Stop Call in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) (Stopping the Following Mine Cars)
January 1965

Meiji Jidai O-rai (Sumibako Teishi)
[Stop Call in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) (Stopping the Following Mine Cars)]
38.1 x 54.3 cm Painting in Watercolors and Ink

Metal fishplates on the joints of railroad tracks in levels were not used at small and middle-scale coal mines except in main slopes, so mine car derailments often happened. In the case of a derailment, the worker using the derailed mine car had to turn aside for safety and call, "O-rai (Stop)!" repeatedly, while waving his/her lamp to avoid a collision with the following mine cars.
I do not know the word origin of "O-rai." It might have been used to emphasize "Oi! (Hey or Ho)." Outside coal mines, people use "O-rai" when they mean "you can start your car" or "you can keep moving,'' and the two opposite meanings sometimes confuses me. Coal miners did not use this call except with the intention of stopping mine cars and still now this word is used in the pit.


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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