Scenes And Incidents From The Life Of A Practical Miner
With A Treatise On The Ventilation Of Coal Mines

10 weighs nearly nine grains, whereas a pint of hydrogen gas weighs little more than half a grain. By this curious process, it easily unites with the oxygen, and in a short period of time we have again a large field of inflammable gas ready for the match. Some one hurrying on in his homeward path, with light in hand, from the southern district, or up the bank to find the cause, arrives at the cross cut end, and top of the bank; his light fires the gas, and in a moment the explosive blast occurs. This, in my opinion, caused the second explosion. And the same cause and a similar process prepared the district, ready charged, for the third, as was seen by the exploi’ing parties, when in search for the men. Now, the closing up of that return passage would be a slow process, and the indications clearly given at the face of the whole working places daily, ought to have been observed by the officials in their examinations. Some may say, of what use is it now to write anything about that, the men are gone, and what better can we make of it? True, the men are gone, but it is for the future I write; and as I myself know for a certainty that the present system of ventilating coal mines can be im- proved, I am induced to endeavour, if possible, to develop the principles on which I, with such great success, for a number of years practised; and as our subject is the Burradon pit, I will adopt it on the plan as it is. Beginning at the incline hank top (the air coming direct from the shaft up to this point), you will observe two doors marked red, at the bottom of the straight-up travelling board, they are a sufficient distance from each other, so as to admit the set to pass through the one before the other is required to be opened, and each of these doors is to be perfectly air tight with proper snecks affixed, so that they cannot be opened by accident, and with boys of proper years put to keep them. You now follow the current of air along the south cross cut (which I have marked green, so that you may distinctly understand its course) up to the middle travelling board, where it is divided, and regulated according to circumstances. We will now take the northern division first, following it up this middle board direct into the whole working places. Yon now see there is not a door noi' any other obstruction in the whole distance, from the down cast shaft to a man working in the first board. You see the common pressure of the atmosphere on each man as you proceed north from board to board, and find it carried along by stoppings in the back board ends, until it arrives at the northernmost board, and begins to return. In returning, it passes through a slide regulator, which is the usual mechanism in colliery ventilation. When thus returning, you will see the necessity of this current of air being applied to the large 22 acre goaf, skirting down by the borders as near as may be, so as to prevent any accumulation of gas. The straight- up travelling board is the only visible passage for the air, until it comes to - the foot or bottom, when you will observe it taken through a holeing on the in-bye side of the inner door to the north and west again. So much for the north division of air. Now, follow the green shaded darts from the middle travelling way, southward. Here, see this current of air arrive at the first man working in this district, and going from man to man northwards. But when it arrives at this third horseway, or travel- ling board, which I presume is a provision for the pillar working, with