The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-03-03

IKE structure lowered across the rails,
passed on behind along a miniature
railway track and encountered spare
built, muscular man wearing overalls
and equipped with a miners cap and
lantern.
The worn official introduced them
YEARLY to the pit boss as gentlemen
seeking employment and left them.
The pit boss looked over the group
with cold, critical eyes, sizing them
up like a mule buyer. Then, having
nscertained the old hands by question
ing, he requested them to follow him.
AT the small, square entrance of the
mine they paused to await the coming
OF the motor train, whose warning
rumble could be heard.
Presently it emerged. an overalled
young man upon squat electric mo-
tor pulling long string of tiny cars.
each holding about one ton of coal.
Then they proceeded into the main
tunnel of the mine.
For some distance they walked up
right Then the ceiling became lower,
and they were forced to continue Ell
Their STOPPING or with head on shoulder.
Far ahead of them they could see the
CLEAN of lights.
They reached the lights and passed
on into branch Of the main tunnel.
After a good ten minutes walking the
pit boss ordered the others to remain
and, taking Jan, set off, crouching
along a still smaller tunnel.
They arrived finally at a little cub
byhole Of a place where the bright
black CLEAN Of coal showed on the
side Of the tunnel.
| On hands and knees Jan inspected
the place. 1t satisfied him. He had
worked inland made good money out
of-worse places. He said as much to
the pit boss.
Alone, Jan retraced his steps and
gained the outer air. An inquiry of
the location Of the company store and
boarding house.
He was shown a bunk in long room
and was told that he could get board
and lodging for 81 week. He as
sented.
|
with cap, lamp, two picks and a
| shovel.
The next morning he went to work,
carrying with him, besides his tools,
dinner bucket divided into two COM
partments, one filled with food. the
other with cold tea.
The door Of the mine tunnel was
/ af in hn IND
Jan was on hand promptly, putting
contentedly at long, foreign pipe.
He was one of the first to enter, and
as he led the pace along the pitch dark
tunnel he hummed to himself the whim-
steal strains Of motherland song.
Arriving at the place assigned to him
on the previous day, he commenced
work very methodically and with bust
ness-like precision. -
His coat he flung to one side, set the
dinner pail conveniently near and in
overalls and undershirt took up his
pick. First he tapped the low stone
ceiling, scowling at the dull, heavy
sound his blows caused.
The place was dangerous, but in
spite of this Jan squatted on the floor
and began picking out the bottom lay
er of the coal
| The extreme danger of his position
did not trouble him. He had worked
in places still more precarious and had
grown used to it.
The fact that at any moment mass
of rock weighing from 100 pounds to
half ton might drop upon him did
not appall him. For an hour or two he
labored steadily. BY that time he had
excavated quite an opening under
meath the coal layer.
Then he arose and began picking at
the top, loosening the ledge he had un-
dermined. In short time the mass
was loosened, and soon it fell, u couple
Of tons Of crumbled coal.
He found a car awaiting him at the
entrance of his tunnel and rolled it in
to where he could easily pitch in the
coal with his shovel. The task was
soon done, and he could do nothing
further until another car was sent to
him.
He opened his lunch can and took
out sandwich, eating leisurely and
with relish. After long draft Of cold
tea he lighted his pipe.
Directly II rumbling, not unlike an
approaching freight train, announced
the coming of the mule driver and an
extra car.
Hey, you, eighteen!' a husky voice
called at the entrance of the little tun-
mel.
"Well?" retorted Jan stolidly.
Full up?'
"Yahl Hurry oop. ! ben waitin'
for car"
The clank of chains filed the little
tunnel. and in a moment the car he
had filed Numbered away. He went
out and got the other
For years Jan had followed this life.
The business required, in the terms Of
q veteran miner, nothing but strong
back and q weak head
Jan was well qualified. He had en-
tered the calling because 1t required SO
little of him. He could make from 81
to So day. was practically his own
master and could work either long or
| short hours ms he saw fit