And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Miners 850 ft. Underground in Nevadaville, CO 1895
I remember being at the 6600 level at Macassa Mine at Kirkland Lake. Long way down and up. The cage operator cheerfully reminded us that there was 35 tons of cable in the shaft above us. Coulda kept that to himself! Steve_in_Ottawa
Yes, most got paid for the ride time. There was no time clock back then and certainly no clock at the bottom of the hoist. Candles preceeded carbide. Miners got an allotment of candles at the start of the shift. Carbide offered a significant cost reduction vs candles. Obviously, battery lamps eventually replaced carbide.
I have my Father's carbide lamp. Out of the Navy around 1922, he married and hired on with Pocahontas Coal Company. Mother taught school in the camp. Didn't stay long as UMW could be trouble no matter your inclination.
To view this photo and a myriad of others illustrating what miners did back in those days, check out this website: https://westernmininghistory.com/6860/the-western-miner/
Never for a second wanted to be a miner. Just didn't seem like my kind of job. I can't remember ever seeing a picture of a miner at work who was smiling.
Some of the pluses are- Good, steady year around work; No inclement weather to deal with; It's always 55° underground, even when it's 100° outside; Even through the Great Depression, the mines and the communities in the Mother Lode of California never missed a beat.
Brother worked railroad for almost 40-years. His view of the Yard was it's a perfect environment; it's never too cold, too hot, or too wet. He knew more than a few miners that gave up working the Yard to return to the mines. Some folks find peace in life down under.
850 feets?
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long the ride down, and back up, took.
And did they get paid for the riding time?
"did they get paid for the riding time?" ; highly doubtful.
DeleteI remember being at the 6600 level at Macassa Mine at Kirkland Lake. Long way down and up. The cage operator cheerfully reminded us that there was 35 tons of cable in the shaft above us. Coulda kept that to himself! Steve_in_Ottawa
DeleteReminds me of that KAL pilot that had to tell me our takeoff weight today was just under one million pounds. I didn’t need to know that.
DeleteI see the memo about mustache style conformity got circulated.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I have ever seen old time miners with candles serving as headlights.
ReplyDeleteOne candle power head lamps.
DeleteWhite privilege.
ReplyDeleteDig we must.
DeleteIt looks like cleaner work than the pictures I see from the coal mines.
ReplyDeleteYes, most got paid for the ride time. There was no time clock back then and certainly no clock at the bottom of the hoist. Candles preceeded carbide. Miners got an allotment of candles at the start of the shift. Carbide offered a significant cost reduction vs candles. Obviously, battery lamps eventually replaced carbide.
ReplyDeleteI have my Father's carbide lamp.
ReplyDeleteOut of the Navy around 1922, he married and hired on with Pocahontas Coal Company. Mother taught school in the camp. Didn't stay long as UMW could be trouble no matter your inclination.
To view this photo and a myriad of others illustrating what miners did back in those days, check out this website:
ReplyDeletehttps://westernmininghistory.com/6860/the-western-miner/
Really a fascinating collection !
Never for a second wanted to be a miner. Just didn't seem like my kind of job.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember ever seeing a picture of a miner at work who was smiling.
Some of the pluses are-
DeleteGood, steady year around work;
No inclement weather to deal with;
It's always 55° underground, even when it's 100° outside;
Even through the Great Depression, the mines and the communities in the Mother Lode of California never missed a beat.
Brother worked railroad for almost 40-years. His view of the Yard was it's a perfect environment; it's never too cold, too hot, or too wet. He knew more than a few miners that gave up working the Yard to return to the mines. Some folks find peace in life down under.
Delete