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Show Old timers are all too aware of lung ailments from working in mines "We had a hell of a battle drawing compensation for silicosis. And you know damn well those mines cause silicosis' Ken Kummer by Christopher Smart It came as no surprise to old time Park City miners that United Park City Mines (UPCM) was named as one of 249 work sites nationwide posing increased health risks to their employees. Last month consumer advocate Ralph Nader charged that the federal government had, for a ten' year period, failed to notify workers they were at increased risk of cancer and heart and lung diseases. The United Park City Mines are listed as dangers in terms of silicosis, a lung disease associated with breathing of dust, and of cancer. That information is not news, however, to Ralph Garbett, who worked in and around the Park City mines from 1933 until 1975. "A lot of them (miners) died from silicosis but they'd blame it on emphysema and the insurance company wouldn't have to pay," Garbett said. For most of his mining career, Garbett "ran the motors" for area mines, which means he was responsible for bringing ore out of the mines. He said his job kept him away from most of the dust that was created by the miners who were operating drills. Miners who worked in the dusty areas of the mines usually kept working after they realized they had developed lung problems, prob-lems, Garbett said. "Most of 'em would stay with it 'til it was too late 'cause there was nothin' else to do," he said, referring to the local job market. The 71 -year-old Garbett said his lungs are still in good shape. "I used to hike and fish every weekend and I think that helped me," he said. Thomas Hewitson, who was born and raised in Park City and began working in the mines in 1917, said it doesn't surprise him that the mines are a risky place to work. Hewitson said he was in and out of the mines from 1917 to 1932. Then, when the Great Depression began, he joined the mines full time. In 1947 Hewitson was injured in a mining accident. Following his recovery, he returned to the mines as a hoist operator. His job on the hoist pulling ore out of the mines kept him from the mine dust, he said. "But the ones that stayed inside got silicosis." When asked about modern safety precautions, Hewitson said that when he began working the mines, "they didn't have nothin', not even hard boiled hats." As time went on. the development develop-ment of the "water machines" cut down on mine dust, according to another old timer. Ken Kummer. He said the drills designed to spray water helped reduce dust, but didn't eliminate it. Kummer began working the mines in 1941 before all Park City mines adopted the wet drills. The advent of respirators didn't help miners' lung problems either, he noted, because the miners didn't wear them. A chest X-ray was required In mining companies before a miner could begin work at a mine, Kummer remembers. And although al-though mining companies offered to pay for annual check-ups and X-rays, few miners had them. Many miners had lung problems. prob-lems. Kummer said. And many died from silicosis. But the families of dead and ailing miners received little or no compensation from mining firms or insurance companies. "We had a hell of a battle drawing compensation for silicosis. sili-cosis. And you know damn well those mines cause silicosis." V.iMm'x Hole: In I'uiiiwxf to United I'uili Clv Mines tic ftilltiu iiu points m-rd to ) nidtc: Vnilfd I'mU was by no melius lie onh mine operator in tie I'uiU City cnei during tie en'o(i discussed by (iarbvtt. euifsun md Kummer. (-'lit leutv. fiere die no Klive mines in !ie nei. i'lie Onldiio Mme (ins ix i n operated sporddieolv over lie past fu'o decodes b independent compdiiie.s eio easel tin l"lH-i iv from United Park. ) In a .statement n inti'd in last wrvli's pa per. United Pari.' ' spokesman Ed Osvku said lie 1 (onipaiiv "is in compliance with all miii,. sa cl i eidntiuns. " |