The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-07-31
THE MINER.
Written for the Advocate
THE COAL COMPANY'S AGENT.
CHAPTER III.
IN WHICH YOU NINE COAL.

CHAPTER III.
IN WHICH YoU NINE COAL.
Among those letters Just referred to, your
demented patron, had found one to apply
to an office as assistant to the agent that
would he put in charge Of the tract. This
the president read and put in his pocket for
reconsideration. 1t was an unpretending
affair; but accompanied by frst-class recon-
mendatons. These showed this modest ap-
plicant for q humble office, to be a man
thoroughly qualified in the following impoI-
tant particulars He had had much prac-
tice IN tuHneling, in shaft sinking, in work
ing OF coal in laying of railroad track, on
the surface and under the surface he could
CTaw rough plan for the breaker builder
he was veIscd IN mining machinery, could
make suIv'y, was good judge of timber
work, &c, &c. You were instructed by the
president TO engage this man-Mr. John
Crooks by Lame III his services could be Sc
cured for the moderate remunerating sum OF
two thousand dollars per annum. This you
made your first business transaction. You
sent for Mr.. Crooks and he proved to be a
straight forward man, and all that had been
said Of him was true. He bad q pleasant
countenance, and q piercing blue eve, with
expansive, projecting forehead. You set
your eyes Oh lin, the SIGHT of him ins pired
you with conhdeLce you even confidcd to
HIM the doubts you entertained concerning
the properly entrusted to your care. He
laughed at your notions, but he laughed in
such way as TO inspire you with additional
confidence. He made a remark too. il il
was bOt eloquent, 1t was not discouI aging
he said, 1--WE shall seq; this was not much
for man to say but dull as you are you
took all immensely Of meaning out Of it; YOU
took 1t as contradiction to all you had said
concerning the worthless tract Crooks was
your senior about seven years, he had rosy
checks, a well built person, a strong muscu-
lar frame, and was capable of much physical
txertion. You began to look up to this man
as If he were a sort OF patron. When you
asked him what salary he expected he told
you be would be satisfied with fifteen hun
cred dollars. This was q good beginning.
W ould il have been business like for you to
have offered him the other five hundred?
You did not think so, and such an absurdity
lave not to record to our disadvantage.
Your salary was double that Of Crooks in the
beginning, 1t docs not matter about the COM
paIative value Of your respective services
~ In tie mt untains you began to represent the
company, Crooks was only Crook, but he
began to work. The mountain company be-
gan to sit in well furnished Cfficc, IN broad
cloth and clean linen, and Crooks began to
tramp the mountains with a dirty face, torn
cloths, strong ieathern buOts, a lamp on his
d ned: and book and tape line in his pock
ct.
This mountain companY-which IS you
Mr.. Stirring, for / shall use you little time
III tie thnd person, sit gular number, neuter
gender, and uomniuve case. This suits my
taste just now, aud beg YOU will excuse thei
liberty / take with YOU. l say this mound
tain cCmpauy began to sit in Its Office and
write letters, pay bills, keep accounts, andt
busy itself with Its own indoor affairs. H.
dld 30 for the space If a year the amour /
In bills to be paid, increasing each month";
through ut the whole year until clear titles
sum Of two hundred thousand dollars had
been expended.
Dung tins time Crooks had been out in.
the mountains. There you could have dIs-s
tIguishtd such sounds as the clashing ois
shOVeIs, and picks, and the rattle of earthyS
substances, the merry song Of the tcamsteTs
the sound VI tie ak and the fall of the tree II
the ringing sound Of the hammer and drill.
and the bUgm vi the bias. A blast of steam
hau risen IN one face, Of powder smoke liz
another. He Uass Carpenter has yelled out.
"haul ~ and Delay" as he had risen stick
by suck 10 th,r respective placts, aud fitted
thtm together III tntlr proper position IN ID"
building he was erecpng. You could havk
heard tie hammer and chistl vi the machiH
LIST, as lie huu htted The machinery In It's bed
On tie niOu.,IsIDs whore Crooks had beeA
icr tie space Of Twelve months, you would
huu CItLit 10 tue amount Of three dI fits anN
one rock tunnel, unven into ihIck beds q
coal, all above wateT level, and under the t.
vel If mHHons VI tons. Also, TWO brackets
mIl,te, filled With coal Ieadv prepared sI5d
Waitig iUr The Gals 70 come Over he tweny
miles VI branch road Crooks had laid. Tse
last spIke Was ~ The point Of beng drlvt{l,
aud II WAS Tie aCveIl Ol great day to tae
company you know, (sull meaning you 90
1tLCw) hesps VI cval were to be seen al
the moutt : 81 uriiis, gangWays were advaIsc-
lug, sChut,s were beng OFeued, &c prepaSe
breasts, from which an aggr' gate OF che
thUusanu tons per day might be produced
TINS was the q cont set down to tins coal car
puIauon's account; 1t was written Ill the
mountains
TIE ompany sat in it's office, and cO4d
show UlIs paIu anu receipts taken t. she
an, nm a u,tse Two hundred thousand Cpl
lars alI eady mentioned. lhis SUN had pass
ed throuz Il your fingers, MI. Surfing, asL
Crooks tad taken the uUuble to direct %lS
eXpet dItuTe, tie credit Of 1t r. hectvd to you
though. l assume-Wlth your leave-kne
second person, singular number, Enc
gender, and cases TO SUIT.
The PRESIDENT AID directors often wished
YOU IA tue mountain attitudes, with at tiI6es
some city friends. These New Workers
most If item as innocent as OuTsell conc,ztn-
ing practical mlulng-saw much Importshce
III Your UIuauclUth ana Clean luen noIk In
the gr,asy hat with the oil lamp hunA 10
fronI Of it; the muddy boots, the hastily
used Goth Of our contemporary Mr.. Crooks.
Most Of those dainty gentlemen would sbut
put a elm foI ehnger INTO Crooks str mo
hand, Wien they had the honor TO be
scented TO that NCItty hoivGF
Others would turn away and elevate the II
OF puny nose, when they saw his boz st,
dirty lace. Mud Sweepers in the city CT
better figure, they thought. Your FIFTY
friends went back much impressed with -FOUR
great abilities as a coal mining engineeIl as
they saw the work you had charge OF pro
crossing. L. IL
hAshlsnd. Pa, June, 1862
ITO BE coSrIEUED.)
Anvac.kw