Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-11-26
A YANKEE IN A COAL SCREEN.

u
short but steep inclined plane of one hundred and
fifty feet in length, is made of the chute which
runs from station house on the side Of the noun
tain, to large circular revolving screen. To the
loaded car is attached a rope which draws up an
empty car, and arriving at the screen, the lower
end of the car is suddenly unboted, and the coal
is shot with great velocity into a hopper this con-
veys it directly into the screen, which has three
large chambers, through which the coal Of as many
sizes is rdded out, and shot, by scuppers into just
as many boats waiting for the different descriptions
of the article.
A few months since Yankee Of the genuine
breed, quite inqusitive, but more verdant than
Yankee should be, gained the station house, and
gazed with wonder at the contrivances. He pecu-
lary admired the swiftness with which the loaded
car descended and empted its load and the velocity
with which it returned to give place to another
Shortly his attention attracted by seeing
aborer mount one of the full cars about to make
descent.
"Going to slide ?" inquired he
ayes, going to chute; won't you go"
"Wal, guess III stop bit and see you do it."
The car descended, and, ere it reached the hop
per the passenger jumped off safely.
"Do you do that often?" inquired he OF labo-
rer in the station house.
"Oh YES, continually" was the waggsh answer,
"you know most all the boatmen are single men,
and as they often have orders for family coal,' we
always send down married man with every car OF
that kind TO let 'em know.
"WaI now, du tell" uttered the eastern man.
The more the Yankee looked at the apparatus the
more he become convinced that it would be great
thing to 90 down the steep in that way-somethlng
that he could tell "to hum"
Plucking up courage he approached the superln-
tendent.
"That beats sleddin down hill, don't it ?"
81 'spose it does"
"You couldn't let Teller 90 down, could you Z"
"Why, do you think that you can jump off in
time ?"
sob, yes, I'm reckoned considerable of jun
per-jumpin does me good | once jumped off a
hay NOW thirty feet high, and it made me so supple
that Pm Civ in to BIO the best dancer i'll the hull
township"
"Well, set on, and take care of yourself"
Suddenly the car moved off, and the declivity
was so great and the speed SO fearful, that he was
forced TO stoop down and grab the sides of the
vehicle for support. The place where the laborer
had leapt off was reached, but the Yankee was not
in the position to jump; he had TO hold on, and,
running down descent three times as steep as that
which he had come, sudden click shot the bolt,
and, with violent force, out went the contents,
Yankee included, into the hopper.
"Mnrder! get me out. stop the conssrl"
shouted our hero as he felt himself sliding down
the hopper to the cylinder. "Murder stop the
consarn--l'll be killed." But the motive power Of
" the consarn" was water, which had no sympathy
with those who pursue knowledge under dlthcuIt
circumstances, and those who saw were too distant
and too much convulsed with laughter to yield as
sisance. Into the screen he slid, landing on The
top, and as he felt himself revolving with the coal,
he grasped the wires in desperation 10 prevent being
rolled to the bottom-around the wheel he went,
and our friends sensbties were touched up by
a plentiful shower of fine coal dust ridded through
from all the chambers. He managed to get one
! eye open and saw with delight that the cylinder
was ouy about fifteen feet in length, and he forced
his way forward, with desparation 10 the opening,
but it not altogether successful; another revo-
luton Of the wheel had yet 10 be borne, ami the
next time he reached the bottom he was shot out
of the scupper into the boat beneath. To the
screams OF laughter his advent hailed, our hero
said not a-word, but, getting out an old handker-
Chief rubbed the dust out of his eyes, and, survey
ing his torn apparel and bruised battered, scratch
ed and cut limbs, he raised his vein,' to know as
what quality Of anthracite he had been Delivered
when smashing his remnant of hat over his eyes
he stumped off, mutterng broken and screened
by thunder."-.St Louis Repeiile.