John Ferro, former rope rider

Creator

Document Type

Image

Preview

Identifier

2013-01-sunca-0203.jpg

Creation Date

2005

Subject

Coal mining, Roslyn (Wash.), Ronald (Wash.), Northwestern Improvement Company

Description

This image was taken at the Roslyn Museum, where five former rope riders (Jim Larrigan, Jim Barich, John Ferro, Joe Melos, and John Martin) gathered to recall their history with the coal mines in Roslyn, Cle Elum, and Ronald, Washington.

Rope riders worked in the coal mines at Roslyn, Cle Elum, and Ronald, Washington. They did the most dangerous work in the mines, balancing precariously on the hitches between coal cars as they wound through darkened tunnels. When the cars were full, the rope rider would signal that it was time to return to the surface. All the while he would balance himself between the two cars, each carrying a ton and a half of coal when full.

Recommended Citation

"John Ferro, former rope rider" (2005). Suncadia Photographs. 208.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/suncadia_photographs/208

Rights

Educational use only; no other permissions given. Copyright to this resource is held by the content creator, author, artist or other entity, and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the copyright owner.

Language

English

Source

Suncadia Legacy, Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections

Format

image/jpg