Breaker Boys (Ela)
Where did the breaker boys work?
The Breaker.
What were the miners looking for?
Coal
What would happen if the Nippers did not do their job?
The minecarts would ram into the doors.
What did the Spragger Boys use to slow down the incoming minecarts?
Sprags,
Long Pieces Of Wood.
Why is their name Mule Drivers?
Because they drive mules.
What would happen if they were not working?
Physical Punishment
Where were the mines?
Underground
What did the boys often do during the long boring hours?
Catch animals, or entertain themselves
What are some dangers of being a spragger?
Getting hit by the cart.
Being dragged off.
Who was often in front of the other 5 mules?
The Smartest One.
What did the breaker boys do inside of the breaker?
They sorted the coal and removed anything from it that wasn’t coal as it went by on conveyor belts.
Who was the fire boss?
Saftey Person. They looked around early in the morning for toxic gas or unstable parts of the mine and left it on a board for the miners to read when they come in during the morning.
What was the Nipper's job?
To open and close the heavy doors so the cart would not ram into it.
Why are Spragger's Jobs important?
They slow down the carts so they don't spiral out of control.
What was the maximum amount of mules you could drive?
6
Some of the breaker boys were as young as __ years old.
6
What age were boys supposed to be to work in the mines?
14
What was the long braided piece of leather that was used to control the mules?
A Whip.
True or False.
The Spragger boys often worked in pairs.
True
What did the mule driver do with the full carts
Coupling them together and dragging them out of the mine
12
How far down were the mines?
Often times over twelve-hundred feet below the surface
Why did doors have to be shut after the carts rolled out?
To keep fresh air in the mine.
What type of boys did good being a Spragger?
The faster ones
Why were the Mule Drivers often referred to as the most glorious job?
They often received extra pay from the boss