People at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #10 (Man at a Pump Station)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi Yama no Hitobito #10 (Pompu-za no Otoko)
[People at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #10 (Man at a Pump Station)]
20.6 x 29.3 cm Ink Painting

Small and middle-scale coal pits except those mining coal by the method of tanukibori [mining by driving many short simple haulage ways] had steam pumps, though they were small ones. They were Special Steam Pumps which troubled pump men (operators) very much from the beginning to the end at that time because of the frequent failures and breakdowns.
The Evans Steam Pump introduced in the end of the Meiji era (1868-1912) had better casings and cylinders as well as an improved piston. Pumps with water suction cylinders larger than 10 inches had rubber valves. They also had brass roller valves with leather packing instead of wooden valves with hemp packing as used in the Special Pump. This new pump raised the draining efficiency.
(Many people said that it was Shaka-no-o Coal Pit that was completely mechanized earliest among pits in the Chikuho region. It was said that the pit had steam winding machines and pumps in 1881.)

Text at the Top Left
It was so hot in pump stations that pump men sweated even if they were naked.

Tattoo on the Man's Left Arm
dairiki: great power


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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