Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-01
MULES THAT WORK IN MINES.


MULES THAT WORK IN MINES.
A news dispatch from the centre
of tho anthracite fields OF Pennsyl-
vMnia announces that many OF tho
mules taken from the mine shafts
during the strike have died from cold
In the last fcw days; The bare state
mcnt OF the fact will give ono some
idea Of the conditions underground |
where these patient, useful hybrids !
spend practically their entire lives. !
No one Is disposed 20 extend much
sympathy to. tho mule, even though
he issoftcn more Intelligent than some
OF the animals credited with more
brain capacity. He can and does suf-
fer. as much as would any other ami
NAL I'm the same circumstances. The
mine mule IA often. and usually. bred
especially for the work OF hauling
ears. loaded and empties, from one
section OF the mine TO another. often
"A distance exceeding Ave miles. After
being broken and handled bit. he
IL lowered into the shafts sometimes
more than 1000 feet deep, and there
he spends the remainder OF his life,
from fifteen TO twenty years. without
being taken 20 the daylight again ex-
ccpt In case Of idleness. when he IL
hoistcd to the top. az a measure of
economy and convenience. If he has
been two years In the mines he will
he totally blind. as life In the pitch
blackness OF the pit renders the optic
nerves useless after a few months.
The condition of the hardy hybrid Is
indeed pitiablc, and were he horse
instead OF mule there would be
good Samaritans at hand 20 rescue
him from his sad fate. As there is
not, he is lowered again into the
depths of the earth and possibly never
brought 20 the surface again for years.
and then possibly "a stifrened hulk
a wornout body with the life gone.
In the mine the temperature IL al
most uniformly about 60 TO 20 degrees,
There Is little difference between the
summer and winter readings Of the
thermometer. and the dampness and
dust. so destructive to lung tissues.
are always present. II is little TO be
wondered at that the mine mule. in
ured 70 the deadly temperature Of
the coal pits and his vitality weak
ened thereby. dies almost so soon as
hi, surroundings are changed.
Unfortunately there has been no
mechanism invented to take the place
OF tho mule I'm the mines. Any motor
power generating steam. or tho spark
Of an electric current would be ex-
tremely dangerous in mine, so the
mules--hundred, OF them - seen
, doomed 90 60 on and on at their hap
less task. blinded by darkness. weak
ened by gases. and an easy victim FOR
even a breath Of balmy spring air
L Of n.
: blessings that are provided for al
4 animate creatures.
The condition OF the miners them
selves is more fortunate than that o'
the mules, but their task is hard
p their lives are always in peril. ant
their health impaired directly the,
a go into the pits. but they have tn,
opportunity of shifting to other work
y The mule who is assigned to tn,
X mines. however, goes TO a living toni
4 TO pass his life in blindness withou
u a breath Of pure air. pulling load
: that tax his strength TO the utmost
c and more often than not savagel,
u abused by his driver and neglected b.
q his oaretaker.
: Next TO his faithful. uncomplaininl
: helper. the mule, the miners lot is on
e that requires much OF the spirit o
y heroism TO make it bearable. On
II might wonder why in the creation O
n things the great rich hordes Of har
l. coal were placed where they are S
, difficult 10 get at.
-->