The Russellville Democrat., 1885-08-13
IIIlIIIIIIIII!IIII
Chicago Netcs.
CHATS WITH COAL.MINERs.

SNOW POET.


two near shaves; and / don't suppose
there's man on the colliery but what
could say the same.
The speaker was hardy, toilworn
coal miner, who had come to see me
on some parish business. And
many is the thrilling tale which, by
considerable pressure-for be it known
that most of these men think lightly
and speak but little of their dangers
the country parson may extract from
his "fellow-men in black" among the
coal-pits.
"Yes, sir; I've had one or two. Once
l was let down into the sump in eight
feet of water.
This man was a "shaftman. The
"shaft, as you know--or perhaps you
don't KNOWS the circular perpendic-
ular well by which access is gained
to the horizontal beds of coal lying at
various depths below the surface. The
depth of the shaft in various mines
ranges from tens to hundreds of
fathoms. The duty of the shaftmen is
to keep this in repair. Often their
work must be done sitting with one leg
through loop attached to the steel
wire rope by which they are drawn up
and down, or standing on simple
scaffold hung to the side of the shaft;
and man needs stout heart and n
steady nerve to work placidly, sus-
pended over chasm a hundred
fathoms deep. The ordinary mode,
however, of journeying up and down
the shaft is in the cage an iron
structure open at two sides, steadied in
its course by two grooves, which fit in
two wooden '.ghides' exteading the
whole depth, and fiXel 10 the sides of
the shaft. must also explain that the
.'sump" is the very bottom of the shaft.
The shaft is sunk a few fathoms lower
than the lowest seam of coal tiat is be-
ing worked. Into this lowest part of
the shaft, euphoniously termed the
"sump,n the water which oozes from
the sides Of the shaft finds its way,
which is Constantly being pumped out,
to prevent the flooding Of the pit.
How a man could be let down INTO
the sump and escape alive, seemed a
mystery TO ne. ''How on earth did
yoa get out?" | asked. Il suppose
they drew the cage up at on e?"
Never" said the shaftman. "The
engineman, by mistake or accident, ran
her right down into the sump, and
there she stuck, while tie other cage
was right up at the pulleys. The en-
gine-power was lost, and he couldn't
get her up"
Then how did you cscapeP' l
asked, breathlessly,
"Why," he answered with grim
smile, 81 had to get out the way they
catch sparrows at Gateshead.
"How's thatp"
"The best way / could. l managed
to get out OF the cage. There was only
just room to squeeze up between the
cage and the side of the sump, and /
climbed up by the timbers to the top of
the water. was near done when / got
out, and then | had to travel round
about and get out by stapple 1t was
two hours before / got home. The
engineman was nearly off his head
They were all sure / was killed, and
were seeking about how to get the cage
up again. "
nWasn't it awful going down."
said. .'Didn't you lose your headP"
Il can tell you it was. The cage
game down with run, and clashed into
the water like clap of thunder"
What did you thinkP'' | asked. 81
wonder you kept your senses"
"Well," he said. - knew what was
going to happen, when felt her going.
The water came in on me, and / knew
there was eight feet above me; and
thought: "Well, it's queer thing if
I've come down here to be drowned I"
had my thick leather jacket on; and
swallowed lot of water; but i scram-
bled out somehow. But it was ndar
thing, can tell you.
i'Oh,h no continued, tfthere are
queer things happen. Once, another
man and | were drawn up over the
pulley. That's not the big pulleys, you
know. sir; but the little wheel with the
small rope, a few feet above the shaft,
which we use for shaft-work. This 9th
pr man and had been at work, sitting
in the loops hanging on the rope; and
when the engine drew us up again, she
iran away and drew us right over
the pulley. At least. | went over; and
the other man hung on the other side,
balancing. My hands were cut with
the wheel; but | held ON till they got us
down. But it was II roughish ride, was
that Well. goodnight. sir"
wondered how many lives this man
had, and how he could go away SO
cheerfully to meet day by day the per-
lis OF his toll.
was talking the other day TO man
sbout emigration. I'm tell you,' he
said. ''When was one and-twenty l
settled to leave the pits and go to Amer
Ca. When the time came / said to
mother We'll, mother. I'll make this
the last days work here, and be of to
America Mother, she was sore cut
up, and she says: Bib, I'd as soon see
you lying in your grave in our church.