December 1, 1905. 



WHILE investigating the effects of coal-mine explosions in the 

 mines of southeastern Kansas, in February, 1905, 1 collected 

 two specimens of coal-dust showing the effect of the heat of the 

 explosion. This coal-dust was on the sides of the timbers towards 

 the explosion, and evidently had been carried through the air by 

 the force of the explosion. The intense heat had apparently par- 

 tially melted the particles of dust, causing them to stick together 

 and to adhere to the supports and to the sides of the mines near 

 the spot where the explosion originated. The coating of dust was at 

 least one-quarter of an inch thick. In this paper are shown com- 

 parative analyses of this dust and of the coal collected from the 

 respective mines, in an endeavor to show the effect of intense heat 

 of the explosion on the coal. 



Specimen of dust No. la was taken from the J. H. Bennett Coal 

 Company's mine No. 1, two and one half-miles northwest of Weir 

 City. In this mine an explosion occured January 26, 1905. Two 

 shot-firers lost their lives and the interior of the mine and the 

 shaft were considerably damaged. 



Specimen of dust No. 2a was collected on February 24 from mine 

 No. 1 of the Devlin & Miller Coal Company's mines, near Fron- 

 tenao, six miles north of Pittsburg, Kan. In this mine two explo- 

 sions occurred, on February 1 and 9, 1905, in which two shot-firers 

 lost their lives. The interior workings of the mine were badly 

 damaged, but, owing to the greater development, the explosion 

 spent itself before reaching, the shaft. 



Specimen of coal No. 1 was collected from the J. H. Bennett 

 Coal Company's mine No. 1 by Mr. James A. Orr, state mine in- 

 spector of Kansas. Specimen of coal No.- 2 was taken by the 

 writer from the Devlin & Miller Coal Company's mine No. 1, from 

 the room in which the explosion of February 9 is supposed to have 

 originated. 



In the specimens of coal and dust thus obtained determinations 

 of moisture, volatile and combustible matter, fixed carbon and ash 

 are made according to the methods described in volume III of the 

 University Geological Survey of Kansas, page 272. 



