Mine Mule, the best photo ever!!!!!!!

Just found this photo of a unique Mine Mule taken in the anthracite region of Eastern Pa. This is the best photo of a mine mule I have ever come across. It was in our archives at the Historical Society of Schuylkill County.
Only wish I new its name and at what colliery. Damn!!!!!!!

Mule Revealed Death Of A Miner

Anybody who reads this blog will note that I like Mules, especially mine mules those wonderful animals that worked for years in the depths of the anthracite coal mines of eastern Pennsylvania.
Here is an interesting story from March 6, 1907 issue of the Daily Pottsville Republican newspaper.
There is a superstition about the mines that the mule is able to give warming of an impending accident and is also gifted with a sixth sense whereby it can tell when a fatality has occurred, which superstation has taken a further hold on the employees of the Glendower colliery as is the result of the display of this sense given by a mule when John Zerbe of Mt. Pleasant was killed at that colliery.
The mule was at work on the surface while Zerbe was deep in the mines. Suddenly the animal; broke loose from a post of which he was tied, ran to the mouth of the slope and again and again repeated a loud hee haw, which could be heard about the entire colliery. It was with difficulty that the animal could be taken away from the mouth of the slope and when it was finally forced to do so it threw itself flat on the ground and pawed wildly, refusing to get up. The actions of the animal were so peculiar and so unexpected that the employees were unable to surmise the cause when a foreigner solemnly walked up and said, “Must be a man die inside.”
This superstition was known to all and an investigation was made with the result that the body of Zerbe was discovered crushed to death, the accident having happened about the same time that the mule ran to the mouth of the slope.
Zerbe has volunteered to do some measuring in a small offset, which was so small that the other men could not get in to do it, and it was while engaged at this that the fall of coal occurred which resulted in his death.

Murderous Assault on The Captain Smith of The Canal Boat.Virginia 1865

Pottsville Miners Journal
September 23 1865

On Monday morning last about 3 o’clock, as the boat Virginia, owned by the Schuylkill Navigation company, and commanded by Captain Smith of Reading, was passing through the guard locks at Landingville, this County, four Irishmen boarded the boat, two seating themselves at the bow of the boat, and two at the stern. As the boat was passing up the dam, the men gathered around the Captain, and demanded his money... The Captain replied that he had but seven dollars, and they could have that. The robbers were dissatisfied, and one of the ruffians named Owen Mullen, struck the Captain on the head with a billy, and threw him on the hatchway. The Captain’s son, a small boy, who had loaded a gun by his father’s direction, came up the cabin steps, and placing the gun near Mullens head, fired the contents through the head of the robber, killing him instantly. Malloy, lived on “The Flat”, Schuylkill Haven. And was known to be a desperate character. After Mullen was shot the rest of the men attempted to seize Captain Smith, but he sprang overboard and swam ashore. His son followed him by jumping through the cabin window. When the Captain jumped in the water the ruffians threw the tiller at him, but fortunately it missed him. The Captain and his son succeeded in reaching Orwigsburg Landing. Without further molestation. The robbers pulled the boat tothe shore, and escaped. Every good citizen will feel a sense of relief that such a scoundrel as Mullen has been disposed of, and earnestly hope that other wretches in this county, when caught in crime, may be sent the same road quickly.
On Monday Coroner Johnson held an inquest, The jury rendered a verdict of Justifiable homicide