The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1878-03-09

The heat of the Sutro Tunnel for sew
eral thousand feet back from the face is
very considerable. ranging from 95 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. generated at
shaft No. 2 two miles away, and 1.042
above the tunnel level, are constantly
discharged-one from the blower, the
other from the compressor and
and though the air at this point is lOS
degrees Fahrenheit, the air is quite COM
Portable.
One switch-mule is employed on each
shift, which is used for bringing car at
a time from the svitch-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 manner trains OF Is or 20 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 his
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
allowed it.
One day last week, the man in charge
of the switch mule. was seen coming out
of the tunnel, in the middle Of his shift,
and on inquiry why he made his appear
ance at this unusual hour. he said be bad
come out after another mule to do the
switching, for bis regular switch-mule
hud become rebellious and utterly re-
fused to do any duty. He declared the
mule was standing in front OF the air.
pipe, near the tace, and no amount OF
coaxing, whipping or pulling could in.
duce him 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 brough,
| out, half a dozen men being required to
pull and push it along. 1t has since
been put to work on the outside, for it
would be useless to take it in at switch
ing any more, for it would repeat the
same performance at each shift.
The intelligence of mules Is displayed
| in remarkable degree when used under
ground. and in dangerous places. They
| gradually learn to understand every
com mand the driver gives them. and in
the header when the signal "Fire!" ia
given, th. y instantly wheel around with
| their back toward the blast. One day a
mule neglected to wheel quite around,
but stood at right angles with the tunnel,
and though over 400 feet from the face,
a rock four inches IN diameter struck II
in the side, making an ugly wound,
from which the intestines protruded. He
had to be thrown on fiat car, taken oui
and shot.
A curious freak about mules is tina,
when anythings touches their heads
they dodge, wbile touching horses earl
makes them throw up their heads. Fol
this reason horses cannot be used under
ground, for they would soon break theil
skulls, while mules would never get in
jur-d in that manner.
The switch-mules, when the men ar,
eating, go from man to man begging TO-
something to eat. and they will "a
cooked meat, pies, drink coffee-in fact
take anything the men have. One o
the mules, wnen the men are not look
ing, is in the habit of upsettlng th
mems lunch pals and helping hlmsel
+ without leave. They have also taken T.
drinking ice water, and are not satisfied
except they get their regular allowance
, The mules which pull the rock train
; are driven three or four tandem, esc
! having torch upon its head, whic
keeps bobbing up and down as the
move along, and they present yer
a novel appearance as seen from distanc
, in the darkness.
q All the mules in the tunnel work eigt
Z hour shifts, the same as the men. No
+ withstanding this short duty, they rapit
q ly wear out, and it is pity to see theI
! painting and blowing in the confined al
!. with persperation streaming from then
q brides, which is put over one eye befol
, they emerge into daylight. This clot
is removed after they enter the tunn
y on the return trip. The object is
4 have them reserve one good eye to 81
~ from, for the uncovered eye, exposed
:. daylight, is incapable of seeing anythir
n for some time after entering darknes
" Whenever It is neglected to bandsge 4
i eye on the outside, the mule staggt
!. and tumbles about in the darkness. al
o refuses to go ahead.
q The mules are great favorites with Il
4 miners, especially when undergroun
/. and they answer the call of their name
Il like pet dogs; and strange to say in tn
heated atmosphere, they soon lose th.
ID proyerbal tendency for kicking. I
4 driver generally stands on small plt
q form in the rear Of the first car. and sin
"a he could not reach the mules, driven
:. tandem, with whip, he SHES SIN
- stones with the greatest dexterity,
II which he has good supply before hi
=. - Two trains generally follow one behi
~ the other, for should an accident happ
n from caves. breaking of wheels. or
~ cars getting Of the track. one driver c
i iv assist the other in overcoming the di
at Guilty.
m The re are altogether about thirty mu
ga ,mployed in the Sutro Tunnel, thou
40 a greater number is kept on hand.-Su
ls Independent.