American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-10-07
from the St. Louis Reveille.l
A YANKEE IN A COAL SCREEN
BY JOE MILLER, JR.

In order to load the coal boats on the Lehigh
canal, short but steep inclined plane of about
one hundred and fifty feet in length, is made at
the chute which runs from n station house on
the side of the mountain, to large circular
revolving screen. To the loaded car is attach
ed rope which draws up an empty car, and,
arrived at the screen, the lower end Of the car
is suddenly unbolted and the coal is shot with
great velocity into hopper; this conveys it di-
rectly into the screen, which has three large
chambers, through which coal of as many sizes
is rdded out, and shot, by scuppers, into just
as many boats, waiting for different dcscrip-
tions of the article.
A few months since, a Yankee ofthe genuine
breed, quite nquisitive, but more verdant than
a Yankee should be, gained the station house,
and gazed with wonder at the contrlvances.-
He peculiarly admired the swiftness with which
the loaded car descended and emptied its load,
and the velocity with which it returned to give
place to another.
Shortly his attention was attracted by seeing
a laborer mount one OF the full cars about to
make the descent
:Going to sde?" inquired he.
ayes, going to chute; won't you go?''
"Wal, | guess III stop bit, and see you
do it,"
The car swiftly descended, and, ere it reach
ed the hopper, the passenger jumped off safely.
HDo you do that often?' inquired he of one
of the laborers in the station house.
ooh, yes, continually" was The waggish
answer, "you know most all the boatmen are
single men, and as they often have orders
for family coal,' we always send down mar
ried man with every car of that kind, to let
'em know"
"Wal now, du TELL" uttered the eastern
man.
The more the Yankee looked at the appara-
tus, the more did he become convinced that il
would be a great thing to go down the steep
in that way-somethng that he could tell
"to hum"
Plucking UP courage, he approached the SUI
perintendent.
"That beats sleddn down hill, don't it,"
81 'spose it does"
'You couldn't let fellor 60 down, could
you'"
"Why, do you think you can jump off in
timer"
"Oh, yes, Pm reckoned considerable of a
jumper-jumpin does me good; once jumped
off hay NOW thirty feet high, and it made
me so supple that Pm give in to be the best dan
Ger in the hull township"
"Well, get on, and take care Of your
selfn
Suddenly the car moved off, and our friend
found the speed so fearful, and the dechvty so
great that he was forced to stoop down and
grasp the sides of his vehicle for support
The place where the laborer had leapt off was
reached, but the Yankee was not in the posi-
ton to Jump; he had to hold on, and, running
down descent three times as steep as that
which he had come, a sudden click shot the
bolt, and, with violent force, out went the
contents, Yankee included, into the hopper.
"Murder! get me out! stop the consarn!''
shouted our hero, as he felt himself sliding
down the hopper to the cylinder. "Murder!
stop the consarn-I'll be killed." But the mo-
tive power of s'the consarn' was water, which
had no sympathy with those who pursue
knowledge under difficulties, and those who
saw were too distant and too much convulsed
with laughter to yield assistance. Into the
screen he slid, landing on the top, and as he
felt himself revolving with the coal, he grasp
s. ed the wires in desperation, to prevent himself
from being rolled to the bettom-around the
wheel he went, and our friends sensibilities
were touched up by plentiful shower of fine
coal dust riddled through from all the cham.
bers. He managed to get one eye open, and
saw with delight that the cylinder was only
about fifteen feet in length, and he forced his
way forward to the Pening with desperation
but it was not altogether successful; another