|
The
Blind Miner Of The Wasatch James
Leroy "Roy" Newman (1894-1974) Pictures
Taken By Utah Outdoor Activities 
Roy
Newman was blinded and nearly killed when a stick of dynamite misfired in
this mine in 1929. But the determined miner recovered and returned to work
his mine alone - for another 45 years!
The
belief that rich lead, zinc, and sliver ores lay deep in the mountain kept
Roy working; he did encounter low-grade veins of oar. He drove 1,600 feet
using only hand-held drills, a four-pound hammer, explosives, and his
ingenuity.
Though
blind, Roy could faintly detect light in the corner of one eye and he used
this ability to keep the mine workings straight. Roy would set a carbide
lamp in the middle of the track, several hundred feet from the
mine's working face. Then he would stand a pick, with its handle up, in
the track a few feet from the face. Standing between the pick and the
face, Roy moved his head back and forth until the pick block the light.
Repeating this process, he was able to continually center and straighten
the workings.
Roy
lived alone in a cabin near the mine through the pleasant summers and
long, harsh winters. With the help of friends and family, who kept him
supplied with food and other basic needs, he maintained his optimism and persevered.
"I like the challenge that Mother Nature presents the miner who
searches for her secrets," he said. Directions
This
historical marker is located approx 7.5 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.
After you pass the S turn you will continue approx 2.8 miles. Look for a very
large pull out with several signs that tell you about the area. The mine
entrance and the area around the mine are posted No Trespassing.
But if you
stand on the other side of Big Cottonwood Creek you can get a good view of
the mine entrance and a little ways inside the mine. With a good zoom
lens you can get a pretty good picture. Please obey the No Trespassing
signs and do not enter the mine.
|
