Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

For the next two weeks I will tell you a little more about coal mining in West Virginia Mountains via my friends wrings in the Coal Valley News. Connie Baisden has given me permission to use her column. I have used her information before and as I read her last two editions I was especially moved because I learned something I didn’t know. Connie is a schoolteacher and writes every week in the Boone County newspaper.

This first column is on mine rats. Now I have heard about the miners taking canary birds into the mine, but this story on the rats is a new one to me. The Mine Rats

“Hassel’s daddy led him into the cool, dark coal mines. He was 12 years old and the year was 1892. Each of them carried a flickering oil lamp that cast shadows on the damp walls.

“Hassel heard scurrying sounds that frightened him. The sound came from the damp ground. ‘What creature could live in this moist, gloomy place,’ he thought. Then he heard a ‘squeak, squeak.’

“What’s those sounds, Daddy?’ he asked wide eyed.

“Hassel’s dad hated to have his little boy in the coal mines with him but it had to be done. He had to learn a trade early and mining was about the only occupation for the common man in southern West Virginia.

“Those sounds are just rats scurrying in the gob. They’re looking for food. They won’t hurt you’ he said trying to calm his small son’s fear.

“Hassel shined his light at the edge of the track and saw several rats moving around and spotted a rat sitting on its hind legs eating something.

“Why do they live here?’ the young boy asked his father.

“Mine rats come into the mine to live on the oats spilled by the mine mules and on anything else they can find to eat. The mules are stables underground and the oats are for feeding the mules. The oats provided the rodents with food. I knew a fellow once who brought food to feed the rats from the home because he said that the rats are the coal miner’s friends. As long as they were running around his dinner bucket, the coal miner believed himself safe.’

“Hassel and his father continued their walk to the room assigned by the mine boss. They took along their tools, supplies, and dinner buckets, because it was usually too far to return to daylight for lunch.

“After a short distance, they met with a few other coal miners on their way to their assigned work area.

“One big, burly Irish fellow hollered a cheerful, ‘Hello’ to Hassel’s ‘How are you, Shawn?’ Hassel’s father asked as he thumped the man on the back with his heavy, leathery hand. The miner’s hands were callused from years and years of hard work.

“Getting along pretty good, I got my garden out last weekend,’ Shawn replied with his teeth bright white in comparison to his coal dust covered face.

“How do they know what’s going to happen?’ Hassel asked inquisitively.

“Little Hassel here has been asking me about the mine rats. What can you tell him Shawn?’

“I’ve been in these mines a long time and I watch the rats. If they begin to leave, I throw down what I have in my hands and follow right behind them.’

“Probably because the rats notice the settling and working of the roof that comes before a cave in, even before the men can, owing the collapsing of their holes and hiding places. It’s a common sight to see a coal miner feeding half a dozen or more rats from his dinner bucket. Sometimes they become so tame that they will climb on a miners’ lap as he sits at this lunch and crowd around him to receive such portion of his meal as he has taught them to expect. I swear I once saw a rat as big as a powder keg.’

“Another man standing back in the dark overheard the conversation and laughed. He added, ‘if the mines are about to collapse or flood, the rats will run out in the hundreds. It could be a day or more before the actual collapse or flood, but the rats can sense it. They can hear the movement in the walls or feel the oncoming water. That little rat over there can help to save your life.

“Hassel shined his light onto the rats that ran across the floor of the mine. He was amazed at what he was told about the rats. ‘ I do remember the time during the strike when the rats came out of the mine and over run the town. The mothers were afraid for their children.’

“That strike ended pretty fast too!’ said his father.

“The miners had walked to their destination. They took off their coats and put down
their dinner buckets, tools and supplies. They were ready for their 12-hour shift.”
The five best doctors anywhere, are doctors,
Sunshine, water, air, exercise and diet. O. S. Hoffman.

Rena Donovan, For Another Day.

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