The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-08
VISITING THE COAL MINES.
A Herald Correspondents Views of the
Hardy Men Who Work Underground.

Herald Correspondents Views of the
Hardy Men Who Work Underground.
WOoDRUFF, Rich Co., Utah, Dec. f. 1889.
Especial correspondence of THE HERALD
Last Saturday friend invited your cor
respondent to accompany him on visit to
Amy, near Evanston, Wyoming. As said
friend often attends to legal business, 1
supposed that something of that kind
called him to Almy, and that the desire to
have a travelling companion with whom to
swap yarns and to discuss the ponderous
questions of the hour caused him to give
your correspondent an opportunity Of
going along. Not deeming it proper to be
particularly inquisiJive under some circum-
stances, and nothing being said to throw
light on the subject, your correspondent
knew nothing of the object of the journey
until nearing its end, when said friend re-
marked that there was to be theatrical
entertainment in Amy that evening to
assist in raising funds for the erection OF
a brick westinghouse for the Latter-day
Saints of that place, to which he had been
invited. Not knowing where any of the
persons lived who had sent the invitation,
some inquiring had to be done, but they
were soon found and cordially warm re-
ception was the result. OF the theatrical
entertainment, your correspondent is not
quite so well prepared to judge as The
HERALD man could have done had he been
present. Then the circumstances Were not
particularly favorable for forming cor
rect or sound opinion regarding it. Having
a reserved seat ticket, your correspondent
became interested in getting particulars
regarding the
COAL MINES AND COAL MINING
at Almy, therefore did not go to the hall
so early as proved to be necessary,
though some fifteen minutes before
the time announced for the beginning
of the entertainment. On presenting my
ticket the proper functionary was directed
to conduct me to the seat it called for, but
he stated that such was impossible, on &C
count of the house being so densely packed,
which at sight was prepared to believe,
and accordingly decided cheerfully to stand
up and take my chances. Later the door
keeper and usher informed me that after
consultation they had decided to return to
me % cents on account of not being able to
conduct me to the seat my ticket called for.
But said ticket being complimentary, and
considering the object of the entertain
ment, deemed it best to generously de-
cline the offer. The house being so
crowded and nearly or quite all standing
up at the rear of the hall, many on chairs,
especially when the curtain was up, your
correspondent was unable to critically
watch the progress of the play. The cos
tunes were good, and the glimpses got of
the acting indicated that it was fair, seen
cry Notwithstanding, but stage room
cramped, not giving the performers rea-
sonable opportunity of showing what they
could do The play was 1.-THE Two Or
phans" What was lost in consequence of
not seeing some of the acting was made up
in funny incidents at the rear of the hall.
One gentleman brought in store box and
generously offered to share standing room
on it with me. But l found that spasm
of mirth might cause one to lose his bal
ance and slip off, precipitating the other
inlo the laps of the ladies near by; there
fore l declined the kind offer. Sew
eral wagon loads of persons
came from Evanston to see the
performance, but the house being already
lam full on their arrival they had to return
without going in. But general good nature
prevailed, the door keepers expressing re-
grets and the others willingness to come
to see the next performance. In fact my
friend and / decided that we had not fallen
in with such whole-souled lot of people
for long time past. Our stay was pro
longed till late in the next day and then
urgent business only tore US away, so
much were we impressed with the kind
welcome and cordial, nwarm-hearted hospi-
tality extended unto us, which neither OF
us is very likely to forget. Your cores
pondent had never before felt more at home
with people he had not previously SEEN
They were miners and some families of the
latter, the men working in the coal mines
of Almy. ] must confess to some surprise
@ min c11ph nlaocant naOnla
Not that had supposed them to be natur-
ally much different from other folks, but l
had supposed that with their underground
hard work and general surroundings, their
OPPORTUNITIES for mental advancement and
cnlture were limited. But we found their
houses neat and clean, the inmates intelli
GEM, ell-disposed, polite, and very warm
hearted. 1t seems that when their day s
work is over, coal miners are much more
sociable, assembling together oftener OF
evenings than farmers and others, having
perhaps fewer everlasting chores to keep
them at home. Said assembling together
affords excellent.opportunities for mutual
Improvement, which l think are utilized to
commendable degree at Almy. Possibly
we met
THE BETTER CLASS OF COAL MINERS
there; they certainly would compare ia
VOfdDly Wl1u PooPl0 ohy wiioiS 2, cor III E
their livelihood by honest toll, and that com
prehends about all that is necessary to say
| / had previously wondered at the necessity
| for music store in or near Evanston, but
on this visit l found that the Almy Goa
miners patronized such places, an6
amongst them are several amateur per
formers.
Your correspondent and his friend have
lived in this county for seventeen years
during which each has Travelled consider
ably to Evanston and return, and aftel
making the visit mentioned both voted that
quite an important fraction of said TIM
had been the same as lost through not hav
ing become sooner acquainted with tn
Almy people. Respectfully,
VISITOR.
ROSS PHARMACY
for cough cVrl1ns