Such is a Miner’s Life

 

 

January 14th  Monday.  Went over on the Kent co early and found the grub about exhausted.  Came back and went after the cattle and took 268 lbs beef to the boys which will last them a week.  Our expenses are from 125 to 150 per week.  I do not know what the income is.  I was sick all over when I got home.  George put a peck or less of ashes on my face for to cure the tooth ache.  Snowed very hard all day.  The boys mended their boots.

 

January 15th  Tuesday.  Very cold.  The weather changes every ten hours.  We all did our jobs.  John stayed home to see about drawing some house logs.

 

January 16th Wednesday.  Snowed steady all day.  Every fellow in his place.  I fixed a platform for quarts and went down to Nevada with the tools.  Wrote in the evening.

 

January 17th  Thursday.  Clear but bitter cold today.  We got returns from Pullmans mill.  The quarts yielded $36 per cord which only pays for raising them saying nothing about drawing and crushing.  Such is a miners life,  therefore I will not complain but get out of it as soon as possible.

 

January 18th  Friday.  Cold and the wind is going at a high rate. Went over to the Kent Co with the intention of selling or giving

out to Smith but could do neither therefore some other mode must be adopted soon.  The hands could not work therefore they had a high old time dancing, singing and CC.  Election in the District today to elect a judge...Rogers elected.

 

January 19th  Saturday.  I went down to the Boon with George today.  Things look rather gloomy in that region. The hands not at work today.  I am almost gone up after the spree of yesterday.

 

January 20th  Sunday.  Wind blows very hard.  John and myself went to meeting.  We all went to prayer Meeting in the evening and I got up and told them that I should like to live a Christian life if  possible, but as for receiving any change of heart I know nothing about therefore according to my Saviours doctrine I am not yet a Christian and I do not know that I ever will be but intend to live a moral life as near as possible treating every man as I should wish to be treated.  By so doing I will have a clear conscience.

 

 

 

 

 

Betsy Buck discovered Hawley’s original diary in the library of the Colorado Historical Society in Denver.

 

Henry James Hawley

1839 - 1923