The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-27

Are Many Animals That Do Not
Show as Much 1ntelligence-Some
Things the Mule Does in His
Work Undcrsround-He Can Do
Vast Amount of Labor and an
Equal Amount of Hard Knocks
Tho anthracite ynlliorics of PcnnsyI-
vania require close OH to sixteen thons-
and mules in the necessary handl'nS
of the coat Sixteen thousand mnlhS
are quite Il respectable number ni am
mails If they We're placed III me-
each mule attached to the preceding
mules tail and all strctchcdi mod"r-
atcy tight. 1t would make string
thirty-ivc miles long. This Is only
rough calculation, and 10 allowance
has been made for varying lengths of
tails Probably tho line will vary u
mile nr two either way. but it gives
the reader a general idea what this
number of mules means.
What amount of horse, or rather
muc- power they exert per year 10 inn
possible to get at, ON account OF the
Wildly varying loads and conditions of
'lIli' 'NlS. IbtSlu'S, II Is lbl lll' WIZ
cr's intention To dwell upon this fea
turc of the mule. nor is the article to
hc II dissertation on the physical or
anatomical gct-up of the mule, or how
he should he brought up in his youth
10 make a rcspCctahl" mule But the
article has to do with the traits eN-
hibted by the finished product as seen
around various mining plants.
1t is written with the view to right
a popular error. that which regards
,hn mule us II dumb animal, and to
abolish or restrict the use of that
slanderous phrase. that expression ap-
piled to some fool of Il human being
when tits said he is as dumb as n
mule. not meaning that the human be-
ing doesn't deserve some such COM
parison, but the mule doesn't. Fools
should he compared tn some other ami
NAL. Specifically the appearance of
the mule is against him. An awkward,
unsanly. clumsly-built animal with
II dull and somewhat stupid express
sion. Rnt more intimate acduain-
tancc disci"scS traits entirely at var
iarcc with these surface indications.
DISPLAYS INTELLIGENCE.
He commonly displays an amount of
Intelligence in the performance of his
work which is second to none in the
animal kingdom. and often ranks him
gEor than the fool of a driver having
hin. in charge. He is as intelligent as
mn animal as man has SlbSorvient to
his use. Mules may b. seen at work
around various ccllicricS which from
the manner in which they go about
their numerous duties leads one To be-
lievc that If they are not reasoning,
thinking animals they arc the next
thing to it. What the anthracite mines
would d. without them is hard to real
ize. No mechanical system Of laulage
is 50 flcXibl" as 10 do away entirely
with their use.
The hnrS" is not hardy enough to
complete with him. besides does not
possess enough common mule sense.
Here arH \ few examples among the
many S"cn by tho writer around tho
oollicricS illustrating the mules intel
1igcn,c. others could be cited but it
would involve a too detailed dcscrip.
tion of various pieces of machinery
ard ether appliances in use around
the plants before the actions of the
mule would hccomc intcliGiblc.
At Il mine where the cars are dclv-
cred to The breaker from Il long tun-
mel, the trips consist of anywhere from
twenty To thirty cars. the trips are
pulled to the tunnel mouth by a string
of mules. From here To the breaker is
n descending grade" and a single mule
lS used to deliver the ears to that point
This mule on hearing the rumbling of
the approaching trip. walks back To
the tunnnc, mouth unattended and
turns around in preparation to being
atta' he'd To the "trip. He then keeps
looking backward toward the tunnel
mouth, with his ears alertly clacked
To judge how far the trip will come be-
fore stol ping. He moves backward or
forward several feet as his Judgment
tells him the trip will run past or not
IN to where he stands while at the
same time he casts inuuiring glances
at his driver to see if he is aware of
the approach of tn trip.
BECOMES ANXIOUS
ON It's nearer approach the more
anxious does he become, because he
wants to be attached To the trip of
cars before they come To a dead STOP
he knowing as we'll as ii human being
that 1t Is easier To keep them moving
Than to start them from a StandstiIl.
The driver merely attaches the mules
chain To the cars, and the mule starts
without a word and pulls these cars as
iar as his Judgment tells him il is nee
oSsary, this distance depending on the
speed with which the ears are travel
ing, then steps to one side out of the
way of the moving trip, while his chain
detaches itself as soon as he slackens
up his speed This would be called
Judgment in a human being.
1t is common sight tn see mules go
racing Ia the stable on hearing the
first sound of the dinner whistle. thev
knowing as well as any of the scamper-
ing breaker boys what it means. and
are just as anxious to get their dinner.
Many will stand up for their rights in
regard To the dinner hour, and abso-
lutcly refuse To pull pound after the
whistle has sounded. This is rather
human, too, isn't it
n mule which | greatly admired was
an-limbed young jenny who was
the leader i'm team of eight, used in a
long underground haul in mine near
Tamaqua. She had the weakness of her
sex in being extremely vain and sus-
ceptibe to iiattery. She would toss her
head and prance around quivering with
delight when her master spoke to or
petted her. | think the driver was
equally proud of his little leader from
the care and attention he bestowed
upon her. And he should he, for, TO a
certain extent the drivers life depend
ed upon the intelligence of his head
mule. Should the leader stumble on