The rock had to be moved by hand. It took a long time and was hot hard work.
Lived in these cabins when working for Montana Mining Company.From Log book:
June 20, 1929
Saw hot mud shapes spring out of earth outside of Yellowstone Park. This is marvelous to see Life has adapted itself to an environment of acid and heat and living in the hot springs. Had to walk for about 7 miles this morning amid the most fascinating formations south of Worland. Landed in Cody.
June 21, 1929
Arrived in Yellowstone Park East Entrance at 2PM. Entered the park on foot. Had to walk through a rain for 2 miles before I arrived. Still have 27 miles to go before I reach the hotel. R. R. Wisdom. Ranger East Entrance, Yellowstone Park, Wyo.
June 22, 1929
Leaving Yellowstone for Butte to go to work. Have been greatly disappointed because I was unable to get a job. I am leaving with W.B. Meyers. Mr. Meyer picked me up while in the park. Stopped all night with him, in the Fish Bridge Camp. Circles the park (North) with him and am now going to Butte with him. Mr. W. B. Meyers Harrah, Wash Yahoo Valley Box 85
June 23, 1929
Worked half a day. Walked from Sherri Danna, Montana where I stayed all night with Meyers. Walked four and a half miles up into the mountains to the Sara cure and Montana Mining Company. This is a pacer mine for gold. I started to work today (Sunday) at about 11:30 AM Work stats at 7am and goes to 3pm.
My particular work at the present is rolling boulders away from the water stream. Some of those boulders weigh into the tons. Twice today, I had a boulder fall on my foot. My big toe,- after removing my shoe was all black and blue. It is a good thing I only had to work a half day as I would not have been able to sand it. As I have not been getting good food here as of late.
One cannot travel for 1800 miles on the little money I had - $17.00 altogether from the time I left Chicago until I reached this mining Company. I don’t know how long I will last on the job but I am going to stick here (if I can) until I get me a grub stake. Saw hot mud shapes spring out of earth outside of Yellowstone Park. This is marvelous to see Life has adapted itself to an environment of acid and heat and living in the hot springs. Had to walk for about 7 miles this morning amid the most fascinating formations south of Worland. Landed in Cody.
June 21, 1929
Arrived in Yellowstone Park East Entrance at 2PM. Entered the park on foot. Had to walk through a rain for 2 miles before I arrived. Still have 27 miles to go before I reach the hotel. R. R. Wisdom. Ranger East Entrance, Yellowstone Park, Wyo.
June 22, 1929
Leaving Yellowstone for Butte to go to work. Have been greatly disappointed because I was unable to get a job. I am leaving with W.B. Meyers. Mr. Meyer picked me up while in the park. Stopped all night with him, in the Fish Bridge Camp. Circles the park (North) with him and am now going to Butte with him. Mr. W. B. Meyers Harrah, Wash Yahoo Valley Box 85
June 23, 1929
Worked half a day. Walked from Sherri Danna, Montana where I stayed all night with Meyers. Walked four and a half miles up into the mountains to the Sara cure and Montana Mining Company. This is a pacer mine for gold. I started to work today (Sunday) at about 11:30 AM Work stats at 7am and goes to 3pm.
My particular work at the present is rolling boulders away from the water stream. Some of those boulders weigh into the tons. Twice today, I had a boulder fall on my foot. My big toe,- after removing my shoe was all black and blue. It is a good thing I only had to work a half day as I would not have been able to sand it. As I have not been getting good food here as of late.
My shoes have worn out, my pants are torn. I need a haircut and a set of razor blades so really I am quite down, but not out. That is true. I am out of cash but not of grit. If I can just hang on to this job for a week, I will be back financially. Then a few weeks worth of work would put me on the road to some place else.
It is remarkable the difference in the psychic state. When on the road and broke, there are wishes to help, giving makes no difference. First get away from the place the he is. When he gets to a new place, it is again a desire to move on. Now that I have a place, I feel content (for the time being) and there is no anxiety in regards to a place to eat or sleep.
The fact that we accumulated something (in material wealth) makes cowards of us because we fear to lose it. The fact that we have nothing and no place to stay also makes us equal cowards so in the end as all things in this life seem to be paradoxes what is the gain for the peace of the soul either way. One, we fear to lose, the other we fear because we have not.
June 24, 1929
Worked all day wrestling rocks in the pit. Again smashed my great toe. Today after work I had to relieve the blood from under the nail, with my knife. I wore out one pair of leather gloves today. Owe the company $1.15 for a shirt and $6.00 for a pair of shoes.
June 25, 1929
Wrestled rocks all day. The day was quite easy. The hoist broke down twice giving us plenty of time to stand around and rest. We, on the day shift, were quite lucky as is started to rain just as we quit for the day.
June 26, 1929
We certainly did some big ones today but I didn’t kill myself by any means. If I keep this up I will get as bushy as any of them. The work is not as hard as some people would like to make out. I am glad I had previous training as to hard labor.
June 27, 1929
We are getting down pretty close to bed rock and the wrestling of the boulders becomes harder and harder. As long as there is a steep grade to roll the rocks down it isn’t such a great task. But as one works on a level, the rocks become dead weight. One good thing about being here, I am given a chance to wash all my clothes up. They certainly did need washing. I will at least be clean when I leave.
June 28, 1929
The work is beginning to stiffen me up quite a bit, but it will do me good. I admit I will not try to roll as large a stone as some of the other fellows do. But I figure this way. If you are willing to strain yourself for someone else go to it. I went beyond a certain point. I am now out of debt and ahead of the game.
Shoes $6.00, Shirt $1.15, Gloves $.40, glove $.25 a total of $7.80 that I owe the company. I have worked 5 ½ days for a total of $22.00The fact that we accumulated something (in material wealth) makes cowards of us because we fear to lose it. The fact that we have nothing and no place to stay also makes us equal cowards so in the end as all things in this life seem to be paradoxes what is the gain for the peace of the soul either way. One, we fear to lose, the other we fear because we have not.
June 24, 1929
Worked all day wrestling rocks in the pit. Again smashed my great toe. Today after work I had to relieve the blood from under the nail, with my knife. I wore out one pair of leather gloves today. Owe the company $1.15 for a shirt and $6.00 for a pair of shoes.
June 25, 1929
Wrestled rocks all day. The day was quite easy. The hoist broke down twice giving us plenty of time to stand around and rest. We, on the day shift, were quite lucky as is started to rain just as we quit for the day.
June 26, 1929
We certainly did some big ones today but I didn’t kill myself by any means. If I keep this up I will get as bushy as any of them. The work is not as hard as some people would like to make out. I am glad I had previous training as to hard labor.
June 27, 1929
We are getting down pretty close to bed rock and the wrestling of the boulders becomes harder and harder. As long as there is a steep grade to roll the rocks down it isn’t such a great task. But as one works on a level, the rocks become dead weight. One good thing about being here, I am given a chance to wash all my clothes up. They certainly did need washing. I will at least be clean when I leave.
June 28, 1929
The work is beginning to stiffen me up quite a bit, but it will do me good. I admit I will not try to roll as large a stone as some of the other fellows do. But I figure this way. If you are willing to strain yourself for someone else go to it. I went beyond a certain point. I am now out of debt and ahead of the game.
June 29, 1929
Today I was initiated to the art of handling the muck stick as we are able to keep up with the rest of them. We had to reset the “Gin Pole” and make two “dead men’ when one sees how these fellows place heavy objects one is surprised at their knowledge of engineering principles. Every man knows something better than someone else.
June 30, 1929
Today I have completed over 7 days. A weeks work. In this place they do not lay off on Sunday. The fact is they work day and night, rain or shine. The water must be utilized as long as it will last. It won’t be long now before the snow has all melted and the water supply runs drys up.
July 1, 1929
Today I had my camera stolen. Unless one really knows who stole the article, he cannot make an accusation unless he absolutely knows who took the article. About the only thing for me to do is go to work for three days to earn the price of another one. Such is the experience.
July 2, 1929
Four of the old fellows left today. We have four new ones in their stead. As soon
as these fellows get a weeks work in they will leave. It is very interesting to live with these migratory workers. $10.00 is a great amount of money and is considered a stake. One quickly falls into the swing of working a week then moving on until the money is gone.
July 3, 1929
Got my first pay today. The boss had made a mistake of $4.00. It didn’t take me long to tell him about it. In the evening we went to town. That is my crew partners Gus and Tom and I did. We all got about half liquored up on beer. Walked home from town after 10:00 o’clock. Enjoyed the walk very much.
July 4, 1929
Sewed on a pair of gloves all day so that the seams will not let go. Was going to rivet a rubber facing on them but the rivets were no good. The rest of the fellows slept all day. We didn’t have to work rolling boulders as the engine on the hoist had to be repaired.
July 5, 1929
Had quite an easy shift of it today, owing to the breakdowns and accidents. I certainly did appreciate it because I have had but little sleep the last 2 nights. Went to see it. I enjoyed the picture very much though it really had a terrible meaning to the one who thinks the mildest of the horrors only were shown.
No comments:
Post a Comment