M
E M B E R S o f th e Illin o is M in in g I n s titu t e d is a g re e on w h a t is a f a i r b asis f o r c o m p a r in g th e r e la tiv e s a fe ty o f m e c h a n ical lo a d in g w ith h a n d lo a d in g . T h is q u e s tio n w a s p a r a m o u n t in th e d is c u s sio n a t a se ssio n on s a f e ty d u r in g th e a n n u a l s u m m e r m e e tin g a n d b o a t t r ip o f th e in s titu te o n b o a rd th e s te a m e r “ C a p e G ir a r d e a u ,” w h ic h m a d e a ro u n d t r ip f ro m S t. L o u is to B e a rd s to w n , 111., on th e Illin o is R iv e r, J u n e 6-8. T h e se c o n d se ssio n o f th is m e e tin g w a s g iv e n to c o n s id e ra tio n o f m in e c o s t a c c o u n tin g , p r e s e rv a tiv e tr e a tm e n t o f m in e tim b e rs, tr a c k - m o u n te d c u tte r s , a n d d e v e lo p m e n ts in m e c h a n ic a l lo a d in g .F . F . J o r g e n s e n , g e n e ra l m a n a g e r, F a ir m o n t ( W . V a .) d iv is io n o f th e C o n s o lid a tio n C oal C o., p re s id e d o v e r th e se ssio n o n s a fe ty . T h a t th e in tr o d u c tio n o f m a c h in e s h a s p ro m o te d s a f e ty in Illin o is m in e s, w a s s ta te d as a d e fin ite c o n c lu sio n b y J o h n G.
M illh o u se , d ir e c to r , D e p a rtm e n t o f M in e s a n d M in e ra ls o f Illin o is. H e g a v e a c c id e n t fig u re s on a to n n a g e b a s is a s p r o o f o f h is c o n te n tio n . G e n e ra l im p ro v e m e n t, h e a v e r re d , is d u e to th r e e f a c to r s : ( 1 ) re d u c tio n in th e n u m b e r o f e m p lo y e e s ; ( 2 ) a m o re d ilig e n t s e a rc h f o r s a fe ty m e th o d s ; ( 3 ) r e a l a tte n tio n to th e tr a i n in g o f w o rk e rs .
J o h n E . J o n e s , s a f e ty e n g in e e r, O ld B e n C oal C o rp o ra tio n , q u e s tio n e d w h e th e r i t is w ell to u se to n n a g e fig u re s a lo n e a s a y a r d - s tic k o f s a fe ty . F o r e ig n c o u n trie s b a se a c c id e n t r e c o rd s o n e x p o s u re d a ta . I n 1922 h e p r e p a r e d r e p o r ts b o th w a y s.
N e ith e r m e th o d w a s e n tir e ly r e a s s u r in g . W h e n e s ta b lish e d in re la tio n to to n n a g e , s a f e ty r e c o rd s m a y show d e c id e d im p r o v e m e n t; b u t w h e n th e sa m e d a t a a r e re d u c e d to u n its o f e x p o s u re , th e r e s u lts m a y sh o w n o re d u c tio n in th e h a z a r d s fa c e d b y th e in d iv id u a l w o rk e r. C lo y d M . S m ith ,
Institute
U n iv e r s ity o f Illin o is, b eliev es th a t a c c id e n ts sh o u ld be q u o te d b o th w ayë, a s each g iv e s a d if fe r e n t view . R e c o rd s sh o u ld in c lu d e d a y s w o rk e d a n d d a y s id le in a g iv e n p e rio d , said J o h n C. Q u a d e , s u p e rin te n d e n t, P e a b o d y C oal C o., H a r r i s b u r g , I l h
S a f e ty sta tis tic s c o v e rin g th e V a lie r m in e a r e k e p t o n b o th b ases, a d d e d T . J . T h o m a s , p re s id e n t, V a lie r C oal Co. A c c id e n ts also a r e classified a c c o rd in g to jo b s. Im p ro v e m e n t h a s been n o te d in e v e ry case. A c c id e n ts
Jo h n G . Mi l l h o u s e
in m a c h in e lo a d in g h a v e sh o w n a d e clin e o f 21 p e r c e n t o n a to n n a g e b a sis a n d a re d u c tio n o f 12 p e r ce n t w h e n d e te rm in e d b y th e e x p o s u re o f 1,000 m a n -d a y s, c o m p a re d w ith th o se in h a n d lo a d in g . T h e C o n s o lid a tio n C oal Co. also c a lc u la te s its a c c id e n t r e c o rd s th e tw o w a y s, r e m a rk e d M r. J o r g e n s e n . I t h a s re d u c e d th e n u m b e r o f a c c id e n ts p e r m illio n m a n - h o u rs o f e x p o s u re 12 to 15 p e r ce n t.
C o m p letely m e c h a n iz e d m in e s, a r g u e d J . D . Z o o k , p r e s id e n t a n d co m m is sio n e r, Illin o is C o a l O p e r a to r s ' L a b o r A sso c ia tio n , sh o u ld n o t c h a rg e all a c c id e n ts, b u t o n ly th o s e c a u se d
d ir e c tly b y m a c h in e s, to m e c h a n iz a tio n . T h e m in e r h o ld s th a t m a c h in e s a d d to th e h a z a r d s o f h is jo b a n d M r. Z o o k w a n ts to g e t th e fa c ts . H e a s k e d th e in s titu te to s e t a b o u t th e p r e p a r a tio n o f a s ta n d a r d fo rm f o r re c o rd in g a c c id e n ts in m e c h a n iz e d m in in g . T h is su g g e s tio n w a s r e f e r r e d to th e e x e c u tiv e b o a rd , w ith th e u n d e r s ta n d in g th a t a c o m m itte e w ill be a p p o in te d to c o n s id e r it.
M a n y a c c id e n ts a t m e c h a n iz e d p la n ts , s ta te d C. J . S a n d o e , vice- p re s id e n t, W e s t V ir g in ia C o a l Co.
o f S t. L o u is, a r e c a u se d by th e e m p lo y m e n t o f m en u n f a m ilia r w ith th e n ew e q u ip m e n t a n d b y im p ro p e r g u a r d in g o f ele c tric a l a n d m e ch a n ica l p a r ts . T o c o r re c t th e s e fa u lts , he su g g e ste d close c o -o p e ra tio n b etw e en o p e r a to rs a n d m a n u fa c tu r e r s .
W . J . J e n k in s , p re s id e n t, C o n so l
id a te d C oal C o. o f S t. L o u is, p r e s e n te d a re c o rd o f a c c id e n ts (s e e ac c o m p a n y in g ta b le ) c o v e rin g b o th h a n d lo a d in g a n d p o rta b le c o n v e y o r lo a d in g f o r s ix m o n th s ’ o p e ra tio n a t th e N o . 7 m in e o f h is c o m p a n y . H e held sig n ific a n t th e p r o d u c tio n o f tw ic e th e to n n a g e w ith h a l f th e a c c i
d e n ts a n d h a lf th e d a y s lo st, ro u g h ly , by p o rta b le c o n v e y o rs, a s b y h a n d lo a d in g .
I n a r r iv in g a t c o n c lu sio n s a s to w h ich is s a fe r, h a n d lo a d in g o r m a ch in e lo a d in g , d e c la re d A lp h o n s e F . B ro sk y , a s so c ia te e d ito r, C oal A g e , it is n e c e s sa ry to c o n s id e r all p h a se s o f .p la n t o p e ra tio n a s a u n it. H e b e lie v ed im p ra c tic a b le th e p la n p r o p o se d f o r c h a rg in g to m e c h a n iz a tio n o n ly th o s e a c c id e n ts c a u se d d ire c tly b y m a ch in e s. P a u l W e ir , v ic e -p re s id e n t, B ell & Z o lle r C oal & M in in g C o., sa id th e c o n f u s io n in th e d is c u s sio n h in g e d on th e m e a n in g o f m e c h a n iz a tio n , w h ich m o v e m e n t s ta r te d so m e 30 y e a rs ag o . I t is p o ssib le to h a v e m e c h a n iz a tio n a n d y e t n o t o p e r a te lo a d in g m a ch in e s. T h e la tte r a r e b u t o n e p a r t o f m e c h a n iz a tio n .
H a r r y M o se s, s u p e rin te n d e n t, U . S . F u e l C o., D a n v ille , 111., fa ile d to
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see w h y th e a c c id e n t ra te fo r th e
it m a y b e p o ssib le to g e t a life o f tw e n ty y e a r s fro m tr e a te d tie s in m a in h a u l ro a d s . B u t M r . J o y c e to o k issu e w ith h im on th e n e c e s sity f o r tie p la tes. A so u n d s h o r t-le a f yellow p in e tie w ith a 7 -in. fac e, u n d e r a 6 0-lb. ra il, w ill s ta n d a c o m p re ssio n load p e r p e n d ic u la r to th e g r a in o f 14,280 lb. p e r s q u a re in ch , w h ich is f a r in ex c ess o f a n y w h ee l lo a d e n c o u n te re d u n d e r g ro u n d . M r. T h o m a s re p lie d th a t th e re is, n e v e rth e le ss, c o n s id e ra b le m e c h a n ic a l w e a r on th e ties. Im p a c t is a .fa cto r. I f th e tie p la te a d d s b u t o n e y e a r to th e lif e o f a tie , th e a d d itio n a l in v e s tm e n t w ill be ju stifie d .
M r. J o rg e n s e n a g re e d w ith M r.
T h o m a s on th is p o in t. E v e n a 1 0 -to n lo c o m o tiv e c a u se s m e c h a n ic a l w e a r on a n u n p la te d tr e a te d tie a n d th e C o n s o lid a tio n C o a l C o. u se s tie p la tes.
P re s e r v a tiv e tr e a tm e n t h a s b e e n a s tu d y o f th e M a d is o n C o a l C o r p o r a tio n f o r e ig h t y e a rs , c o m m e n te d J a m e s A n d e rs o n , s a fe ty e n g in e e r.
H is co m p a n y u se s m a n y tr e a te d ties a n d tr e a ts all p e r m a n e n t r o o f s u p p o rts . L u m b e r th a t g o es in to th e c o n s tru c tio n o f m in e c a rs a n d b u ild in g e x te r io r s is d ip p e d in cre o so te.
A p a p e r on tr a c k c u ttin g m a ch in e s, by W . C . A rg u s t, d iv isio n s u p e rin te n d e n t. P e a b o d y C oal C o., w as re a d by M r. Q u a d e in th e ab sen c e, d u e to illness, o f th e fo rm e r. J a m e s P o w e ll, s u p e rin te n d e n t, S u p e r io r C oal Co., G illespie, 111., to ld o f so m e o f h is e x p e rie n c e s w ith tr a c k -m o u n te d c u t
te rs . W h e n k e r f s w e re m a d e a t th e b o tto m , th e m a c h in e w o u ld c u t a b o u t 6 0 0 to n s a s h ift. T h e difficulty th e re w as th a t th e m a c h in e c u t f a s t e r th a n a m a n co u ld shovel a w a y th e b u g d u st.
W h e n a n a tte m p t w a s m a d e to ra k e o u t th e b lu e b a n d , a f t e r firs t c u ttin g in coal d ire c tly b e n e a th it, r e f u s e a n d coal c u ttin g s co u ld n o t b e s e p a ra te d . T h e b a n d d id n o t co m e o u t in la rg e pieces b u t c ru m b le d . I t w a s im p o s sible to g o b th e d ir ty c u ttin g s , b ec au se th e y c o n s titu te d a fire h a z a rd . C u t
tin g ab o v e th e b a n d in c re a se d th e c a p a c ity o f th e m a c h in e to 90 0 to n s a s h ift, b u t th e o p e ra tio n c re a te d a difficult s h o o tin g p ro b lem . C u ttin g in o n e h o riz o n h a s its d is a d v a n ta g e s as c o m p a re d w ith a n o th e r.
T r a c k - m o u n t e d m a c h in e s le n d s a fe ty to c u ttin g , a c c o rd in g to M r.
Jo rg e n s e n . T h e y o p e ra te fa s te r a n d th e r e f o r e e x p o s e th e o p e ra tiv e s to d a n g e r f e w e r h o u rs fo r a u n it o f p ro d u c tio n th a n th e s h o rtw a ll m a chine. I f a c u tte r b a r is to o lo n g , it becom es d is to rte d d u r in g th e c u t
tin g o p e ra tio n , a n d f o r th is re a so n h is co m p a n y fa v o rs a b a r no lo n g e r th a n
8 ft. H e sa id th e m a in te n a n c e co st o n th e c o m b in a tio n k e rfin g a n d s h e a r in g m a c h in e w as slig h tly h ig h e r th a n .fo r u n d e r c u tte r s in th e C o n s o lid a tio n m in es.
O n th e o th e r h a n d , J o h n R . F o s te r , s u p e rin te n d e n t, N e w O r ie n t m in e , fo u n d th a t r e p a ir s o n th e co m b in a tio n w e re less th a n th o se on a sh o rtw a ll in h is m in e. I t ta k e s th e d rille rs a b o u t fifte e n m in u te s to c le a r a w a y th e b u g d u s t f o r th e p la c in g o f b o tto m h o les in a fa c e w h ic h is c u t ab o v e th e floor, it w as said.
A b rie f re s u m e o f d ev e lo p m e n t in m e c h a n ic a l lo a d in g w as m a d e by G le n n B. S o u th w a rd , m e c h a n iz a tio n e n g in e e r, A m e ric a n M in in g C o n g re s s.
O f th e coal n o w p ro d u c e d by Illin o is, o n ly a b o u t o n e -th ird is lo a d ed by h a n d . T h e q u e s tio n no lo n g e r is h o w f a s t ca n a m a c h in e lo a d coal b u t how
W . C. Ar g u s t
f a s t ca n th e o p e r a tin g fo rc e s p r e p a re it. T h r e e m e th o d s f o r sp e e d in g u p th e c a r c h a n g e h av e been s u g g e s te d : ( 1 ) b y a c r a n e ; ( 2 ) b y a n a u x ilia ry h o p p e r ; a n d ( 3 ) b y a p o rta b le b elt co n v e y o r.
J . W . S te d e lin , v ic e - p r e s id e n t, M a rio n C o u n ty C oal C o., b eliev es su c ce ss in m e c h a n ic a l lo a d in g r e q u ir e s a d re a m e r, w ith a p ra c tic a l coal m a n a s h is s a fe ty valve. “ T o o m a n y o f u s h av e b ee n r e s tin g on o u r o a r s ,”
he ad d e d . M r. B ro s k y w o n d e re d h ow t a r m a n a g e m e n t sh o u ld go in th e re d u c tio n o f tim e to c h a n g e c a rs b e h in d a lo a d in g m a ch in e . N o t all o f th is tim e is a c tu a lly lo st to th e lo a d e r. T h e lull g iv e s o p p o r tu n ity f o r m a n e u v e rin g th e m a c h in e , f o r g a th e rin g s tre w n coal, f o r in sp e c tin g a n d lu b ric a tin g th e m a c h in e , f o r fix in g tra c k , f o r e x a m in in g r o o f, an d f o r s e ttin g p o sts. A f u rio u s r a te o f lo a d in g in te n sifie s h a z a rd s .
A . R . Jo y c e
a c c o u n tin g h a s becom e a f o rg o tte n science. I t is b e c a u se o p e r a tin g c h a rg e s h a v e b ee n a llo w ed to a b s o rb th e p r o d u c e r ’s c a p ita l o r h a v e been im p o se d on c r e d ito r s th a t th e c re d it o f th e in d u s tr y is lo w a n d coal s e c u ritie s h a v e p o o r s ta n d in g . C o st sh e e ts m ig h t u s e fu lly d isc lo se th e c o st o f d o in g each th in g in d o lla rs a n d c e n t s ; th e y a r e e sp ec ially h e lp fu l to th e p ra c tic a l m a n w h e n th e y sh o w th e m a n -d a y s o r th e m a n -h o u r s s p e n t on a jo b .
I n a p a p e r o n tr e a te d tim b e rs f o r m in e s, A . R . Jo y c e , v ic e -p re sid e n t, J o y c e - W a tk in s C o.. C h ica g o , cite d th e e x p e rie n c e s o f r a ilro a d s a s a n in d e x o f w h a t m ig h t be ac co m p lish e d by th e coal in d u s tr y in c o st re d u c tio n b y th e u se o f tr e a te d tim b e rs. T h e five le a d in g r a ilro a d s in Illin o is t e r r ito r y u se tr e a te d tie s a n d th e re b y h a v e e ffe c te d a n e s tim a te d sa v in g o f n e a rly $ 1 6 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 . A re la tiv e ly g r e a te r s a v in g w o u ld be effec ted by th e m in e s, w h e r e th e life o f u n tr e a te d tim b e r s is less th a n o n th e ra ilro a d s a n d th e c o s t o f r e p la c e m e n t is h ig h e r.
M r . T h o m a s r e m a rk e d th a t in a f o u r - y e a r s tu d y o f th e su b je c t h is c o m p a n y w a s a s to n is h e d a t th e s h o r t lif e o f u n tr e a te d tie s. I t rep la ce d u n tr e a te d tie s w ith th r e e c a rlo a d s o f tr e a te d tie s, a n d n o t o n e o f th e la tte r h a s h a d to b e re p la c e d a f t e r f o u r y e a rs o f se rv ic e . F r o m n ow on all c e n te r p r o p s in th e a irc o u rs e o f th e V a lie r m in e w ill b e tr e a te d . H e h o p e s th e re b y to effec t a s u b s ta n tia l s a v in g ; 50 to 6 0 p e r c e n t in la b o r alone. R o o m s a r e w o rk e d o u t in 92 d a y s a n d u n tr e a te d tie s a r e re c la im e d a n d u se d a n a v e r a g e o f f o u r tim es.
H e is g o in g to t r y tr e a te d tie s in th is se rv ic e a n d h o p e s to g e t se v en o r e ig h t u se s f r o m each.
I f tie p la te s a r e u se d , h e b elieves
July, 1930