The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-06-25
A PENNSYLVANIA Coal. Miners Extraor.
binary Strength.

lH0 SCTOuScSt Hill Ill OCuuy lhllA
County, if not in the State, says the
Pottsville Miners Journal, is James
Ryan, of St. Clair. He stands six feet
one inch in his socks, tips the beam at
296 pounds, measures fifty-eight inches
around the chest, is SO we'll proper
toned that his size does not appear re.
markable, and is as straight as rush.
Ryan was born in the County of Cork,
Ireland, but has lived in this country
since boyhood. He is of quiet DISPOSE
ton, fortunately, and possessed of tre-
mendous bodily strength. His biceps
measure twenty-one inches, and the rest
of his limbs in proportion. He is now
over 60 years Of age, but is still posses
sed of extraordinary strength. He has
since his youth worked in the mines,
and his companions tell wonderful stories
Of feats Of strength performed by him.
He goes to his work, winter and sum-
mer, in his shirt.sleeves. Years ago,
before he turned over a new leaf and
settled down, be drank five gallons of
whisky and one.half barrel Of porter
every week. This is vouched for by men
who have known him for twenty years.
This amout of liquor seems large enough
to have killed even stronger man than
Ryan, but he survived the strain, and
to-day, in spite of his years and the ill.,
treatment his constitution has received,
Is the strongest man in this part of the
State. Some years ago Ryan was in
Pottsville with a friend, when their at
tention was called to. a lifting machine
in charge of q travelling Snowman,
who was inviting the passers-by to try
their lifting capacity. The capacity Of
the machine was 1000 pounds. Ryan
was asked by his friend If he could lift
that amount. II can break the ma.
chine, man." he replied. The owner Of
the lift heard the remark, and offered to
give S5 to the man who could lift 1000
pounds or break the machine. Ryan
braced himself and lifted for all that
was in him. He broke the machine,
and, strange to say, he got the $5.
He works at Pine Forest Colliery. One
day not very long ago, as he came out
of the mine, he noticed piece of cast
iron weighing 100 pounds lying on the
ground. A friend jokingly asked him
to lift it. He lifted it, much to the as
tonisment of the lookers-on, all of whom
knew of his great strength. Az stated,
he is peacefully inclined. Whenever he
sees trouble brewing he gently takes q
belligerent in each hand, and, il they re.
fuse to listen to reason, bumps one
against the other until they cry enough
and agree to peaceful settlement. He
wa, standing on the track one day with
bis back against trip of loaded cars
in the mine-when another trip dashed
around curve and was upon him be.
fore he could jump from the track. He
braoed his back against the stationary
trip and received the other with out.
stretched hands. He broke the force Of
the collision, but feels the strain he 70
ceived to this day. An ordinary man
in the situation would have been crushed
to death. He comes from q family noted
for great bodily strength. His mother
Is still alive. Some years ago she car
ried a barrel of -four from the store Of
Fox Brothers, on Center Street, to her
home in St. Clair.