Centralia No. 5

The Blast in Centralia No. 5

Ladeaner C. Williams

PAD 500 Modern Public Administrations

Spring 2012

April 16, 2012

Dr. James Tarpeh

Introduction:

Centralia Mine No. 5 exploded on March 25, 1947, was a case that could have been prevented. The reason 111 men die, was simple that one men refuse to pass along important information. Along with a leadership in place that was scare to a stand. Also during this time World War II was going on and the coal played a key part in the war.

The events led to this point Governor Green appointed Scanlan “inspector of the district that included Centralia No.5. In which he inspected several time in a year. Within Scanlan report there have been several mention of the highly explosive due to coal dust build up.”1

“Scanlon’s reports were mailed to the Department of Mines and Minerals, which were always treated as routine and mail back to him. Because it was not important even to stop production. Coal mine operators could not afford to stop production for maintenance for two main reasons:

1) A shortage of manpower due to WWII

2) Coal was needed for the war

Overall, “Grand Jury indicted Centralia Coal Co., as a corporation. They were charged with 2 counts of “willing neglect” to comply with mining law, failing to rock dust and working with 100 men on a single split of air- and it also indicted Medill and Weir for palpable omission of duty. The mine was fined a maximum of $300 for each count, a total near ($1,000 or less than $10 per miners life lost).”

Identify and explain four logistical alternatives Scanlan could have addressed.

Governor Green appointed Medill as Director the Department of Mines and Minerals in 1941. While in the position the Centralia No. 5 report came in from Driscroll Scanlan, now there were thirteen reports that never made his desk. Due to poor reports on Scanlan, his reports were not taken serious. However the same year Congress forms the US Bureau of Mine to make periodic inspection of...