Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1878 — Mules in the Mines. [ARTICLE]

Mules in the Mines.

The heat in the Sutro Tunnel for several thousand feet back from the face is very considerable, ranging from 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and feels all the hotter for being partly deprived of oxygen. At the face, where the men are at work, two streams of fresh air, generated at shaft No. 2, two miles away, and 1,042 feet above the tunnel level, Are constantly discharged—one from the blower, the other from the compressor-pipe; and, though at this point it is 108 degrees Fahrenheit, the air is quite comfortable. One switch-mule is employed on each shift, which is used for bringing a-car at a time from the switch—a thousand feet back—to the face of the header; it is then taken back with Ihe loaded car to bring other empty ones forwjira, in which manner trains of fifteen or twenty cars are made up. This mule, from the time it is unhitched from the empty cars, and while it is waiting to be hitched up to the one being loaded, manages to put his nose up to the airpipe, and keeps moving its head up and down, in order to get all the air possible in the few minutes allowed it. One day last week a man in charge of the switch-mule was Seen coming out of the tunnel, in the middle of Ins shaft, and. on inqury why he made his appearance at this' unusual hour, he said he had to come out after another mule to do the switching, for his regular switch-mule had bo.oonq. rfllffillittM-l and utterly refused to do any duty* He declared the mule wasstanding in'front

of the air-pipe, near the face, and no amount of coaxing, whipping, or pulling could induce ft to leave, and he was compelled to start out after another mule, in order to work to prooeed. After a few hours, by sheer dint of force, the refractory mule was brought out, half a dozen men being required to pull and push it along. It has since been put to work on the outside, for it would bo useless to take It in at switching any more, for it would repeat the same performance at each shift. The intelligence of mules is displayed in a remarkable degree when used underground and in dangerous places. They gradually learn to understand every command tho driver gives them, and in the header when the signal “fire” is given, they instantly wheel around, with their backs toward tho blast. One day a mule neglected to wheel quite around, but stood at right angles with the tunnel, and though over 400 feet from the face, a rock four inches in diameter struck it in the side, making an ngly wound, from which the intestines protruded. He had to be thrown on a Hat-car, taken out and shot. A curious freak about mules is that when anything touches their heads they dodge; while touching horses* cars makes them throw up their heads. For this reason horses cannot be used underground, for they would soon break their skulls, while mules never get injured in that manner. The switch-mules, when the men are eating, go from man to man begging for something to eat, and they wul eat cooked meat, pies, drink coffee—in fact, take anything the men have. One of the mules, when the men are not looking, is in the habit of upsetting the men’s lunch-pails and helping himself without leave. They have also taken to drinking ice-water, and are not satisfied except they get their regular allowance. The mules which pull the rock-trains are driven three or four tandem, each having a torch upon its head, which keeps bobbing up and down as they move along, and they present a very novel appearance as seen from a distance in the darkness. All the mules in the tunnel work eight-hour shifts, the same as the men. Notwithstanding this short duty, they rapidly wear out, and it is a pity to see them panting and blowing in the confined air, with perspiration streaming from them.

The mules have a cloth fastened to their bridles, which is put over one eye before they emerge into daylight. This cloth iff removed after they enter the tunnel on the return trip. The object is to have them reserve one good eye to see from, for the uncovered eye, exposed to daylight, is incapable of seeing anything for some time after entering darkness. Whenever it is neglected to bandage an eye on the outside, the mule staggers and tumbles about in the darkness, and refuses to go ahead. * The mules, of course, all have their names, and Jane, Nell, Luce, Fan, Tom, Bill, Jack, Frank, are sure to be amongst the lot. One mule has been facetiously christened Susan B. Anthony. They are great favorites with the miners, especially when underground, anil they answer the call of their names, like pet dogs; and, strange to say, in tliat lieated atmosphere, they soon lose their proverbial tendency for kicking. The driver generally stands on a small platform in the rear of the first car, and, since he could not reach the mules, driven in tandem, with a whip, he shies small stones with the greatest dexterity, of which he has a good supply before him. Two trains generally follow one behind the other, for should an accident happen from caves, breakingof wheels, or of cars getting off the track, one driver assists the other in overcoming tho difficulty. —> — The most durable mules are those with short legs, large bodies, compactly built, and weighing about 900 pounds. There are altogether about thirty mules employed in the Sutro Tunnel, though a greater number is kept on hand. —Sutro (Nev.) Independent.