THE BROKEN HILL MINER 1888                                                    Comparisons and Contrasts The miner in these days led a pretty rough and uncomfortable life.  Long working hours, absolute lacks of any amenities such as change – houses and a perpetual shortage of water, danger underground from bad illumination and creeping ground , danger to health from lead poisoning and pneumoconiosis, bad ventilation – these conditions and the way the old miner faced up to them make him the object of admiration. Here are a few of the points that may be compared with those miners of today: The source of light – candles stuck into spiders – could hardly be called dazzling!  Even so, these two contractors have made some progress in this respect on the oil wicks formerly used . Hard hats, gloves and all the other essential protective gear is completely lacking.  Probably these miners have placed bits of waste under their skullcaps, hoping that nothing big enough will come down to worry them. The soft hats worn at this period had one advantage, and one only – you could always stick your crib under your bonnet so that it wouldn’t be squashed on the way down in the cage.  But if you were carrying whole eggs, it was just as well not to let your mates know ! Machinery ?  These men had no machines at all, the rich ore near the surface being easily extracted with a pick. – They had to put up with this.                  The Miner To - Day    Who wants the good old days, when the hours were long, the home conditions trying, and the lead bonus unheard of ?  The miner now has many advantages that would have been unthought of during  1888.  His skill is really appreciated by anyone who knows anything about mining and by many others besides.  People  come from far away to see our mines and our city, and they are always favourably  impressed – sometimes envious.  Just look:  Electric cap – lamps shows up every nook and cranny of the working places, avoiding all the hazards of poor illumination and making accurate development work a pleasure for the miner. Flood – lights bring widespread illumination into the stopes.  Safety equipment is to stay.  Everyone appreciates that the life and limb saved by these simple but solid appliances raises our standard of living, brings security into the home.  How many splinters, cuts and other sources of infection are prevented just by wearing gloves, as the miners  do today ?  How much injury to miners – and hardship to families has become a thing of the  distant past, thanks to hard hats and steel – toed  boots ?  The old – time miner would  have cried with gratitude if he had had the same protection.  Machinery ?  “We’ll  say no more” .  Fully automatic drill – carriages, air legs, air – arms, scrapers, winches, boggers,  mules – we know how common these labour – saving devices are nowadays – We sometimes  take this for granted.                                                                           HOME                                                   Miners Broken Hill 1888