Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-31
Life at the Furnaces.

bOuh0 ~ otlOitiu6 tut'
naces are divided into the same periods
as at the mines-eigLt hours-and they
change their hours every two weeks.
Each furnace employs a force of fifteen
men exclusive of ore and charcoal
men), of whom there are three smelt
ers, six feeders and six Stag wheelers.
The feeders are employed on the Sec
ond or feeding floor of the works;
their labor consists Of charging the
furnaces with the requisite amount OF
coal and ore through the feed holes of
the shaft. 1t requires no special train
ing to do the work, but the men are
exposed to the ascending fumes, and it
is generally looked upon as the most
unhealthy part Of the work. The Stag
wheelers are kept busy hauling away
the melted debris, iron and bullion,
and assisting the smelter whenever oc-
casion may require. The work is
very laborious, and eight hours
Is sufficient to exhaust the physical
powers of the strongest men. The
smelter's duty lies entirely in front of
the furnace, and it IL to his care and
attention that its success Is due. Green
mon will not answer for this part of
the work, and their ranks are recruited
from the Stag wheelers, whose ambi-
ton lea. Is them to aspire to the posi-.
ton. Their work consists of watching
and assisting the flow of Stag that floats
On tie surface of the metals, which
consists OF liquid silica, limestone and
the impurities of the ore, tapping and
drawing of the iron when It accumu-
lstes to . certain height in the crucible,
ladling tut the base bullion from the
lead well into molds, regulating the
blast. and testing the iron and Stag to
see that no lead is escaping from the
spouts. One hour after commencing
their work the blast Is shut off and the
whole force congregate In front of the
furnace preparatory to "barrlng out"
This, however, is only the rule in the
shaft furnace, the h~ydrocieles dispens.
ing with this operation. 1t is a vexed
question as to whether anything
Is gained in the water,jackets
by this improvement, but we will not
discuss the arguments pro or con.
There Is no doubt that, ia the shaft
furnace, the operation more than
compensates for the time lost in per-
forming 1t. We have described the
work at soIne length before, and will
not now attempt a description of it in
detail. 1t consists in removing the
chilled Stag and iron that has cooled
outside the hearth, breaking down the
old and putting in a new clay front,
and stirring up the inside SO that 1t is
loose, and free from horses, thus facili-
tating the smelling of the ore. 1t gen.
orally consumes from q half to three
quarters If an hour, and o its COM
pletion the blast is turned on and the
work proceeds without interruption
during the remainder of the shift.
The work varies in lsboriousness, and
depends greatly or the quality Of the
ore. Ores with a large percentage of
lead. as a matter of course, form
greater quantities Of bullion, while
other ores will run to Stag and iron.
The greater the quantity of Stag,
the more work for the wheelers and
aud feeders, and vice versa. The
wages received are fair, the smelters
getting five and the others four dol
lars per day for their services. Not
wiihstanding the prevailing impress
sion that the work is very unhealthy
there are always a surplus Of APP
pIIcHbtS IoT VNcdilcieS. dUu no tT"uoie
is experienced in procuring help.
Some men are more susceptible to
the influence Of the fumes. and soon
succunib to its poisonous effects,
while others work around the fur
naces for years without experiencing
any deleterious symptoms. 1t is no.
ticeable that the men who pay the
most attention to cleanliness and dis
sipats the least are those who escape.
There have been great improvements
made in the way of ventilation, and
this has caused a marked discrease of
the unhealthiness OF the work. As a
class, the men employed are intelli-
gent and industrious, and there are
many who have followed The occupa-
ton ver since smelling was inaugu.
rated in Eureka.