Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1977

Fonds

Pioneer Researchers Association Oral History Project

Creator

Pioneer Researchers Association

Physical Description

1 cassette tape; digital copy

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Pioneer Researchers

Scope and Content

Tape 1 Side A - Biographical information: Born in Lethbridge in 1900 to Nicholas and Annie Zuback. Attended St. Aloysious School until 1914, then St. Basil's until 1915 at which time his mother died and he went to work in the mines to help support the family. He worked in No. 3 from 1915-1924, No. 6 from 1924-1936, No. 8 from 1937-1957, and Shaughnessy from 1957-1961 when he retired. He was a member of the Miner's Library for 30 years and served on the executive. - Family information: Children: John Lawrence, Leonard Richard, Raymond Wayne, and daughter Geraldine (Mrs Calvin Post). Mrs. Zuback, the former Mary Pinchak, met her husband in 1918 and they were married in 1922. They've lived in the same house since 1924. - Coal mining information: describes the jobs he has had - trapper, pick boy. - Wages, layoffs, pay system. During layoffs the City of Lethbridge would provide the miners with relief in exchange for labor. - Description of the injterjor of No. 3 mine: the air shaft for No. 3, called No. 7, was located in the vacinity of the presenf TV station. The area near Galbraith School is undermined, as is the area between 9th Ave N. and Hardieville. Identifies other mines. - Describes tunnel roof supports. SideB - Blasting methods and equipment - Miner's lamps - Mine horses/ponies and transporting the coal from underground to the tipple. - Procedure for checking the coal after it was mined and brought to the top of the tipple. - Coal dumps, including the Coalhurst dump which was purchased by Alex Vere who uses the ash to manufacture bricks. - Many of the residents of Lethbridge seldom bought coal. It was readily available in the river valley and usually once a week a family member would gather a sack full. - Coal miners strike 1906. Resulted in the unionization of the miners in Lethbridge. During the early part of the strike the Union provided the miners with food rations, but towards the end money was issued. - Scab workers: reactions of the miners; RCMP protected the boarding houses the scabs stayed in; some of the union men were jailed for assaulting scab workers. - Mine ponies: if injured they were shot and hauled to the top.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19921008010

Collection

Archive

Less detail