Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1895 — Couldn’t Make Out the “Skip.” [ARTICLE]

Couldn’t Make Out the “Skip.”

A Cornish miner, just from the copper fields of the Peninsular State; strayed into the Chicago Chamber of Commerce one day last week. He watched the elevator for a moment then followed several others in and was ‘•dumped” nt Ihe top floor. After satisfying his curiosity he began to think about going down. In Cornish mining parlance the receptacle in which ore or rock is hoisted to the surface Is called a ’‘skip.” The signals are given by a system of levers, cords and bells. This new “skip” with no lever in sight puzzled “Cousin Jack.” He accosted the iirst man he met with, “Ow do, my son, deep shaf‘ edwa?” Not noticing the blank face of his noncomprehending friend, he continued. “ ’Ow’ll I get daown? Damme, my son. et's long shaf’ to run ladders.” “Why don't you ride down ?" “Can’t catch the blarddy hould skip, my son.” “You mean the elevator?” “Hele wassa call’n agen?” “Elevator.” “But I cudden rache the bluddy ould bell rope, hangen en thicky theer bluddy hould c-aage.” “Just touch this button, that will ring a bell, then the elevator will come up.” “ ’Ow many bells do ’ee ring?” “Oh, just one.” “Just one? W’y, ’ome us do ring three to laower, two to 'oist an’ wan to stop. Et’s a bluddy quare ’oist, my son.”