Regarding: History 1

[lqxpl]

My great-grandfather left us with a case full of tapes on which he chronicled his life.
In one section, he describes working in the mines (sometime between 1920-1930).

"The 'stokes,' up above your head, they would bring the aggregate down through the stokes and through this large tunnel, and into iron cars."

My father and I have been trying to figure out what the 'stokes' are. I've done some cursory research, and have had little success.

I was hoping that maybe some knowledgeable fellow on these boards might have an idea of what piece of equipment or structure my great-grandfather was describing.

Thanks.

 

[moe333]

I think he was saying "stopes"

Wikipedia Definition:

Types of stoping

A stope can be created in a variety of ways, depending on the geology of the ore body being mined. It is common to dig shafts vertically downwards to reach the ore body and then drive horizontal levels through it. Stoping then takes place from these levels, in its simplest form as overhand and underhand stoping, which refer to the removal of ore from above or below the level, respectively. In steeply-dipping ore bodies, such as lodes of tin, the stopes become long narrow near-vertical spaces, which, if one reaches the surface is known as a gunnis or coffen.[1] A common method of mining such vertical ore bodies is stull stoping, see below.

When the ore body is more or less horizontal, various forms of room and pillar stoping, cut and fill,[2] or longwall mining can take place.