The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-05-25
DOWN IN COAL MINE,
The Women workers In English and
Scotch minss--'Dansers from Fire

The Women Workers In English and
scotch minss--.Dangers from Fire
Damp.
The trapper girl and female putter
used to be regularly employed in Eng
lish and Scotch coal mines, The trap
per's duty consisted in opening what
will best be understood BY the reader
as sort OF trap-door for the passage
OF the underground wagons. As late
as 1913 girls.were employed in the 90.
cupation Of putters, passing their time
in the pits in pushing the coal-laden
trolleys through the workings TO the
shaft ready for ascent. But this EN-.
ployment was child's playt to that Of
porterage, practiced in some OF the
foreign mines, and prevailing years ago
in Scotland, as youched for by Parlia.
mentary reports. The subject is fully
treated in NJ. Simonin's famous work on
mining. "Girls used to carry on their
backs q basket fastened to o leather
strap which passed round their fore
head. To this strap their lamp was
also attached. Equipped in this man
neS they bore the coal. The load in
the basket was often balanced by large
Jumps which hung around their necks.
These girls advanced in parties with
their burdens, and climbed up ladders
the whole length OF the shafts, which
sometimes exceeded o hundred yards in
depth" The ladders were erected on
stages at certain distances. "If a strap
broke or block OF coal fell, the bear.
ers who followed were sometimes griey-
ously hurt, and they have been, though
rarely, killed on the spot. This primi-
tive mode OF raising was very barbarous,
and was abolished at the earnest recon-
mendaton Of the commission for in
quiring into tho employment OF women
and children in mines. Coiliery owners
had allowed matters TO become so seri-
ously bad that public opinion was
reused, and the government considered
1t absolutely necessary then 10 inter
fere, and by Legislative enactment the
disgrace was swept away forever in the
year 1Sl3." The practice Of women
assisting in "putting the coal, how.
ever, fingered in many mines long after
this, but ut the present moment they
have no longer place in
:" Tho gloomy cayerns dreM and dApk.
Mid swoltering yapors foul and rank."
There were found in some districts
persons who regarded this action OF the
government as piece OF unnecessary
interference with the employment Of
women.
The pit.women OF Wigan wear trows.
ers under their petticoats, wooden clogs
with brass tips, loose kind OF smock,
and for head.dress o sort OF wooden
bug. The arrangement OF this latter
gives quite a sphinx.like appearance to
the head. They are q strong, healthy
class Of women, and evidently like their
work. They earn from Is. 10 Is. I'd.
per day. Some OF them are married,
and during the dinner hour their babies
are brought to be kissed and fondled.
There is something very strange in the
picture OF these black, masculine.look.
ing creatures In trowsers and clogs with
brass tips hugging their Whitehead
babies among the Goals.
The days work ends at four o'clock,
and then the married women go home,
"clean themselves up" put on their
second. best clothes, and walk abroad,
visit their friends, or attend whatever
cheap local entertainment may be 60
ing on.
Technically the mouth OF the pit is
called the shaft, the immediate sur.
roundings the bank. In the early days
OF coal mining the ascent was made in
basket, which swung dangerously
from side 10 side. Now the shaft Is
fitted with IN inclosed cage working in
grooves and next tothe compartment
In which the women are is a small
wagon Of Goals, which, being caught by
the curved metals OF the foot, is wheeled
by number Of women upon tramway
at the bank, and then tilted down a
chute into railway wagons, where the
"black diamonds " arc received by an.
other set OF female laborers, who shovel
the coal about with m amount Of physi-
cal skill that heightens the significance
OF the fact that their clogs are fitted
with brass tips. The petticoat is
tucked up for the convenience OF work,
but when the days toll is over IL Is gen.
orally released, and falls down to the
ankles. The head. dresses are made Of
various colors but, we arc bound TO
say, there is nothing picturesque in the
attire.
Among q group Of miners will be
noticed a woman carving n safety
lamp, the Mesnes pits being more or
less what are called fiery mines. This
is the Aladdin's lamp" Of the collier,
carrying him safely through gases that
hover blue and sickly about the gauze-
work, but fail to penetrate II. The
smallest scintillation OF q spark would
be sufficient TO fire the mine, and
whistle the pitman aud his comrades
down the wind, broken, MANNED, burned
TO q cinder. II is impossible completely
to ventilate fiery mines 80 that no foul
air shall remain but the presence Of
the gas is more or less indicated, and in
mines OF this character the rules with
regard to lamps are most stringent.
But in spite OF precautions and laws In.
volving fines upon miners who unlock
their Days. or many way use naked
lights in the mines, nearly every acct
dent that happens arises from the care
lessness or williul indifference Of the
men. They. have been known to open
their lamps and light their pipes, and
thus sacrifice themselves and scores OF
others. Gases where miners have OPEN
cd the lamp for the purpose Of obtain
ing more light are also on record. At
the Mesnes Colliery, Wigan, there was
q terrible accident last November, re.