Our 12th Historical Perspectives started to day
with our visit to the Lackawanna Coal Mine.
Our tour guide provided a great overview of the issues facing coal
miners, especially from 50 to 100 years ago.
The group learned about how children, as young as age 5, started working
for the mine. Children age 7-9 worked as
nippers, those that opened and closed the air locks in the mine. Mule boys, ages 9-11, were employed to work
with the mules that carried the coal from the mine. The guide informed us of the need for
ventilation and water removal.
The coal mine tour, the beginning of our trip, is an important stop to understand the progression of our tour. Coal is needed for steel, steel is needed for auto manufacturing. We are now headed to Pittsburgh for our visit to the Rivers of Steel Heritage Tour and NIOSH Personal Protective Technologies Lab.
1 comment:
You would have made a great mule boy, except that you would not work on Shabbat!!
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