Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1992-1993

Physical Description

Audio cassette tape

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Sir Alexander Galt Museum

Scope and Content

Side A has a conversation with Jim Stewart. Side B has a conversation with Julius Peta. Interviewer: Lori Jarokosky, Museum Programmer. Side A Interview with Jim Stewart. Approx 30 minutes in length. - Talks about various positions he had in the mines. - Talks about the temperature underground in the mine. - Talks about the ponies used in the mines. - Talks about the difference in coal between the mines. - Talks about undermined areas in the Lethbridge area - specifically the westside. - Talks about the Miners Library. SideB Interview with Julius Peta. Approx 45 minutes in length. - Grew up in Diamond City. His father worked in the Commerce, then Diamond City mines. When they closed he worked for a small independent mine in the Picture Butte mine that still employed the pick method of mining (circa 1926). - After 1930 they moved to Hardieville where both Julius and his fattier worked at No. 6. - His first underground job was as a trapper. Describes the duties of the position. He did this for about 1 year, was a pony driver for about 1 month, and then got his miner papers. Talks about the horses in the mine. - Talks about an accident he had in the mine that resulted in him losing a finger. - Shortly after his accident he took mine rescue and First Aid courses, and got his Fire Boss papers. - Another position he had and that he descibes the duties of was a shot lighter. - Following this he became a mine examiner and his job included having to do a safety inspection of every work place in the mine each morning, at least 4 hours before the shifts started. - He describes a safety lamp and how it works. - Lists the certificates he earned working in the mines - miners, fire boss, pit boss, mine managing papers. - Talks about the duties of a section boss and the ventilation system of the mines. - Talks about the duties of the fire boss. - Talks about ventilation in the mines. - Relates stories about incidents that occurred to him while working in the mine. - Talks about blasting in the mine. - Discusses the closure of No. 6 - how as a steam operated mine was expensive to operate. - He went from No. 6 to Shaughnessy for 1 year, then to No. 8. - Talks about the pit boss exam. - Talks about the how much coal was taken out each day by a miner. - Describes the underground rooms in a mine. - Talks about "checks" and how they were used to monitor the miners underground. - Describes a typical day in the mine and talks about the company issued tools the miners received. - Talks about the horses used in the mines. - Talks about a miner who died in the mine. - There were 640 men working at No. 6 with production about 2400 tons per day. No. 8 averaged 1200 tons per day. - Talks about testing the air in the mine and how weather played a role in air conditions in the mine. - Talks about why he dislikes horses.

Notes

A written summary of the interviews is available.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19971067004

Collection

Archive

Less detail