| Index | Previous Individual | Next Individual |

Individual Record for: William M. Dickson (male)

Source:

Dixon Family History Book
Quality: Primary

Notes:

Canzada's Brothers were Ore Miners at Shaw, Georgia

Perhaps having learned the mining trade in Grundy County, as did Grandpa W. T. Dickson Grandma's brothers also were miners. They worked mines operated by the Estelle Mining Company at Shaw, Georgia in Walker County. At the height of its operation this company employed 235 men. This mining community provided over 175 homes for the miners and their families. A commissary provided for all the needs of the employees and their families from furniture to clothing, groceries and household goods. There were two schools with an enrollment of 190 children. The County maintained both of the schools and the men at Estelle subscribed to over 70% of the cost and retained a doctor for medical attention. The Estelle property consisted of 1600 acres and had a blacksmith shop, machine shop, and carpenter shop, steam plant, sawmill and a supply house. There was a 6-mile narrow gauge railroad called the "Dinky" which began at the crusher and ran through 7 tunnels to the mines. Ore was hauled from the mines to the crusher on this railroad. As the demand for ore started to wane, operations at the mines began to slacken and finally ceased in 1924. At the height of its operation and due to a shortage of qualified miners, boys as young as seven would help load ore. Ten-year-old boys worked at the crusher and at the age of 12, the boys could go underground as "mule" boys. The mule boys would leave home by 6:00 a.m. to get the mules ready to enter the mines at 6:30 a.m. The mule boys worked 10 hours a day for 20 cents per hour. Push boys, crushers, firemen, engineers and breakies were some of the other jobs available to the men and boys who lived in the area. Sunday was the day off and was the day for recreation. If the miners weren't fishing or hunting or playing horseshoes, they could be found at the baseball field. The Estelle crew played teams from Durham, LaFayette and Chickamauga.
Among the hundreds of men and boys who worked in the Estelle iron ore mines were Canzada's brothers, William and Charlie Kilgore and will's sons, Bill, Gord and Willie.
Notes Source: Dixon Family History Book

| Index | Previous Individual | Next Individual |

Last changed 24 APR 2004
Web site created from GEDCOM file by GEDitCOM