Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days: Company Officer (Underground Boss)
1958 - 1963
Mukashi no Yama: Yakunin (Konai Toryo/Kogashira)
[Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days: Company Officer (Underground Boss)]
21.2 x 30.1 cm Ink Painting
Text on the Right
The underground boss (yakunin) is called a konai gakari, saiko gakari, or konai gemba today. However, he was called a konai toryo or kogashira in the past. Today's bosses at middle and large-scale coal pits only do their duties, but the kogashira at a small pit in the old days was far busier. Most of small-scale pits had no underground carpenters in charge of the second shift working hours. The kogashira at such a pit repaired defective tracks and other equipment, as well as dealt with everything about blasting, allotment of working faces, roof falls, wall breakdowns, mine car accidents, drainage, ventilation, and so on by himself. Additionally, he had to decide the expected number of mine cars loaded with coal mined by each pair of miners.
Text at the Top Center
The underground boss had to employ a day laborer as an assistant shot firer in blasting a coalface when it was found to be full of silicified wood (iwa: matsuiwa), or he had to allot a new coalface to a pair of miners when the mining of their coalface was terminated. Some of the miners falsely accused and picked a fight with him.
Inset at the Top Right
The mine car sometimes could not go through the level when its roof suddenly fell because of increased rock pressure (ni).
Inset at the Bottom Right
The mine car sometimes could not go through the level because its walls had collapsed.
Inset at the Top Left
Blasting Accident
Inset at the Bottom Left
The mine car sometimes accidentally reversed or derailed at curves in which surases (guide rails and rollers) were installed.
Lettering on the Boss's Shoulder Bag
kayaku: Explosives
Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro
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