Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-02
A Yankee in a Coal Screen.

In order 10 load the coal boats On the Ilchigh
canal, a short but steep inclined plane Of about
one hundred and fifty feet in length is made at
the chute which runs from station on the side
of the mountain, to large circular revolving
screen, which has three large chambers, thro'
which coal of as many sizes is shot, by soup
pers, into just as many boats waiting for DIFF
feren. descriptions of the article
\ few months since, a Yankee, quite inqui-
sitive, but more verdant than yankee should
be, gained the station house, and looked with
wonder at the contrivances lie particularly
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 see
ing laborer mount one of the full cars about
to make the descent.
Going to slide ?" inquired he.
Yes going to chute won't You go?'
Wall guess I'll stop bit, and see how
you do it,
The car swiftly descended, and ere it reach
ed the hopper, the passenger jumped off safely
Do you do that often 7" inquired he of one
of the laborers in the station house
Oh, yes, continually" was the waggish
bHS"cI L Ou hHOW IlOSL all TIE DOdlH1eU
are single men, and they have orders for - fa-
mily coal" we always send down a married
man with every car Of that kind, to let 'em
know"
Wall, now, du tell, uttered the eastern
man.
The more the Yankee looked at the appara-
tuS the more did he become convinced that it
would be Il great thing to go down the steep
in that way something that he could tell to
hum
Plucking up courage, he approached the su-
perintcndcnt
That beats sliding down hill, don't it ?"
Il 'spoSe it does
You couldn't let felcr go down, could
you?"
Why, do You think you could jump off in
time ~
Oh, YES, I'm reckoned considerable of q
does me good. | once jump
ed off Il haymow thirty feet high, and it made
me so supple that I'm given in to be the best
dancer i'll the hull township"
Suddenly, the car moved off, and our friend
found the speed SO fearful, and the dcciyty so
great that he was forced to stoop down and
grasp the side of the vehicle for support The
place where the laborer had lcaped off was
reached, but the Yankee was not in position
to jump, he had to hold on; and running down
a descent three times as steep as that which he
had come, sudden click shot ont the bolt and
with violent force, out went the contents.
Yankee included, into the hopper
Murder get 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
motive power of 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 conruISed with
laughter to yield assistance. Into the screen
he slid, landing on the top, aud as he felt him
self revolving with the coal, he grasped the
wires i'll desperation to prevent himself from
being rolled to the bottom. Around the wheel
he went, and our friends SensibilitieS were
touched up hy plentiful shower of coal dust,
riddled through from all the chambers.
lie 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 opening with desperation, but
was not altogether successful ; another reyolu-
ton of the wheel had yet to be borne, and the
next time he reached the bottom he was shot
out Of the Scuppcr into the boat beneath. To
the screams of laughter with which his advent
was hailed, our hero said not word, but get
ting out an old handkerchief, rubbed the dust
of his eyes, and, surveying his torn apparel and
bruised, battered, scratched and cut limbs, he
q raised his vein to know what quality Of an
Mr0cne had been delivered d-when, smashing
his remnant of a hat over his eyes, he stumped
der ~