The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-12-18
THE MINER.
JOS Struggles for Life.
An INCIDENT N THE LIFE or MINER.

he eats. This is Synonymous to saying, hd
keeps bis eyes and bis ears open, and hii
mouth shut. His possession Of these vlrtuet
does not infer that be is ever on the lookout
for number one, or that he is fellow sneak
ing about at all times on the lookout fcf
chances that will benefit him in some way
or other; or that be is an eavesdropper pr1
ing into other peoples affairs with which b
has no business. / simply mean that b
uses the three senses l have specified, if
the most legitimate way possible; in such
way indeed that no one ever complains y
them. With such fellow as 10 for somsi
Of the reasons already given, people tlnf
they have no right to meddle. Has bs
been a fellow interfering much in other ped
pies affairs, l should have taken the inI
mense liberty of meddiina with his surname
which do not feel justified in doing, as /
ia: so those who read me must rest cOnteIt
with the abridgement Of that part given i
his baptism, by bis godfathers and godmd
theirs, when be was made "a member 4
Christ, child of God, and an inheritor q
the kingdom Of heaven" must mentiof
as a fact that bis babyship performed II
person at this important ceremony for OF
being invested with Christian dignities, ant
sprinkled with cold water, bis mouth opened
with the force Of an explosion, and the cort'
gregation present were entertained witt
music that neither required an organ accom-
paniment, nor musical director to regulate
and direct it. This will lead people u
think that 10 had will when baby, his sonk
then was not one Of compliance; but it VIII
an extempore protestation Directing to tbi
whole affair, with the full force Of bis babf
vehemence Passing by this baby freak q
JOS, we will soften down to mere lack Il
reverence. We will stare 10 in the face
and see if there exist any disposition on hi
part, to again transgress the wishes Of o'h9'
people. We see by his cOuntenance thI
what was apparent in the baby, is not latels
in the man; he will oppose anything II
thinks wrong, no matter whom be dif
pleases. At the same time you may y
sure that he will attain that which he th;na
right if it lie in the path Of bis duty, aHc
within the range Of possibility. His look b
calm determination tells you this as ~
gaze into his blue eyes and into his exprss
sive features. In person, 10 is well made
but a little below the average height. TIL
muscles knitting his limbs together lr
stronger than they look. and bis slren4t
has often beeu put to its utmost capacityli
the performance of his every day duty; fol
have known him TO "be.t" TIC bend Oh
rock drill during the whole shift Of eight Il
ten hours, with ten pound hammer, Wit
scarcely any intermissIon, except that tin
required to swallow a morsel of food, IN
take "whF" Of bis pipe, for be loves
weod dearly. I
JOS occupation is underground he ,;
smelt much blasting powder, and inbaEe
copiously Of the noxious air and vaport
tie coal mine. He has bair- breadth le
capes. On one occasion be was shut in liz
few days by the JUDI caving, in, and b
with another, remained huddled up in DO
ner, jammed in by fallen rocks, till a p.s:
age was tunne!ed to them, which delivete
them from their precarious position. II
not my intention to detail out the evils u
has passed through during bis life time tu
shall relate the particulars of his OF; IN,
struggle for life, when eight Of bis compEn
ions fell victims to the fatal fumes Of ch1k
damp. Nothing but the will that develot Pc,
itself at the baptismal font, saved him fin
the jaws Of death in this instance
First, however, let me state that 10 II
married man, has lot of youngsters, silre
haired, blue eyed little fellows, Of whom: b
is especially fond. On asking him once liov
many Of these blessings had been showete
upon him, his answer was given in tiles
words; "Eh! lad, thoa's pazzled i'm
there ali never counted them av a Hoo
full" Not being informed how many 4or
stitutes "house full Of BARNS" l cannoLe r
Tighten others on the subject.
One summer morning, in 1867, 10 Her
to work at the usual time. He was 4e
engaged "driving gangway." Ills bu
tics" of the former shift, whom it was! hi
duty to relieve, had accidently fred .th
gas, and when 10 arrived IN the gangIay
all was confusion. Some were running /
escape from the flames, others were enSea
Voring to subdue them. The flames, low
ever, were too strong, and set on FIRE. first
the timber work, then the coal wall SIZES
which caused the boldest to retreat TAI
hands left the flames raging in the facj 0
the gangWay, and found safety in hgh5 L
the surface. The flames were beyond ION
troll. No injury had been done to anI 0
the wOrkmen by the explosion of gas, au
the consuming timber gave off large volume,
Of smoke that was rapidly filling the mime
The gangway in which the flames were
spreading was on the lowest level openel il
the nine, and there were others opened on
an upper level. The air used to ventilate
the lower level was afterwards used to zen
tilate the works Of the upper levels, andl in
consequence of this, the vitiated air eoltno
off the fire, found its way to the upper eyjIs.
The manager ofhe cOIliery used measure T.
not to warn the men in the upper level4 Of
impending dsngeI-but to eAtingush the
flames by shutting off the air The NEIL in
the upper levels worked on, not dreaming
Of the approach of death in TIE SHAPED be
was craving on Inem, gulsed as after
damp"
While the men in the upper levels VI ere
working on, the managers energies wire
concentrated in the grand object Of putting
out the hre. For this purpose be selecled
g. several men, among whom was our hero 10
Ihese he instructed to 60 and block up seine
passage 70 prevent the air from passingiin
to the mine. This passage was one IN.
Meeting the upper levels to the one on r.
and by which the smoke from the Gre IT,
making its escape. This was sending nlcr
into the jaws Of death
10, with his companions, got into a thin
Of cars entering the drift, that led to the "a !
sage to be blocked up, and took tools md
material requisite 70 finish their job. Not
being warned Of their danger, they palEed
on Ii tie needing The gradual increase f!he