At the “Spinney Top”

The Graphic 28 September 1878: 312

Source: Internet Archive web version of a copy in the University of Illinois Library.

“A ‘spinney’ is one of the main roads of the pit, the ‘drawer’ here is shown about to descend the incline, having first skidded the wheel of his trolley, so that its impetus may not be more than he can overcome as he slides down after it with one foot on each rail of the tramway. In some cases wire ropes and pulleys are so arranged, that the weight of the full tubs descending one incline is used to draw the empty trucks up another passage” (319).

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