768 EDITORIAL 



In addition to the theoretical and scientific interest attached to this new 

 idea, I think this hne promises much of practical value in the prevention of 

 dust explosions, and these are the most disastrous of the mine explosions. 

 If the presence of a certain proportion of shale dust mixed with the coal dust 

 greatly reduces the explosibility of the latter, and reduces the volume of com- 

 bustible gases which are fed to the flame so that the dust is not charred, it 

 would seem that the addition of somewhat more pulverized shale would 

 render the dust incapable of propagating an explosion. The force of the 

 explosion itself gathered up 25 per cent of shale dust and if more shale were 

 added artificially to the dust in the entries and rooms an explosion, even if 

 once started, which would be much less likely, might snuff itself out before 

 traveling throughout the whole mine. The addition of shale to the coal dust 

 shoiold be a comparatively simple matter. As soon as wet, by forming mud 

 it should adhere to the coal dust and prevent the latter from becoming stirred 

 up into the air for a long time after it had dried. Perhaps a very effective 

 way to treat the dust would be to use a sort of shale douche made by mixing 

 into the water used in sprinkling a mine a certain quantity of finely ground 

 shale. While sprinkling with water alone does little good after the water 

 has dried up, which takes place rapidly in winter, a shale douche by covering 

 the coal dust with a thin coating of fine shale should keep the dust in a con- 

 dition unfavorable for an explosion for some time after the water had dried. 

 This being so, stronger ventilation could be used to remove the gas without 

 the increased danger of a dust explosion. 



A fuller report embracing further work was submitted later in 

 the year. In the absence of the chief from the Washington office, 

 this had an experience not altogether unknown in official practice. 

 In the wisdom of the vicarious authority then regnant it passed 

 beneath the blue pencils of unknown critics who found, among 

 other things, that its furrows ran over the bounding line of the 

 geo-chemical field and turned up some things thought to He in the 

 domain of engineers. It is not known that the critics were engi- 

 neers and so naturally subject to sensitiveness as to the metes 

 and bounds of the engineering field. The internal evidence implies 

 that they were not engineers, at least not engineers acute to see 

 what was latent in the geo-chemist's suggestions. At any rate 

 the suggestions of the rock-gas expert were heroically blue-penciled. 

 Their author, while arguing their legitimacy and their stimulative, 

 directive, and educational value, made no appeal to the men 

 higher up. It is not comfortable or diplomatic to make such an 

 appeal when the merits or the good taste of one's products are in 



