Collier's Hut

A collier worked as part manufacturer, firefighter, and watchman, staying in a small tepee hut near as many as seven ignited stacks because too much was at stake. Every three hours for two weeks, he patrolled the smoking pits and jumped the stacks, watching for flare-ups and quickly extinguishing them so the charcoal and his expected income would not go up in smoke. Whenever he could, he returned to the hut, cooked his meals on the hearth in the back, and snuck in a few winks before resuming his rounds.

Maryland · United States