Archive image from page 135 of De re metallica (1950). De re metallica deremetallica50agri Year: 1950 100 BOOK IV. When it is time to go to work the sound of a great bell, which the foreigners call a ' campana,' gives the workmen warning, and when this is heard they run hither and thither through the streets toward the mines. Similarly, the same sound of the bell warns the foreman that a shift has just been finished ; therefore as soon as he hears it, he stamps on the woodwork of the shaft and signals the workmen to come out. Thereupon, the nearest as soon as they hear the signal, strike the
Archive image from page 135 of De re metallica (1950). De re metallica deremetallica50agri Year: 1950 100 BOOK IV. When it is time to go to work the sound of a great bell, which the foreigners call a ' campana,' gives the workmen warning, and when this is heard they run hither and thither through the streets toward the mines. Similarly, the same sound of the bell warns the foreman that a shift has just been finished ; therefore as soon as he hears it, he stamps on the woodwork of the shaft and signals the workmen to come out. Thereupon, the nearest as soon as they hear the signal, strike the rocks with their hammers, and the sound reaches those who are furthest away. Moreover, the lamps show that the shift has come to an end when the oil becomes almost consumed and fails them. The labourers do not work on Saturdays, but buy those things which are necessary to life, nor do they usually work on Sundays or annual festivals, but on these occasions devote the shift to holy things. However, the workmen do not rest and do nothing if necessity demands their labour ; for sometimes a rush of water compels them to work, sometimes an impending fall, sometimes something else, and at such times it is not considered irreligious to work on holidays. Moreover, aU workmen of this class are strong and used to toil from birth. The chief kinds of workmen are miners, shovelers, windlass men, carriers, sorters, washers, and smelters, as to whose duties I will speak in the fol- lowing books, in their proper place. At present it is enough to add this one fact, that if the workmen have been reported by the foreman for negligence, the Bergmeister, or even the foreman himself, jointly with the manager, dismisses them from their work on Saturday, or deprives them of part of their pay ; or if for fraud, throws them into prison. However, the owners of works in which the metals are smelted, and the master of the smelter, look after their own men. As to the government and duties of miners, I have
Size: 1399px × 1430px
Photo credit: © Actep Burstov / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1900, 1950, agricola_georg_1494_1555, archive, book, bookauthor, bookcentury, bookdecade, bookpublisher, booksubject, bookyear, drawing, historical, history, hoover_herbert_1874_1964, illustration, image, metallurgy, mineral_industries, new_york_dover_publications, page, picture, print, reference, vintage
