Jano came to America in 1910 & settled in Lansford, PA. A sponsor got him a job at the # 6 colliery of LC&N as a boiler helper. For 10 hours a day jano shoveled stove coal into the giant boilers, he also worked as a mule driver hauling timber to #'s 4 & 5 mines nearby. His foreman noticed Jano had a way with caring for the mules.
One day the foreman asked Jano if he would take a mule driver job inside the mine. His job was take empty cars to the miners chutes & help load the coal. He had to also
feed the mules & clean out the stables.
Jano started with 1 mule & over the next few years worked up to 4 mules. This America is good he thought. He was married had one baby & was buying a house.
Then disaster struck, 1918 Spanish Flu. Monday came & Jano was very sick. Mama he said, I no go fer work. Well, 4, 5,6 days went by & the mules would not eat or drink.
The inside foreman was worried as a mule was valued at $200 each. On Saturday the foreman went to see Jano. He sid I have an idea & put a 20 dollar gold piece on the table. We can take you in my heated car to the mine & enclose a Trip Car in the mine so you can talk to your 4 mules or else they will die. Jano agreed & the next morning took him to the min & wheeled him to the Stables. The mules smelled him & hee hawed like kids. At the stable Jano called out "MY Boyos, come and eat. The mules ate ravenously and all 4 mules muzzled him before he left. Well, this went on for a week & a side effect was Jano felt much better. Mama , Jano said, tomorrow I go for work.
Sunday was Church, dinner & all was well at home.
Now back at # 6 Colliery a man with a bag asked the watchman "Take me back into the mine. 1600 feet back to the stables. When they got to the stables, Jano called out
"Merry Christmus, Merry Christmus my boyos come here. Brutus, Mike, Ben & Mija come. Each of them received 2 apples but Big Ben shook his head no & nuzzled Janos shirt. Jano laughed, I no forget & gave the big mule a plug of Red Fox tobacco. Jano smiled, he was a Happy Man for he was with his other family, the four mules at # 6.
Have a Happy Healthy Christmas everyone. Sincerely Jack
Merry Christmas From Coal Town 1918
- Hambden Bob
- Member
- Posts: 8531
- Joined: Mon. Jan. 04, 2010 10:54 am
- Location: Hambden Twp. Geauga County,Ohio
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman 1998 Magnum Stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Blower Model Coal Chubby 1982-Serial#0097
- Coal Size/Type: Rice-A-Roni ! / Nut
- Other Heating: Pro-Pain Forced Air
Only in America,Jack !! Thanx for the story of how it was,and what things meant to Folks.......... Merry Christmas,Jack !!
- Photog200
- Member
- Posts: 2063
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 05, 2013 7:11 pm
- Location: Fulton, NY
- Baseburners & Antiques: Colonial Clarion cook stove, Kineo #15 base burner & 2 Geneva Oak Andes #517's
- Coal Size/Type: Blaschak Chestnut
- Other Heating: Electric Baseboard
Thank you for that Jack and you have a Merry Christmas too!
Randy
Randy
- deepwoods
- Member
- Posts: 616
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 29, 2008 10:21 am
- Location: north central pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & DS Machine Newstyle Champion
- Coal Size/Type: nut (so far)
- Other Heating: Ruud propane forced air system
Thank you for that heartwarming story from a forgotten time,. Merry Christmas and a very happy healthy New Year!!!
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30292
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
Nice Jack, thanx!
-
- Member
- Posts: 304
- Joined: Sun. Nov. 17, 2013 5:29 pm
- Location: Northeast Nebraska
- Baseburners & Antiques: Wehrle Acme Sunburst 112, Hot Blast wood/coal burner
Thanks for that story Jack! Merry Christmas and Happy New year to everyone! Jerry