Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1891-08-18

cloud OF coal dust IN winch lue1 are euftl-
oped, requires less muscle than dexterity.
A screen, a kind Of riddle of iron bars,
working on the principle Of an endless
chain. is constantly carrying the coal,
which has been dumped upon il from the
Tip" above, down along an incline into the
coal cars, or wagons" a. they are called
here standing Baon elevated tracks -
meath. A. the coal passes along the dust
and dne colI used for coke making fall
into a shute beneath. which carries the
screenings" % storage bins below. But
here and there are clogs Of dirt, bits OF
rock, pieces of shsle and huge faulty"
lumIs Of coal
All the shale. rock aud dirt are picked
from the screens by hand. and the way
they hy from these pit brow wOmen's MIN
ble fingers is a wonder A bystander is In
danger of broken head, and one cannot
help thinking what a marvellous contingent
these women would make in a Belfast riot.
They also have in their left hand long
handled, tiny but sharp and stout spade
One crack or prod Of this, 50 dexterous are
they, will split into a score Of pieces the
hugest lump Of coal, which is done il il
shows signs Of inferior quality. AS fire.
quently mines discharge from 500 TO 5000
tons Of coal per day over this double set Of
screens. and every particle Of il passes I'M
der the inspection VI eight women, four at
each screen, some knowledge Of the won
derful quickness of eye and movement on
the part Of these pit brow women can be
formed No ship stoker ever came up from
the coal bunkers more ebony black than
they all become after the first cage Of the
days operation has been tipped"
The Jewellers" or filters" attend to the
wagons or cars. Though the coal is carried
into them direct from the screens, much
tumbles about on the tracks. This Is
thrown into the wagons, and when they
are filled the women climb into or upon
them and adjust the coal In the same man
ner as the coke makers trim the coke
wagons. This work Is usually done by
girls from fourteen to eighteen years Of
age. They scramble under, between and
over the wagons with the agility Of mon
keys, and every one has superb physical
i developement saw one place ber hand
upon the bumper between the railway
wagons, and with light spring leap upon
/ il, and from this, in another motion, vault
| into the loaded wagon five feet above. Car
/ rying spade in the left hand, she only had
the use Of her right hand, and yet no pro
fessional athlete could have accomplished
the performance with more grace or ap
parent ease.
Having been fortunate enough 10 come
upon the pit brow lasses at various mines
al all hours Of labor, in all departments
aud conditions Of their labor, at their
hours foRmeals and rest, on their way 70
the mines and 70 their homes, and again
in their homes. can testify TO their thor
ough good nature, good heartedness and
| unusual respectability . confess that
expected TO find the most forlorn creatures
bearing the image Of women All the il
Illustrations I had ever seen portrayed
them as hollow checked, hollow chested.
scraggy, s0dden and beastly. They are
nothing Of the sort Physically they are
the finest formed women in England
IL is OF course startling thing 70 come
suddenly upon the platform above a pit
mouth and-amd the deafeuing clamor OF
the engines. the crashing of the cage" A.
it comes from the abyss below with terrific
speed the laundering Of the iron trucks
upon the metal floor as they are tipped
and hurled bach into the hollow iron
cage, with the eudlrss booming OF the coal
along the screens and into the wagons
while dodging the flying rock and shale-
half discern these weird, swarthy figures
OF women. clad half m mans and half il
woman's attire. plunging here and there
as il engaged in some bedlamish saturna
LA Il is one Of the most picturesque
scenes Of labor ever beheld, aud has th'
element Of wild and awful grandeur in il.
But il has not the hopeless trrgedy in &
!. Of the certain wasting away Of human lif'
furnished by the mill OF the factory. Eng
lish roses glow from English cheeks ans
fame through the pail Of coal on the face
of these pit brow lasses You cannot inS
plumper figures. prettier forms. NOR
shapely necks and limhs or daintier feet
despite the ugly clogs" In all Of dreamfu
I Andalusia There il not harder. hrmer
finer flesh and muscle in any prize ring
The sparkle OF royal good health leaps from
! their splendid hazel eyes. Their lips ar
? like the cockneys heart aud spirits
) ''cherry ripe" And you never VIII 1n'
] more dazzling white OF beautiful teeth il
the Azores, in Cuba, OF with our own col
ored people-the coal dust performing tn
! work OF a magnificent dentriice.
Their picturesque costume varies a
; different mines. AT some they are
: ragged lot indeed at their work. But q
!, nearly all those pits which are the propel
. " OF single or partnership owners, th
e "Blundell" costume Of the great Pembel
3 ton mine, located two miles from WigaE
3 Il in the main In use. This was originate
by the late Hon. Mrs Blundell, wife Q
9 Colonel Blundell. N. p. owner Of the Peu
E berton. a fund being provided from th
purse OF the deceased lady TO furnish AZ
2 nually as a free gift 70 each pit brow lassi
!. at that mine one suit for working use.
I. Il is OF stout blue serge, and consists {
a jacket, which Is a sort Of blouse In shap'
a short petticoat reaching nearly 70 th
, knees, . pair Of trousers precisely like
8 mans and clogs instead Of shoes The
q hair is first done up tightly In kerchie
:. and the whole is inclosed In sort of gatl
q cred bag, which fits tightly about the for
q head and around the back Of the necl
2 Some wear meas caps for headgea
> These costumes. which attract no attei
e tion whatever IN mining regioas save fr0l
% stranRers, are dOnned before the wome
> leave home in the mornlng and are w0r
= until they return a. night. They are mo-
= claanly women. aud bath Il invariabl
2 taken when the brow or "broo gear'
= thrown aside for the day.
e I was in company with Vicar Wood.
= Pemberton. part of the time during n
n ,afatf -, fI,n Yarnf,nrrnn mine In view