Winding and Release of Mine Cars in the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) Eras
March 1967

Meiji, Taisho Makihanashi
[Winding and Release of Mine Cars in the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) Eras]
37.8 x 53.9 cm Painting in Watercolors and Ink

This method was adopted in the coal pit with the coal dressing machine in a small spaces near the pit mouth. After winding and speeding the loaded mine cars, the transport man released them from the wire rope and let them go up to the trestle by pulling out the connecting pin linking the wire rope socket and the leading mine car. Then he connected the rope to empty mine cars standing by and let them go into the pit mouth. Sometimes some of the mine cars went out of control when the transport man forgot to couple them. Therefore, some kind of safety device or car stop was necessary at the pit mouth.
After the mine car driver (saodori) pulled out the wire rope socket connecting pin, the surface transport man (kogai saodori) pulled the rope and the socket out of the track with his iron hook called a kenkagi. He needed to do it quickly. "Saodori" was the unofficial title of the transport man.

Lettering in the Insets
Right Inset
sumibako: mine car
reru: rail

Left Inset
sumibako: mine car
hakotome anzenki: car stop/safety device


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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