9 But if, on the other hand, the
> driver wilfully destroys the company’s
property he ought to be discharged
f at once, and any body of men that
r sustains him are doing an act of gross
. injustice not only to their employers
i but to themselves. There is no doubt
. there have been cases in our mines
i where the drivers have both killed
i horses and mashed up cars, but they
. have been exceptions, not the rule.
, In a majority of our mines the
i grades are so heavy that it takes
. stout young men to perform the duty
. of a driver, and my experience
1 amongst them is that they are an in
[ telligent, civil, social and obliging
I class of men, not likely to destroy
, any person's property. Of course I
r do not expect to see many of them
i occupying the pulpit, as I have never
i believed that putting a young man to
• drive a blind horse or a stubborn
i mule in a coal mine was the proper
, place to train his mind for a holy cal
ling. And taking into consideration
i the abuse they have to stand from
some of the boss-miners in the shape
of the Greek language thundered into
their ears, and the Latin they are ac
customed to use to the four-footed
brother in their charge, along with
lifting of cars on the track, etc., I
have come to the conclusion that the
. driver in our coal mines earns his
wages and hie life is not so enjoyable
' as a bishop's.
