FARMERS' REGISTER 



533 



most dear to ihem are entombed, and who Iml a 

 few hours ago had left them in health and vigor, 

 vviih the hope ol returning happy to ihc.ir lionie?. 



In such a case, the mining engineers have a se- 

 vere and an imperious duty to perform. The pit, 

 where they must de.-cend, is eillier rendered dan- 

 gerous by tiie wreck ol' loose timber torn away by 

 the irruption, or the air is in a pestilential state; 

 and, what is si ill more alarming, part of the coal 

 may have taken fire from the explosion, or a 

 bloiver may be ignited: either of which would 

 produce repeated and violent explosions the in- 

 stant the gas accumulated to that point so as to 

 come in contact with the fire. Such a case is not 

 unliequent, and against this no human skill can 

 guard. This ii?adul case, with the others before 

 meniioned, is probably combined. All these have 

 to be encouniered by the engineer and his assist- 

 ants. The hope of saving some of the workmen 

 from death, and the ardent entreaiies o( the ago- 

 nized relations, place the consideration of personal 

 salf-iy out of the question. 



On descending to the bottom of the pit, it is per- 

 haps Willi great difllculiy the mine can be enter- 

 ed, owing to the wreck ; if the descending current 

 of air is good, part of the wreck is cleared away. 

 The engineer then considers what are tlie best im- 

 meiiiate plans lo pursue, arising from his expe- 

 rience, and an accurate knowledge, not only of the 

 general situation of the workings, but of the di- 

 rect lines of the air courses, so that he may in the 

 shortest time restore the ventilation, and, if possi- 

 ble, relieve the miners who may yet be alive. 

 Having (brmed his plans, he states them to his 

 assistanis, and hears any improvements they may 

 suggest ; a greai quantity of prop-wood and brat- 

 tice deals are sent down, and they enter the mine 

 as far as the air will allow ihem ; care being taken 

 to have it with them every step as they proceed, 

 and in particular before leaving the shaft, Ihey see 

 that the brattice of it is air-tight ; (!)r if any open- 

 ings are in it, the air would pass directly through 

 it and ascend to the bank. 



As the violence of the explosion destroys many 

 of the stoppings, and almost every door upon the 

 air-courses, the whole circulation is laid dead, and 

 the Iresh air will of course lake the most direct 

 course through the first opening to the upcast 

 shafi. All these must be replaced as they pro- 

 ceed forward with the air; and this work being in 

 general executed with astonishing quickness, many 

 hves are frequently saved. 



As soon as the veniilation is restored by these 

 temporary brattices, the stoppings and doors are 

 replaced in a substantial manner, and the work- 

 ings are resumed with all their former vigor and 

 activiiy, as if no mislbrtune had ever happened. 

 From what is slated, it is evident, that the stabili- 

 ty of the main stopping, is an important point, 

 on which account it is counterforted by strong 

 walls of stone ; and if stones are easily procured 

 in the mine, it is of great ser\'ice to counlerl()rt as 

 many of the stoppings as can conveniently be 

 done, so as to resist the explosive force of the fire, 

 and give a greater facility in recovering the ven- 

 tilation in the promptest manner. The oversmen 

 and deputies who are employed in this service 

 phovv a wonderful dexterity in placing temporary 

 brattices. They will work in the dark, wiih the 

 wreck of one destruction around them, and threat- 

 ened every moment to be overwhelmed in ano- 



ther, in which the hope of saving a fiillow-work- 

 man from death, gives the most lively energy to 

 their actions ; and if they think that a bold eifort 

 will save lilo, Ihey will lush without (i'ar into the 

 midst of pestilential air, and grap[)le with death. 

 The mining engineers are always at the head of 

 this service, and as they, with their assistr.nts, fre- 

 quently push forward in the dark, they are ex- 

 posed to tlie deleterious effects of the gases, and 

 it is no uncommon thing for those who take the 

 lead, to drop down lifeless, while those who arc 

 in the rear seize them by the feet and draw them 

 back mto better air, yet no sooner are tht^y re-ani- 

 mated, than the same generous impulse acts in its 

 full force, and they make the same attempt again 

 and again, till nature is exhausted. We need scarce- 

 ly add, that many fall a sacrifice to the ardor of 

 their generous exertions. 



When It is ascertained that fire exists in the 

 wastes, either by the burning of the small dusty 

 coal which lies along tlie roads, or that the solid 

 coal is on fire, lioin the ignition of a blower, the 

 descent into the mine is rendered tenfold more ha- 

 zardous, as a moment's safi'ty cannot be depended 

 on ; for if the discharge of gas is great, it rapid- 

 ly accumulates, and the instant it reaches the 

 place where the fire is, an explosion again takes 

 place, and that repeatedly as long as the causes 

 exist. There have been instances of this kind 

 where the most violent explosions have taken 

 place, regularly within the space of an hour, and 

 continuing to do so for thirty-six hours, each irrup- 

 tion vomiting out of the pit-mouth like a volcano. 

 In such cases, no man dare attempt to go down, 

 as his destruction would be inevitable. As the 

 case is desperate, desperate remedies must be ap- 

 plied, which are, either to moat up all the pits and 

 exclude the air, or if this is not practicable, the 

 colliery must be laid in and drowned, by allowing 

 the water below ground to accumulate; and lo 

 aid the common growth, the tubbing in the shaft 

 is lapped, and all the body of water fi-om that 

 quarter sent down : when the fire is extinguished, 

 the colliery is refitted in ihe usual manner. 



When fire exists in the waste, wiih less appa- 

 rent hazard of life, the mining engineers, with 

 their assistants, descend with portable fire-extin- 

 guishing engines. These are [ilaced as near the 

 burning matter as possible, and by playing upon 

 It, the fire is speedily extinguished. It frequently 

 happens, however, that although they see the fite 

 bcibre them, the state of the air prevents them 

 from approaching near enough to allow the 

 engines to play with effect. To remedy this, Mr. 

 Buddie, with that ingenuity for which he is so 

 conspicuous, conceived that the concussion of air 

 which is produced by the discharge of artillery, 

 might be eff'ectivein extinguishing fire, which could 

 not be approached with the ei^gines. He accord- 

 ingly had small cannons made, and by charging 

 them with powder only, and approaching as near 

 the fire as possible, he has succeeded in blowing 

 out flame by repeatedly firing them. This prin- 

 ciple has been proposed lately for extinguishing 

 houses which are on fire. 



Such is an outline of the misfortunes incident to 

 coal-mines, and to the engineers and workmen 

 employed where inflammable air abounds. 



In the manner before described, and with daily 

 misfortunes of a lesser or greater degree, were the 

 collieries of Great Britain carried on, every one 



