Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-10-02
A MINERS INITIATION
THE LEAOVLte WAV or GIVING A
TENOeRFOOT NERVE.
Peter Dean AZ Boston Was Born 10 ne n
Miner and Was Allowed To Fire n Shot
His First Day In the shaft How Ii Was

That Peters Hair Joined the silver Party
Peter Dean. u young mining engineer,
went from Boston to Leadville TO acquire
the practical part OF his profession He
tells what bofell him ~ follows: AT Lead
Vile ! met person named Thompson
Classy Thompson he was called by those
about him in testimony 10 his powers rs n
converSati uualist \ barbeopCr who seemed
the best informed and the most gentle
manly soul in town told me that Classy
Thompson was n miner full of practical
skill ana that he was just then engaged in
sinking shaft. ! might arrange with
Classy and learn the business AT the bar
keeper hint, proposed as much 70 him
An right, said Classy; come out 70 the
shaft tomorrow.
"The next day / was at the place ap.
pointed The shaft was already 80 feet
deep Besides myself and this person
Classy, who was 10 tutor me, there was a
creature named Jim That made three OF
us. At the suggestion of Classy he and
descended into the shaft. Jim was left on
the surface We went down by means of a
bucket, Jim unwinding us from a rickety
OLD windlass Once down, Classy and /,
with slcdges and drill, penetrated IA hole
in the bottom Of the shaft. | held the
drill, Classy welding the sledge When
the hole met the Norshipful taste of my
tutor, he put in adynamite cartridge con-
nectcd ~ long five minute fuse herewith
and carefully tlumbed it about and packed
il in with wet clay.
AT Gassy's word was then hauled TO
the surface by jim. | added my strength
TO the windlass; Classy climbed into the
bucket, lighted the fuse and was then
swiftly wound TO the surface by Jim and
myself We then dragged the windlass
aside uncovered the mouth of the shaft
and quickly scampercd 10 "a distance to be
out of harm S reach At the end Of five
minutes from the time that Classy had
lighted the fuse, and perhaps three minutes
after we had cleared away the shot ex-
ploded with a dcafening report As re.
suit. tons OF rock were shot up from the
mouth of the shaft full 30 feet into the
lir 1t was ali very impressive and gave
me lesson in the tremendous power Of
dynamite / was much pleased and felt Is
if | were learning
"Following the explosion, Classy and
again repaired 10 the bottom of the shaft,
md after clearing away the debris and
sending it up out by the bucket we re-
.umcd the slcdge and drill. We completed
another hole and were ready for second
hot. This was about noon. 1t was at
his point the miscreant Classy began to
ut into action "a plot he had formed
gainSt me, and 20 carry out which the
murderer jim, lent ready aid You must
rmcrbcr that ! had perfect confidence in
hcse two Williams. 1 never seed no ten
,ctioat git along like YOU do at this bust
ess. said Thompson To me Looks like
on was born 10 be miner he went on.
\Ow In coin to Let you fire the next
hot. Usual, | wouldn't feel justified in
lluwn a tcndcrfOot to fire "A shot for
dumb three months But you has a
,uiU> for minin 1t comes as easy 10 you
: rubbin a birds nest I'd be doin wrong
O hold YOU back
"Of course | naturally felt pleased To
70 allowed To fire dynamite shot on my
irst Gay in IA shaft felt and knew TO be
n honor. ! determined TO write home 10
NY friends of this triumph. Classy said
ed put in the shot, and he secured one
f giant size l saw the explosive placed
II thc hole Then he attached the fuse
nd thumhcd the clay about it as before.
Ic gave me u few last words After
cts up, he said. an me an Jim's all
eudy, YOU climb into the bucket an light
IN Jim an well yank you out But be
hore an light the fuse Thar's nuthn
uorc discoUragin than for 10 wait half an
our outside an no cortridc goin off. Es-
ecial when it goes off after You goes back
o see whats the matter with her. So be
.hOrc an light the fuse, an then Jim an
hell run you up the second fuliorir
This oughter be great day for YOU, young
uan. nrin shot this away. the first six
our, you re a miner
Jim and Classy were at the windlass
md yelled. All ready below | was in
he bucket and at the word scratched
match and lit the fuse. Ii sputtered with
farming ardor and threw off shower of
parks. Hoist away! | called The vii
aims ran me up about ten feet and came
% dead halt. a this crisis they seemed
% get into an alteration They both
abandoned the windlass, and | could hear
hem cursing and threatening and shoot
ng presumably AT each other I II have
,our heart out, | heard Classy say My
alarm was without a limit I'd seen one
hot 20 off Here | was a-swinEing some
zen feet over a heavier charge and about
20 be blown into eternity Meanwhile the
'aitifrs, on whom my life depended aban
loncd me TO settle some accursed feud NJ
their own.
II cannot tell you OF my agony The
fuse was splitting fire like 20 hcnds; the
narrow shaft was choked with smoke. |
swung there helpless awaiting death, while
the two rascals, Classy and Jim, were try
ing to kill each other above Either from
smoke or excitement | tainted When
came 10 myself was outside the shaft safe
and sound while Classy and his disreputa
bic assistant were laughing ut their joke.
There had been no shot placed in the drill
hole; the heartloss Classy had palmed 1t
and carried II with him TO the surface
"A my very natural inquiry made In
weak voice-for l was still sick anG
broken-as TO what it all meant, they said
it was merely Leadville joke and intend
ed for the imitation of "a tenderfoot IL
gives en- nerve, said Classy II puts
heart into en- an does EN- good As soon
rs | could walk | severed my relations
with Classy Thompson and his outlaw adj
herent, jim The next morning my hair
turned the milky so.t you see. The Lead
vile people with whom l discussed the
crime laughed and said the drinks were on
me That was all the sympathy. all the