The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-03-05
MINERS LIVE LONG
OCCUPATION SEEMS TO MAKE
FOR LONGEVITY.
Consumption Declared 70 Be Practic.
ally Unknown Among Men Who
DelVe in the Earth-Tsles
Tcld BY Veterans.

R. S. Thomas, coal mine inspector
Of Missouri. has a fixed belief that
longevity and coal mining 20 together.
you never hear OF a coal miner
having consumption, said Mr.. Thorn
as. unless he contracted the disease
before he went into the pit; and even
then he finds the peculiar properties
OF coal mine beneficial to his lungs,
and he often becomes well and strong
by reason Of his work under the
ground.
We have number Of hardy miners
in Missouri who were taken into the
pit in the old country CWales) at six,
seven and eight years to act as trap
per boys. These youngsters kept
steadily at work until they were pro-
NOTED to be miners assistants and
then regular miners, and thrived
nightly under conditions which in
most trades would retard their deyel-
opment-I mean, beginning work at
that early age.
1T seems as If Providence had given
health to the miner as a recompense
for the hazard Of his calling. Nearly
all Of those who manage to dodge falls
Of rock. breaking cables and other
dangers incident to the craft live to
a green old age. They not only live
but they keep at work.
Tt would surprise DR.. Osler II he
knew how many men far past 60 were
yet working in the mines at Beyier.
Uncle Johnnie Grihith, who died a few
months ago at the age of 81, worked
in the pit from the age Of seven until
year before he died He began as
trapper boy in Wales, his father car
rying him TO the mine on his back
His last work was in Mine 81 Of
the Central Coal company near Bevier.
and he made a full hand every day
for three years after he was so. With
the exception Of a short time that he
ran a hoisting engine Mr. Griffith had
practically been in the pit three-quar
ters of century"
Mr.. Thomas has made some re |
search at Beyier, the largest Goa, |
camp in the state, and finds that there
are there a number of men who have
been at work for half a century or
more on coal mines and are still Wig
orous.
And here's another thing re-
marked Tom Williams, veteran who
had TO abandon the pit some years
ago owing to fall of rock, you never
hear a miner puff and blow when he
runs. His wind is as good as an ath
lete's. His lungs are sound, although
coated thick with coal dust.
Nearly everybody at Bevier burns
coal for all purposes, because it Is
cheap. Most other towns in these
parts use wood for freplaces and
heating. Now in time the tops of the
Beyier houses become coated with coal
SCOT from their chimneys. and the
rain after falling on the roofs passes
into the wells and they drink it,
"A Bevier family doesn't like water
unless it is caught that way and goes
through that process; that's the only
kind of water tastes good to EN-
Why? Because it has properties that
kill pneumonia and typhoid fever
germs.
IT'S an absolute fact that people
don't have such maladies when they
use water caught in that way I've
lived among them a lifetime and
know that. | can't give the scientific
reason for coal SCOTS benefcent inflh-
ence on well water but there's no
earthly doubt it has such influence"