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Day 37 - North Hatley, Quebec
Today was an adventure as we went on a tour of an old copper mine called "L'Epopee de Capelton". We were taken by tractor drawn carriage to the top of the mountain where we descended down into the mine for a tour. The mine operated from 1860 (Civil War) to the early 1900s when it was closed due to economics.
The mine shafts lead to 24 levels in the mine that reach over a mile in depth. When you consider that all of them were dug by hand, with poorly crafted tools, it's amazing. We only visited 3 levels, because most levels are currently under water, but that was plenty to get the idea of what it must have been like. 
We only visited 3 levels because most levels are currently under water, but that was plenty to get the idea of what it must have been like to be a miner in 1860. Twelve hour days, 6 day weeks, no proper tools, no breaks, no bathrooms, no sunlight in your life and a life span of about 35 years. I don't know how they did it.
They would take mules into the mine to help with the work and, because it was so hard to get them down there, they would leave them in the mine for the rest of their lives. These are stalls where they were kept underground. Needless to say, mules also had a very short life.
Today was an adventure as we went on a tour of an old copper mine called "L'Epopee de Capelton". We were taken by tractor drawn carriage to the top of the mountain where we descended down into the mine for a tour. The mine operated from 1860 (Civil War) to the early 1900s when it was closed due to economics.
The mine shafts lead to 24 levels in the mine that reach over a mile in depth. When you consider that all of them were dug by hand, with poorly crafted tools, it's amazing. We only visited 3 levels, because most levels are currently under water, but that was plenty to get the idea of what it must have been like. 
We only visited 3 levels because most levels are currently under water, but that was plenty to get the idea of what it must have been like to be a miner in 1860. Twelve hour days, 6 day weeks, no proper tools, no breaks, no bathrooms, no sunlight in your life and a life span of about 35 years. I don't know how they did it.
They would take mules into the mine to help with the work and, because it was so hard to get them down there, they would leave them in the mine for the rest of their lives. These are stalls where they were kept underground. Needless to say, mules also had a very short life.
