A Conversation on Mines

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1864 edition. Excerpt: ... many lives have been lost by it.--Father: Many lost! The number is too great to be told. Your father was left in the world fatherless by it, and, from early life, I have had tomake my way throngh the world without the blessing of aparent's care. Son: I think, father, there was not so great a number of lives lost by explosions in the early days of coal mining as at the present time by the same mode. Can you tell why there was not?--Father: Because they had only limited means of getting out coal to the surface, they had only a limited number of works, they had only a limited number of persons employed in the works, and only limited means of ventilating them. "Therefore, if they had only a limited number of persons, of means, of works, and of air, they had not so much gas in the air at the time of an explosion; that is to say, they had less air, and they had less works for the air to pass around; therefore they had less explosive gas in the air when it ignited; and if. less gas, the power of the explosion would be less when it did take place; and if the explosive power were less, and there was a less number of works, there would be a less number of persons lost at the time of an explosion. Therefore, by the same mode of ventilation there was not so great a number of persons lost as now.! The Danger of one Mode of Ventilation, and the Safety of another. Son: Is not air conducted from one working part to another, clearing away the gas in its passage, from all places in its route?--Father: Some managers adopt that mode for the ven. tilation of mines, but it is neither safe nor profitable, for miner or master. Son; Why not safe and profitable?--Father: Because the mode requires many doors fixing in the tram-gates to impel air forward from one...