The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-04-23
MULES IN THE MINES.
How the Animals arc Worked and
Treated i'm the subterranean Ne.
giOns of Nevada.

several thousand feet back from the face
is very considerable, ranging from IS to
100 degrees Fahrenheit, and feels all the
hotter for being partly deprived of
oxygen. At the face where the men are
at work, two streams of fresh air, gener-
ated at shaft No. 2, two miles away, and
1,045 feet above the tunnel level, are
constantly discharged-one from the
blower, the other from the compressor
pipe; and though the air at that point is
l08 degrees Fahrenheit, it is quite COM
Portable.
One switch mule is employed on each
shift, which is used for bringing a car at
a time from the switch-a thousand feet
back to the face of the header; it is then
taken back with the loaded car to bring
other empty ones forward, in which man
ner trains of fifteen or twenty cars are
made up. This mule, from the time it is
unhitched from the empty cars, and
while it is waiting to be hitched up to
the one being loaded, manages to put its
nose up to the air-pipe, and keeps NOV
ing its head up and down, in order to get
all the air possible in the few minutes al
lowed it.
One day last week man in charge Of
the switchmule was seen coming out of
the tunnel, in the middle of the shaft,
and on inquiry why he made his appear
ance at this unusual hour, he said he had
come out after another mule to do the
switching, for his regular switch mule
had become rebellious and utterly re-
fused to do any duty. He declared the
mule was standing in front of the air
pipe, near the face, and no amount of
coaxing, whipping or pulling could in
duce it to leave, and he was compelled to
start out after another mule, in order to
permit the work to proceed.
After a few hours, by sheer dint of
force, the refractory mule was brought
out, half dozen men being required to
pull and push itaiong Ithas since been
put to work outside, for it would be use
less to put it at switching any more, for
it would repeat the same performance at
each shift.
The intelligence of mules is displayed
in wonderful degree when used under
ground, and in dangerous places. They
gradually learn to understand every
command the driver gives them, and in
the header when the signal "fire," is
given, they instantly wheel around, with
their backs toward the blast. One day
mule neglected to wheel quite around,
but stood at right angles with the tun-
mel, and though over 400 feet from the
face, rock four inches in diameter
struck it in the side, producing an ugly
wound, from which the intestines pro-
truded. He had to be thrown on a fiat
car, carried out and shot.
A curious freak about mules is, that
when anything touches their heads they
dodge; while touching horses ears makes
them throw up their deads. For this
reason horses cannot be used under
ground, for they would soon break their
skulls, while mules never get injured in
that manner.
The switch mules, when the men are
eating, go from man to man begging for
something to eat, and they will eat cook
ed meat, pies, drink coffee; in fact, any
thing the men have. Some Of the mules,
when the men are not looking, are in
the habit of upsetting the mems lunch
pals and helping themselves. They
have also taken to drinking ice water,
and are not satisfied except they get
their regular allowance.
The mules which pull the rock trains
are driven three or four tandem, each
having torch upon it's head, which hobs
up and down as they move along, and
they present very novel appearance as
seen from distance in the darkness.
All the mules in the tunnel work
eight hour shifts, the same as the men.
Notwithstanding this short duty, they
rapidly wear out, and it is pity to see
them painting and blowing in the con-
fined air, with perspiration streaming
from them.
The mules have a cloth fastened to
their brides, which is put over one eye
before they emerge into daylight. The
cloth is removed as they enter the tun-
mel on the return trip. The object is to
have them reserve one good eye to see
from, for the uncovered eye, exposed to
daylig ht, is incapable OF seeing anything
for some time after entering darkness.
Whenever it is neglected to bandage an
eye on the outside, the mule staggers and
stumbles about in the darkness, and re-
fuses to 90 ahead. ~,
The mules, of course, all have their
names, and Jane, Nell, Luce, Fan, Tom,
Bill, Jack, Frank, are sure to be amongst
the lot. One mule has been facetiously
christened Susan B. Anthony. They are
great avorites with the miners, especially
when underground, and they answer the
call of their names, like pet dogs; and
strange to say, in that heated atmos-
phere, they soon lose their proverbial
tendency for kicking. The driver gen.
orally stands on small platform in the
rear of the first car, and since he could
not reach the mules, driven in tandem,
with a whip, he SHES. small stones with
the greatest dexterity, of which he has a
good supply before him.
Two trains generally follow, one be-
hind the other, for should an accident
happen from caves, breaking of wheels,
or Of cars getting off the track, one driver
assists the other in, overcoming the diff.
Guilty. "
The most durable mules are those with
short legs, large bodies, compactly built,
and weighing about 900 pounds.
There are altogether about thirty mules
employed in the Sutro Tunnel, though a
greater number is kept on hand.
Another Kentucky Cave.
The Paducah Sun tells of recently
discovered cave on the farm of Nj. Hen
ry OBrien, of Lyon county. The cave
is in the high bluffs that overlook the
Tennessee river. Mr.. O'Brien and his