Digging a Hole to Heaven

Digging a Hole to Heaven — page 1 — Millions of years ago during a time called the Car boniferous Period lush forests grew in tropical wetlands Over time the trees and other plant life died and collapsed oventually becoming covered by layers of mud Gradually the buildup of earth pushed the dead plants downward and slowly the plant matter was compressed into coal Humans first burned coal for warmth and for cooling Today coal is used to fire the furnaces that produce electricity and power factories The most economical way to mine coal is on the surface using a technique called open pit mining But in this story coal is mined underground by shaft mining Fossil of Pecopteris a fern from approximately 300 million years

Digging a Hole to Heaven — page 2 — Clomp clack clomp clack The mule pulled the coal cars down the track into the yawning darkness Her worn cars like fingers brushed the low ceiling as she felt her way ahead Conall his face black with soot rode on the front bumper of the empty car The only light came from the yellow flame of his oil headlamp The twelve year old boy kept a sharp eye out and ducked whenever an overhang loomed out of the darkness The stout timbers that supported the tunnel groaned and sometimes shifted The massive mountain seemed alive forever leaning in upon

Digging a Hole to Heaven — page 3 — Like ants the coal miners burrowed deep into the earth creating a maze of tunnels The men and boys had blasted and picked away reaching a depth of 800 feet below the surface Don't worry Angel We aren't lost Conall said reassuringly Angel the mule snorted in reply Besides you know these tunnels better than any of us Clomp clack clomp clack As he rolled along the boy sang Nu in is a name to a

Digging a Hole to Heaven — page 4 — How sweet tis to roam by the sunny Suir stream In the 1800s few laws existed to protect working And hear the doves coo neath the children and they were not regularly enforced Many morning's sunbeam children left school or never attended school to Where the thrush and the robin their work in mines mills and factories across the sweet notes entwine country Since I many men and women did not earn enough to support their families they had little On the banks of the Suir that flows down by Moomcoin choice but to send their children to work This was particularly true in mining communities Breaker boys 1911

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