The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 11, March 31, 1894 Page: 4
12 p. : ill. ; 32 cm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
4
THE TEXAS MINER.
FROM THE PEOPLE.
Communications under this head solicited.
The Claremont (Tex.) Two Rivers gets off the following,
which is applicable to this department.
When you've got a thing to say,
Say it! Don't take half a day !
When your tale has little in it,
Crowd the whole thing into a minute.
Liie is short—a fleeting vapor—
Do not fill the whole newspaper
With a tale which, at a pinch,
Could be^crowded into an inch .
Boil it down until it simmers—
Polish it until it glimmers.
When you've got a thing to say,
Say it! Don't take half a day !
"learner," here's one for you.
Thurber, Tex., March 21, 1894.
Editor Texas Miner:
"Learner's" letter in your issue of the 17th was good.
Let me ask him a question: If two columns of air, 900 feet
high, with a difference of pressure of 18 pounds per square foot,
the absolute temperature of the column being 491 degrees, the
barometer indicating 30 inches mercury, what would be the tem-
perature of the other column, and how much coal would be
used in heating the column to produce a difference in pressure
of 18 pounds, the coal used having 14,000 units heat?
Greaser.
"greaser's" first interogation answered.
Thurber, Tex., March 21, 1894.
Editor Texas Miner:
As "Greaser" has made a correct answer to my question, I
will try to answer his. I will take "Hydrogen" for the first of
the gases. It's symbol is "H." This gas forms two-thirds of
water by volume. It is combined with carbon to form marsh
gas, and is present in the after-damp oí an explosion, combined
with oxygen in the form of wratery vapor. Hydrogen is not pois-
onous, but it causes very disagreeable effects if breathed, as it
excludes the oxygen from the lungs. It can be breathed' if di-
luted with ten times its volume oí air. This gas will not burn of
itself, but if two volumes of hydrogen are mixed with one of ox-
ygen it explodes with terrible violence.
Nitrogen—It's symbol is "N." This gas forms three-fourths
of atmospheric air. It is found in the after-damp oí an explo-
sion in a free state. It is oiten in large quantities amongst the
occluded gases of coal. Nitrogen is not poisonous, but it suf-
íocates ii breathed undiluted, as it excludes the oxygen from the
lungs. The effect nitrogen has upon Combustion is negative,
that is, it is chiefly uselul for the purpose of diluting the oxygen
of the air as much as water is used for diluting spirits. It will
not of itself support combustion.
Oxygen—It's symbol is "O." This gas is found everywhere.
It forms nearly one-half the entire globe, nearly 90 per cent wa-
ter b\ w eight, and one-iourth atmospheric air. This gas is es-
sential to hie, but it has an intoxicating effect if breathed in
large quantities for any length of time. Oxygen is the mainstay
of combustion. The more oxygen there is in the air the more
rapidly will anything which is burning in it be consumed, and
anything burned in pure oxygen is consumed with extreme raoid-
ity.
Marsh gas, or light carbureted hydrogen, or proto car-
bureted hydrogen, or hydrid of methyl, or methane, is a com-
pound gas. It's symbol is "C H4." It has no smell w:here
pure, but as met with in coal mines has a sharp, pungent odor.
This gas is found in mines issuing from the solid coal. It is (as
the name "marsh gas 1 implies) found in marshes and swamps,
which contain a quantity of decaying vegetable matter. It
is about 96 per cent, fire-damp, and is often erroneously called
fire-damp. This gas will not support life, and is injurious if
breathed m large quantities for any lengsh of time, and must be
diluted with more than equal quantities of air. This gas
will not burn of itself, but if mixed with twice its volume of oxy-
gen, 01 nine and one-half times its volume of air, it explodes
with great violence.
Carbonic oxide, or carbon monoxide (known to miners as
"white damp").—It is a compound. Symbol "C O." This gas
is found invariably in small quantities in the after-damp of an
explosion. The blue flame seen over a still, red fire in a furnace
is "C O." It is also formed by the combustion of gun powder.
In all cases where carbon is insufficiently burned, from the want
of the necessary supply of oxygen, this gas is formed. It is fa-
tal to lite. One-halt of 1 per cent, in the atmosphere will cause
death by poisoning. One peculiarity in a case of death from
"C O" is that the body does not immediately assume that rigid-
ity of stiffness usual after death. This gas will not burn of
itself, but by taking up an atom of oxygen it burns to form car-
bonic acid gas (black damp). As met with in mines it slightly
increases the brightness of the flame in the safety lamp.
Carbonic acid gas, or carbon dioxide, or carboic anhydride-
It is a compound. This gas forms the choke-damp of the min-
ers, and is always present as the product of combustion. It is
present in the atmospheric air in small quantities, generally
1.2500 ot the volume of atmosphere. It is also present in
o-ccluded gases of coal. Being one and one-half times the
weight of air, it lodges next the floor. This gas is not poison-
ous, but if breathed undiluted causes death by suffocation in the
same manner as water causes death by drowning. A light put
into this gas in a pure state will be instantly extinguished.
Hydrogen, or sulphurated, or hydro-sulphuric acid It is a com-
pound. Symbol H2 L. It smells like rotten eggs. This gas is
found in small quantities in old workings which are filled with
water. Decomposing pyrites or rotting timber causes this gas to
give off. This gas is poisonous, and causes death when breathed
in a proportion of over 3 per cent, of the atmosphere. This gas
burns with a bluish flame, and, as it will ignite at a very low tem-
perature it is extremely dangerous.
Light carbureted hydrogen is the lightest of the hydro carbons
(compounds ( f hydro and carbon). Some of the heavier hydro
carbons, which contain a larger proportion of carbon than C H4.
Such as C2, H6, ethane C3, H8, butane and C4, H10 are
sometimes found in mines in small quantities.
The most explosive mixture is where there is 9.38 per cent,
(by volume) of marsh gas in the mixture. Any orher increase
of the other gases and consequent decrease of marsh gas weak-
ens the force of explosion. Three and three-fourths of marsh
gas causes elongations of the flame; 4 per cent, causes slight
crackling to be heard about ten seconds after the introduction of
the light to the mixture, ending by a slight explosion; 6 per cent,
hastens the crackling to four seconds, with an elongation of the
flame, ending in an explosion, which will extinguish the light.
As I am in a hurry, I will omit the "after-damp," but&if' the
"Greaser 1 insists on an explanation of "after-damp" I will try to
give it to him.
"Greaser," here's one in ventilation: Find the weight of 100
cubic ieet of air at a temperature of 70 degrees Ferenheit, with a
barometric reading of 30 inches.
Success to The Texas Miner. Trapper.
side-tracked.
[Tammany, owing to the length of your communication and the
crowded condition of the paper, you are side-tracked this week,
but will appear next. The same applies to "Constant Reader,"'
who sends in several verses of poetry, written especiallv for Thf
Miner.—Ed.]
THEN AND NOW.
Less than forty years ago (1855) a lawn mower cost in this
country about $60, and the manufacturer only made a reasona-
ble profit on account ot the small quantity manufactured and
the crude facilities he had at the time to make them with. The
supply, the increased quantity, the improvements in method of
manufacturing, improved machinery and tools, have all tended
to a reduction of prices, until to-day a better mower can be
bought for $5 or $6 than you could buy thirty years ago for $fio.
—[American Grocer.
Yes, forty years ago they were made in Europe, by European
workmen. Now they are made in this country by American
workmen, who live in American houses, and use American farm
produce, and patronize American merchants, and use American
goods of every kind.
Subscribe for The Texas Miner, only $1.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
McAdams, Walter B. The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 11, March 31, 1894, newspaper, January 27, 1894; Thurber, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth200458/m1/4/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.