Halloween at Lehigh Coal Mineby Jack
1950s Fireboss Jay Puskar yummy Havilla and John Stiber on the night shift were bringing in timber for dayshift miners .They decided to take a break in the foremans shanty office .Office had piped in steam heat .Two played cards and John Stiber laid down on a plank to take a snooze .Stibers hand rested on a pile of old newspapers .Unknown to Stiber a Rat was sleeping under the Nice warm newspapers .Well disturbed the rat Latched onto Stibers Finger .Yeow John jumped up screaming and hollering Get off .He tried swatting the rat but the Rodent Hung on to Stibers finger .The other two guys tried to help but to no avail .Finally stiber Swung The Rat Against the office wall killing the Rat which left go .Now the other two Were laughing Like Hell .Anyway Puskar and Havilla took Stiber for Breakfast To Console him .From a Visitor at No9 mine museum .
- freetown fred
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Laughing indeed Jack--good story!
Reminds me of working nightshift in the quarry garage, always took my lunch in a old grocery bag. One night i set the lunch bag on the workbench and had to go out into the pit to change oil in the dragline, came back 4 hrs later to eat my lunch and there was a big old rat there that beat me to it! Went hungry that night! Good old days, bought a lunch box and thermos after that! Good story Jack, Thanks for sharing!!
- buffalo bob
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- Hambden Bob
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Aint' Nuthin' like a Holiday Story from Jack!!
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Looking forward to a load of coal this week but leave the rodents in PA. Our cats are going crazy as it is