27
Two miners drilling in the Malagash Salt Mine in 1951.28
An extract from an interview with Kenny Wilson1950's
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
29
Kenny Wilson speaks of working conditions in the Malagash Mine, and two of the accidents that occured. Kenny began work in 1950.What were conditions like in the mine?
In Malagash?
Yes.
Oh not that bad.
So you said you worked 8 hour shifts, any 12 hours shifts at all?
Occasionally if there was overtime, yes. At one time we worked 8 hours shifts, 6 days a week. But about 1951 the union negotiated, trying to get a five day week but we got a 5 and a half day a week and that didn't work too good. It only worked for one year. Because we only worked 4 hours on Saturday morning and 4 hours on Saturday afternoon, the afternoon shift. And we spent more time cleaning up than we did working. So they changed that system to a five day week.
Now were there any accidents at the mine at all?
Oh yes.
Do you remember any stories about those?
Yes. A Patriquin fella got killed at the shaft one time. He went?. He thought that the skip was coming up, apparently it had gone up past the opening at the underground, at the loading station, and he went to look down to see if the skip was coming and of course it came down and hit him. And another fella made a mistake, one of the bosses actually Anderson was his name. He had dynamite on his belt and they think he might have made the mistake of having dynamite caps to.
The caps, that's what you used to?.
That's what you used to light the dynamite. And he had an accident and blew himself up.
Were there any explosions down the mine or anything apart from the guy??
No. There wasn't any natural gas or anything down the mine.
30
Miner Stephen Kinch working in the Malagash Salt Mine1950
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
31
Stephen Kinch32
Miners Percy Nape and William McCormick, shovelling salt in the Malagash Salt Mine1950
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
33
Percy Nape and William McCormick shovelling salt in the Malagash Salt Mine.34
With the blacksmith1950
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
35
(Left to right) - Elwood McNeil, Jim Chambers (blacksmith), Alec Stewart and Burton Treen.36
George on the Upper Slope of the Malagash Salt Mine1950
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
37
George Latta on the Upper Slope of the Malagash Salt Mine.38
Miner Donald Wilson outside the Malagash Salt Mine1950
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
39
Donald Wilson outside the Malagash Salt Mine.40
A miner named Alan who worked at the Malagash Salt Mine1950
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
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