Page 10 - Lew Allan Davis & the Railroad

ISSUE : Issue 27

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1980/12/1

13 or 14 trains going, all going at the same time, all around the plant. Some would be going out to Sydney, to the C.N.R., and another one would be coming down from the coke ovens--haul down 8 or 10 or 15 cars of coke--and that'd go to the blast furnace, use that in the blast furnace. And when the iron was ready, we'd take that to the open hearth--hauling hot metal. There'd be two engines working at the open hearth--running from the stock? pile to the open hearth--such as limestone, scrap, and ore--that's to feed the furnace. Now when the steel is ready to tap out, a small engine--what they call a narrow gauge--it goes in there and hauls-the la? dles out. That's steel. It's hauled away and poured into molds--and the bigger train doesn't come along again until it's a finished product, whether it's billets or rails or axle steel--ship that to Syd? ney. Perhaps for Montreal, goodness knows where. They'd be hauled generally by the C.N.R. when they're leaving the plant. But when a boat would come in, want to load rails or billets--we'd haul them down to the docks, and we'd haul the ore from the docks, I'll tell you, they were pretty busy there one time, Those were all steam engines, burning coal. Things were so ancient. They used to have a lot of accidents. (You hurt your hand.,,,) Caught between two cars. Cars were coupled up, you know, with link and pin. You had to put the link in and drop the pin, and sometimes you'd get caught-- pinched. It was common. That was the or? iginal equipment over the old country, I lost 3 months for that hand. I got 5 dol? lars a week, (From the company?) No, from our benefit society--and if we hadn't had a union, I'd have had nothing. But oh, I've seen accidents there, terri? ble bad accidents, I know one fellow, he wasn't working on the railroad, but he was walking, crossing the track in the plant-- and we were just after having lunch, and there were two engines there in that de? partment. And this engine backed down and the man got out of the way. But he didn't see the next one coming--and it knocked him down--cut him right in two. But oh, I've seen men there would be killed and never, had a mark on them. Hit by the train, but the way they fell, you wouldn't see any injuries. Or perhaps stumbled and fell. I knew a man there, when the train backed in, this brakeman wasn't there. So the conductor investigated, walked up the track a piece--there he was on the ground, dead, (What had happened?) Goodness knows. In the early years there were a lot of ac? cidents , There was an accident where the engine coming down way up from what they call the assembly yard--that's where the coal company would put their coal for the steel plant. There was a man driving an 539-5111 Visit Our Gallery of Local and Nova Scotia Artists 539-5111 Gardner's Gallery & Frame Shop Ltd. Quality Custom Framing - 222 Charlotte St., Sydney PUBLISH NOVA SCOTIA! Whether it's comedy or tragedy, fiction or non-fiction Nova Scotia's writers are capturing the moods, emotions, feelings and fears of their province for the world to enjoy. Authors can help us understand and see ourselves in undiscovered Ughts. Nova Scotia's writers deserve our support. Department of Culture Recreation & Fitness Hon. Greg Kerr, Minister Your Next Prescription Now Q Locations in Cape Breton to Serve You: PORT HAWKESBURY CENTRE 625-1404 CAPE BRETON SHOPPING PLAZA 564-8151 MAYFLOWER MALL 539-5080 Operated by Manson Drugs Ltd. (10) Choice Red Brand Beef Qsnfleinaiifffl Fully Licensed Restaurant 6 Days a Week: 11 to 11 Enjoy the TROP LOUNGE next door at Sydney Shopping Mall

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