The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-02-07
HE cor IN TRAINING
BUT THE FIGHT FOR WHICH HI
AcHEp NEVER OCCURRED.

"Jigger" Was Induced by One o
His Employers 10 DO Two Mem
Work TIL the Gre Petercd out.
During the second boom of the zin
mining industry in what Is known a.
the Joplin district of southwest Mis-
souri,, which occurred about 1885,
young man of st. Louis by the name
Daniel Taylor was one OF the owner
Of mine in the district which claimed
distinction chiefly because Of its nam,
Of 1.-THE Great American Bull Pup" A
snow white, full blooded bull terrier
kept chained in the pump house was
one OF the employees of the mine, and
his name figured on the payroll every
week. Young Taylor was the son Of
George Taylor, ex-mayor of St Louis.
He enjoyed an income of some $4,000
a year. Dan Taylor had just come
from college when he became partner
In The Great American Bull Pup. He
was an athlete, hard as nails, with n
good understanding Of the manly art
Of self defense" The mine superin-
tendent had been complaining because
of lack of "jlgs" with which to sepa-
rate ore and had represented to Taylor
the necessity of at least one more Gig"
and competent bigger"
"Why," answered Taylor, "Just look
at that big, husky chap out there on
the end Jig. He's loafing. That man
could easily clean up twice as much
ore. What's more, I'll make him do 1t"
A Jig, be 1t understood, is composed
Of two boxes. spring board and han
die. First, there is large box filed
with water. A smaller box with an
open top and fitted with grating at
the bottom is suspended over the big
box at the end Of long pole or handle.
This handle rests on cross bar higher
than and little to the rear of the big
box. When the handle Is lowered, the
smaller box, filed with crushed ore,
rocks and mud, is lowered into the lar
ger box and submerged in water. The
business end of the handle Is grasped
by the jigger man, who stands on a
spring board. He holds his hands
above his head at arms length and per.
fectly rigid. AS he teeters ON the
spring board the box filed with ore
works up and down in the water In the
tank. The ore, being heavy, sinks to
the bottom of the smaller box. while
the mud goes through the grating at
the bottom. and the rock chips come to
the top. BY shoveling out the useless
rock chips from time to time only
cleaned ore is finally left in the jig box
A jig box will contain many hundred
pounds weight, and to operate one re-
quires an abundance of muscle and
good wind.
Jim Stuart, the Jig man pointed out
by Taylor, was ''scrapper" of local
fame, with an ambition to spread his
reputation. He and young Taylor
were about of weight. Taylor step
ped up to Stuart and talked boxing and
prizefighting to him. Stuart became in.
terested. and then Taylor casually re.
marked that he had won the college
lightweight championship and had TAX
en- finishing course from a well
known professor" in st. Louis.
''I'd like to fight or to spar with you,
said Stuart.
"All right" replied Taylor. "We'l
have little go some day. I'm pretty
rough sometimes, and you want to gel
into good condition"
"Well, say" exclaimed the Indignant
Stuart, "you fine haired city chaps
make me tired! Condition! Just fee
those muscles" And the Jig man helt
out his right arm.
Taylor felt the arm critically. 1t was
hard as iron-nearly. There was NJ
doubt about it, Stuart was as eft" a:
he would ever be.
"Pretty fair" said Taylor. "But yor
will have to exercise little for few
days to get in the best of shape, ant
then I'll take you on. You've got biz
muscles, but they're just little soft"
Taylor walked away. Stuart looked
after him angrily, thought better Of i
and went to work with savage earnest
ness. For three weeks Stuart worked
at that Jig "gittin his muscle up" as
never man worked at jig before. Ev
cry few days Taylor would droI
around with q sweater up to his chin
When he came In sight around thu
bend, 100 yards from the jighouse, HI
would break into jog trot. Stuar
thought Taylor was out "hittin up hi
wind" and that he had been running
the three miles between the town ant
the mine. Taylor put Off the fight from
day to day with various excuses, ant
all the time poor Stuart was plugging
away at the Jig box for dear life. How
long 1t would have lasted is a question
but after about three weeks, during
which Stuart did two mems work. tn,
ore In the mine "petered out"
The Great American Bull Pup closet
down, and Taylor returned to st. Loui
without ever having had that llttl,
/ Ego" with Jim Stuart. Jim believes t,
this day that Taylor was afraid of him
but Taylor only chuckles when remind
ed Of 1t and says:
"Well, we didn't have to hire an ex
ira jig hand. did weY-New York Mai
and Express.