Cape Breton's Magazine

you'd put what they called a needle. There was copper on the end of the needle, cop? per so that it wouldn't make a spark • and you'd run that in underneath, under your powder. When you had it all stemmed up you pulled the needle out and at that time you used what they called squibbs • powder done up in paper, you know? You'd open up the end of it and tear a little piece off and you'd stick that in the hole. It would go right in the hole where you pulled the needle out. And you'd light it • with your lamp. Then you'd take off. You'd duck down. There was always an opening you could run to, because they had places for air to travel, you know? You'd sing out, "Firel" There'd be only two men in the place anyhow. Only two men working together. You had a pair in another room and another pair in another room and on like that. You wait a few moments after that goes off in case there'd be some coal loose that'd fall and then after the smoke would drive out you'd go up and start loading your coal. Just shovel it, load it up, with a pan shovel. Any coal hanging, you take her down and load her in boxes. A driver • fellow with a horse • would haul the coal. Bring in an empty and he'd take the full one out. They'd go to the pit bottom, rope haulage. They'd put them on the haulage there. They call it a grab. Then it was hoist to the surface. I drove for a while. There was a stable in the mine, and a stableman. Used to send the hay down, all that. Stableman used to clean them and look after them and harness them. All you had to do was go in and take them out, down to the landing or wherever you v/orked. They had shafts with a kind of bow on it, and a queer like a shackle on the end. Then a bolt like an eyebolt is fit on the box • and you'd put that shackle over that and you'd put a bolt down through it. When he didn't have a box on the driver held the shafts up and drove his horse along, cause they'd be dragging. You generally stood in the box, you know, when you were driving. That's the empty box. And when you were coming back to the landing you were on the front of the box • drive the horse. They used to load the manure and shift it to the surface. They had a place outside of the bankhead, they called it, they used to dump it over e% PRINTERS LTD. 180 TOWNSEND STREET, SYDNEY, N.S. TELEPHONE (902) 564-8245 Formerly Cape Breton Printers Picnic Tables Well-water Ice Cubes Morrison's General Store RECK COVE I KE S Gourmet Delicatessen Limited Cheeses, Smoked Meats, Imported Foods 413 Charlotte Sydney 564-8421 "booksellers To Atlantic Canada BOOKS SENT POST PAID ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD BAYERS ROAD SHOPPING CENTRE HALIFAX 453-1095 1 Mile from Portress Louisbourg Nat, Park FleurdeLis We serve ['q'q' y'' We serve 3 meals a day and Specialize in Fresh Fish Bilingual Reservation Phone: 733-2844 M volw PHARMACY ONE STOP SHOPPING for Health & Beauty Operated by Mansons Over 70 Years of Service 564-8151 Speedy Propane FILLING STATIONS: J, E. Benoit, Arichat Robin's, Cheticamp Inlet Campground, 5 miles W, of Baddeck Speedy Propane, King's Road, Sydney Cape Breton's Magazine/8 .'''