The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-05


 They are the men who work at the Mercury Mine Rt plnehi Lake, the largest in the Empire, and they run the risk daily of contracting mercury poisoning, . disease that attacks the eyes, teeth and even creeps Into the bones.
 Many of the men employed at the mine gave up the comforts Of cities to enter tho wildS and live in Q boom town" that grew 90 fast there has been no time to even build homes for all of them,
 7B Miles From Railroad
 The mine Is located on Q hlll- side close to the shores Of Plnehl Lake - 90 miles from Fort St, James, the nearest town, and 7b miles from tho nearest railroad station at VandeFhoof.
 The mine has been buEElng with activity night and day since the war started. The men work in day and night shifts, and most of them spend two weeks underground and two weeks in the mill, where there iS no danger Of poisoning from the fumes of the mercury,
 Company officials have done much to eliminate the, danger of poisoning, but largely because of cAreleSSneSS among workers or ae- cldents, an occasional case still is reported. All workers employed In the mine must drink Q quart of milk Q day, and take Q shower in the "dry house" after every shift,
 The men - and their womenfolk put up with many discomforts, but don't mind, they say, because they feel they are doing their bit towards winning the war,
 Good Wages
 The men earn good wages-the laborers get &4.60 Q day-but there are not many things they can spend them on. There b Q shorts age of homes, and there are no movies, dance halls, pool rooms, beer parlors or any other places of recreation, largely because of . shortage of lumber and the high cost of transport.
 Freight comes to Plnchl Lake from Vanderhoof via Fort St.. James by truck. A hundred pounds of flour or sugar costs ct least e2 more at Pincht Lake than 1t would in Vancouver, and other supplies are Just as expensive. Lumber costs $22 per 1000 feet, and is hard to get.
 There are several comfortable houses near the mine, but they bee long to the families of mine oSti- cIais. Single men live at the one boarding house near the mine, or in tents or rude log shacks.
 None but hardy young couples with not more than two small chll- dren have ventured into the prim- tive town, and what little social life that exists is carried on by these young matrons. They organ ize' teas, card games, sewing bees and an occasional party, but the "get togethers" have to be small because the houses, owing to the lumber shortages, are very small, chiefly one-rocm bungalows.
 Not Enough Girls
 The chief entertainment among the single men is poker. Games are organized almost nightly in the bunk house. There are not enough girls to go around, no place to dance, and very little else to do.
 Although there are no roads Tn the town. most of the young peo- pie are buying expensive automo- biles--on the installment plan. The main street along which most of fine houses are built is little more than a COW trail and automobile owners have to leave their cars about mile from their homes. The motorists are looking forward to the time when civilizaton catches up with the boom town" and roads are built.
 The residents of Pinchi Lake hope that more of the luxuries of modern life, such as movies, dances and more comfortable homes, will he made available to them by next summer.
 Company officials are planning Co build a recreation hall during the winter = after the neW mine