The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-01-17
MINERS LIVE LONG
OCCUPATION SEEMS TO MAKE
FOR LONGEVITY.
Consumption Declared to Be Practlc.
ally Unknown Among Men Who
pelvo In the Earth-Tales
Told by Veterans.

K. s. Thomas. coal mine inspector
OF Missouri. has a fixed belief that
longevity and coal mining go together.
You never hear OF coal miner
having consumption" said Mr. Thorn
as. unless he contracted the disease
before he went into the pit; and even
then no 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 harCiS miners
in Missouri who were taken Into the
pit In the old country (Wales) 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 devel-
opment-I mean, beginning work at
that early age.
1T seems as Ii 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
green old age. They not only live
but they keep at work
1T would surprise DR. Osler II he
knew how many men far past so were
yet working In the mines at Bevier
Uncle Johnnie Griffith, who died a few
months ago at the age of "a, worked
in tho pit from the ace of seven until
year before he died. He began as
a trapper boy in WalQ. his father car
rying him TO the mine on his back
His last work was in Mine 61 of
the Central Coal company near Bevier.
and he made full hand every day
for three years after he was so. With
the exception Of short time that he
ran hoisting engine Mr. Griff1th had
practically been in the pit three.quar-
terS OF century"
Mr.. Thomas has made some re.
search at Bevier, the largest coal
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 miner puff and blow when he
runs. His wind is as good as an ath-
letes. 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 flreplaces and
heating. Now In time the tops of the
Bevier 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 il has properties that
kill pneumonia and typhoid fever
germs.
TITS 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 | cant give the scientific |
reason for coal SCOTS beneicent innu- !
ence on well water. but there's no |
earthly doubt It has such influence"