EXPLOSIONS IN NOVA SCOTIA COAL MINES — GILPIN. 61 



1200 yards from the shaft, but only half that distance could he 

 traversed by the explorers, who entered the pit between the first 

 and second explosions. In this distance were found bodies of 

 men and horses killed by concussion or after-damp ; but none 

 bore the mark of fire, nor did the splintered woodwork show 

 any signs of charring, and the flames had not reached this part 

 of the mine. The walls of the main level had been swept clear 

 of timber and of every particle of dust. Volumes of coal dust 

 had been driven into this section by the blast, and lay in waves 

 and drifts, sometimes a foot thick, in the floor of the level. 



It was found that little of this dust showed any signs of heat 

 or coking. Clouds of the finer particles had evidently been car- 

 ried along the main and low levels past the shafts and into the 

 north levels. Here a lamp cabin had been built, in a head Ije- 

 tween the two levels, a few yards from the pit bottom. There 

 was a secondary explosion here demolishing the lamp cabin, 

 burning fatally the lamp man, and the horses between the cabin 

 and pit, and showing markings of fire, while in the opposite or 

 south side of the pit, as already mentioned, there were no signs 

 of the passage of flame. 



Secondary explosions, caused by generated or extracted gases, 

 are usuallj^ in the vicinity of j)i'iniary explosions. But in this 

 case it had apparently taken place at least one half a mile from 

 the first explosion, with the intervening spaces evidently untra- 

 versed by flame, and presumalil}^ free from gas, as they had l;»een 

 worked manj^ years. The shaft and liottom were very wet, 

 hence the dust as it touched the walls became innocuous, 1 ait the 

 fine dry particles of carbon were driven into the lamp cabin. 



It had been the custom for years to keep a large open oil light 

 here, as the cabin was near the pit bottom and in fresh air. But 

 on this occasion it would appear that ignition of coal dust caused 

 an explosion comparatively slight in comparison with the one 

 preceding and those following it. It may have been the case 

 that the air and dust were intermingled with some gas distilled 

 by the heat of the primary explosion, but not exploded by it. 



The coal took fire presumably near the first explosion, and the 

 shafts were saved only by the most strenuous efforts and the 



