El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-21
The Treadwell Mine
ENORMOUS TREASURE BOX OF ALASKA

Treadwen consists of 1900 men. There
is such a mixture Of nationalitiss that
II different languages are spoken in
the camp and the unique feature of the
situation is that the superintendent can
talk to only 20 percent of his men. To
the remainder he has to make signs or
depend upon interpreters, which always
is unsatisfactory. Few of the men are
married. They get from So to $3.50 per
Csy ard their board and lodging. Many
of them come direct from EurO"1 10
{, ter the employ O. the cnl1pany and
most OF them save the grea,er aar1 CT
their wages. They cut their own hair.
do their own washing and, in fact,
get along as cheaply as only Europeans
can Their only regular expenditure
seems to be the purchase OF cigarets, Of
which they are excessive smokers
Many of the men leave their money
with the company, the books at one
time showing that over 100000 in
wages was uncalled for. The company
pays no interest on this money, but
agrees to pay any or all of 1T on de-
mand. The largest sum due any one
man was $4,000. He did not draw
cent for a year and half after he
went to work
SIavs PredOminate.
Slavs and Scandinavians predominant
among the nationalities employed in
the mine. About the only expression
in English that they can ever master
is "an right" and they work it over
time. No matter whether one of them
is called liar or told that dinner is
ready, he invariably answers "All
| right"
Their inability to understand what is
said to them often causes trouble. One
day new Eoss was experimenting a
big blast, and as a couple Of workmen
approached, he shouted: Don't go that
way or you'll get your heads blown
Off" One Of them answered, "Al1
right" and the boss. supposing from
their answer that they understood Eng
; lish. made a break for cover. They
had not understood him at all and walk
ed right into the blast, receiving the
full force of it. There wasn't enough
left of them to hold an inquest over.
=, Blast Twice Daily.
Working with powder is always a
dangerous job. and it is particularly so
for these ignorant foreigners The prin-
cipal blasts are made at noon and at s
o'clock. An elevator goes down the
shaft to the level where everything Is
ready but the lighting Of the fuse, and
as soon as this is touched off there is a
quick flight upward to safety.
Sometimes the men complete their
work before the elevator is due, and. in
order to get to the surface and loaf
awhile before the whistle blows, they
light their fuses and climb the ladders
that lead from oae level 10 another.
One day three men touched off the
fuses and ran for the ladders Two Of
them mounted safely, but the third one
missed his first step and became so con-
| fused that he couldn't make his feet
stick to the rounds of the ladder. The
blast went off with a resounding re-
| port and about all there was left OF the
poor fellow were the buttons from his
| breaches and the buckles from his sus-
| penders.
Miraculous Escape.
Probably the most remarkable acct
dent that ever happened at the Tread
well was when a Swede fell down a
! shaft 256 feet into 10 feet of water
without being killed Whenever this
story is told the hearer is naturally
| skeptical. but remarkable as 1t was,
he actually fell that distance and lived
| TO resume work in the mine.
| When he fell he had on a slicker coat
and a pair of gum boots Both his boots
! came off, one Of them being found at
| the 10 foot level. and the other at the
! right position during the whole of his
"
first. When the cage was sent down
after him it was not with the intention
/ Of performing a rescue, but to make
| preparations for funeral. He was not
| even unconscious
An examination revealed the fact that
not a bone was broken by the terrible
| plunge. However, his nerves sustained
| such severe shock that he vas con-
| fined TO the hospital for eight months,
o nj he n nn 10 hao IL e.
| two years In referring 70 his expert
ence, he said: "I one big Jumper"
Support Y. VI. C. A.
Although the men are extremely eco
nomical, they cheerfully contribute 81
| month for the support OF the hospital.
and like sum for the maintenance of
| the Y NJ. c. 4. The company spent
| $4,000 for the erection OF a suitable
building and the membership dues de-
fray the running expenses. 1t has a
gymnasium with baths, besides a read
ing room containing literature in all
the languages spoken in the camp
1t is impossible to even estimate the
quantity of gold that is locked up be-
hind the rocky walls of Alaska's noun
tains. Some say it is more than equal
to the riches all the mines in the world
have yet produced. The country that
Uncle Sam bought from Russia for less
than cents an acre has proved to be
the greatest bargain ever made in real
estate.
When TreadweH paid the freight on
French Pete'S goods, and took over the
claim that prove6-to be the glory hole"
OF mining history, he paved the way
for operations that will go on for years
and years, adding all the while to the
horde OF wealth the world is storing in
It's treasure vaults.
Tomorrow-The New Theater.