Volume 035-4 - October 1981 (8 pages)

pumping machinery was in good order and to anticipate trouble, was an important one. In most mines, the pump man was on the day shift; during the two other shifts, the pump was unattended. Mary Foote’s story is based on two actual events, the first of which was the accident of the pump man John Thomas. The Daily Morning Union for October 3, 1896, reported it as follows: TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. JOHN THOMAS STRUCK BY A CAR AT THE NORTH STAR MINE. “John T. Thomas, pumpman at the North Star Mine met with a terrible accident yesterday morning and it is feared that he can not recover. He was engaged in adjusting a bell wire at the 400 foot level when an empty car descending the shaft struck him near the knee and knocked him down a distance of nearly 100 feet. As soon as the car struck Mr. Thomas, Will Tierney, the engineer on the surface noticed that something was wrong and immediately stopped the car, thus saving the unfortunate man from instant death. The cries of Mr. Thomas brought assistance and he was taken to the surface and Dr. Jones summoned. It was found that the bones at the knee joint are badly broken and that several severe cuts and bruises were received. He is also injured internally and his recovery is extremely doubtful. Mr. Thomas is well known and resides with his family on Winchester Hill. He has been employed at the North Star Mine for a number of years and is considered a first class workman.” The next day, the demise of John Thomas was reported: DEATH OF JOHN T. THOMAS. “John T. Thomas, who was hurt at the North Star Mine, died from his injuries about 10 o’clock last night. Mr. Thomas was one of our best known miners and as a pump man had few equals. He was of a pleasant disposition and was held in the highest esteem by his fellow workmen and acquaintances. Mr. Thomas was born in England but came to this country many years ago and for along time lived at Nevada City. Several years ago, he removed to Grass Valley and has made his home here since. He was aged 55 years, 4 months and 24 days. He leaves a wife, three daughters and a son to mourn his loss. The funeral will probably take place Monday.” Mary Foote told of the accident ina letter to her friend Helena DeKay Gilder, dated October 16: “There was a tragedy in the mine the other day. John Thomas, an Englishman, who had been pump man at the North Star form many years, was killed in the shaft. The first I knew of it Clemmo, the gardener, came to the kitchen door asking for an umbrella: “Any old one will do.” The he explained that the pump man had been hurt and he A “spur wheel” such as the one which broke at the North Star Mine. wanted the umbrella to hold over himas they were carrying him home. I made the useless enquiries that one makes, and the useless offers: then I saw them carrying the old man by the house, ona mattress, six men, and Clemmo holding the umbrella over the head. His arms were bare to the elbow and crossed on his breast, and white in the sun as bleached bones—His head was wrapped in something red and his profile was majestic in its endurance and _ its pallor—and its age. The age of toil. The North Star Mine Shaft is an incline shaft 2000 feet deep and more. There is a series of pumps worked by one pump rod and the pump man has a most important trust—on the pumps depends the life of the mine. They think that this man, for some time, has not been quite right in his head. He used to come out above ground, the men say, “between shifts”’ and seemed dazed and not sure of where he was. No one spoke of this, for fear it might lose him his place; and they were not certain of his symptoms: but now it is thought that he did not know what he was doing when he came out into the hoisting shaft, and an empty car struck him going down, and dragged him a hundred feet.” The notion that the pump man was “not quite right in his head” is also found in the short story. The miners felt that way because John Thomas was often found on the job on Sundays and on shifts, other than his own. People often think that devotion to one’s job and being aware of one’s responsibility is strange behavior; normal people, they feel, never do more than strictly required. The second event was the break down of the pump. This was reported in the Daily Morning Union for February 4, 1897, as follows: A BAD BREAK. “The large spur wheel, which is connected with the cog wheels, that drives the pump at the North Star Mine broke yesterday morning near the hub. The breakage was probably caused by the iron crystallizing. It will take several weeks to replace the wheel; as one will have to be manufactured in San Francisco. W.M. Bourn, of the company, informed the Union reporter last night that in all probability the men, employed at the mine will be able to continue working, as it is thought the water will not rise higher than the 200; foot level. The mine is not being worked 26

pumping machinery was in good order and to anticipate trouble, was an important one. In most mines, the pump man was on the day shift; during the two other shifts, the pump was unattended. Mary Foote’s story is based on two actual events, the first of which was the accident of the pump man John Thomas. The Daily Morning Union for October 3, 1896, reported it as follows: TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. JOHN THOMAS STRUCK BY A CAR AT THE NORTH STAR MINE. “John T. Thomas, pumpman at the North Star Mine met with a terrible accident yesterday morning and it is feared that he can not recover. He was engaged in adjusting a bell wire at the 400 foot level when an empty car descending the shaft struck him near the knee and knocked him down a distance of nearly 100 feet. As soon as the car struck Mr. Thomas, Will Tierney, the engineer on the surface noticed that something was wrong and immediately stopped the car, thus saving the unfortunate man from instant death. The cries of Mr. Thomas brought assistance and he was taken to the surface and Dr. Jones summoned. It was found that the bones at the knee joint are badly broken and that several severe cuts and bruises were received. He is also injured internally and his recovery is extremely doubtful. Mr. Thomas is well known and resides with his family on Winchester Hill. He has been employed at the North Star Mine for a number of years and is considered a first class workman.” The next day, the demise of John Thomas was reported: DEATH OF JOHN T. THOMAS. “John T. Thomas, who was hurt at the North Star Mine, died from his injuries about 10 o’clock last night. Mr. Thomas was one of our best known miners and as a pump man had few equals. He was of a pleasant disposition and was held in the highest esteem by his fellow workmen and acquaintances. Mr. Thomas was born in England but came to this country many years ago and for along time lived at Nevada City. Several years ago, he removed to Grass Valley and has made his home here since. He was aged 55 years, 4 months and 24 days. He leaves a wife, three daughters and a son to mourn his loss. The funeral will probably take place Monday.” Mary Foote told of the accident ina letter to her friend Helena DeKay Gilder, dated October 16: “There was a tragedy in the mine the other day. John Thomas, an Englishman, who had been pump man at the North Star form many years, was killed in the shaft. The first I knew of it Clemmo, the gardener, came to the

kitchen door asking for an umbrella: “Any old one will do.” The he explained that the pump man had been hurt and he A “spur wheel” such as the one which broke at the North Star Mine. wanted the umbrella to hold over himas they were carrying him home. I made the useless enquiries that one makes, and the useless offers: then I saw them carrying the old man by the house, ona mattress, six men, and Clemmo holding the umbrella over the head. His arms were bare to the elbow and crossed on his breast, and white in the sun as bleached bones—His head was wrapped in something red and his profile was majestic in its endurance and _ its pallor—and its age. The age of toil. The North Star Mine Shaft is an incline shaft 2000 feet deep and more. There is a series of pumps worked by one pump rod and the pump man has a most important trust—on the pumps depends the life of the mine. They think that this man, for some time, has not been quite right in his head. He used to come out above ground, the men say, “between shifts”’ and seemed dazed and not sure of where he was. No one spoke of this, for fear it might lose him his place; and they were not certain of his symptoms: but now it is thought that he did not know what he was doing when he came out into the hoisting shaft, and an empty car struck him going down, and dragged him a hundred feet.” The notion that the pump man was “not quite right in his head” is also found in the short story. The miners felt that way because John Thomas was often found on the job on Sundays and on shifts, other than his own. People often think that devotion to one’s job and being aware of one’s responsibility is strange behavior; normal people, they feel, never do more than strictly required. The second event was the break down of the pump. This was reported in the Daily Morning Union for February 4, 1897, as follows: A BAD BREAK. “The large spur wheel, which is connected with the cog wheels, that drives the pump at the North Star Mine broke yesterday morning near the hub. The breakage was probably caused by the iron crystallizing. It will take several weeks to replace the wheel; as one will have to be manufactured in San Francisco. W.M. Bourn, of the company, informed the Union reporter last night that in all probability the men, employed at the mine will be able to continue working, as it is thought the water will not rise higher than the 200; foot level. The mine is not being worked 26