June 17, 2004

Light in a dark place

New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum focuses
program on mining illumination

By Jeanne C. Lewis
Staff Writer

Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department presented “Light in a Dark Place” at the Big Room at Casa Grande this past Saturday. John Slenter, park interpreter at the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum, had a special presentation exploring the many devices used by miners to illuminate the dark and dangerous tunnels deep under the earth’s surface.

“It’s dark here, need some light over here!” Slenter reenacted the cry of the miners and demonstrated using candleholders, oil-wick cap, carbide, hanging oil and electric lamps from his own collection of mining artifacts.

The first lights were saucer-like vessels for carrying a wick of grease-soaked twisted grass or a torch. Nine-inch candles were next used by inserting wet clay into timber or rocks, or even a hat, to create flickering incandescence in the mine caverns. If the candle was knocked down or fell into a chute, the miner was in total darkness.

“Nothing was closer to a miner than his candle stick.” Slenter said at the event displaying a wide variety of unique and common holders used by the miners.

In 1892, the carbide lamp became an effective way to light the mines. Carbide would burn about 4 hours on 1 1/2 ounces of water to 1 1/2 ounces of carbide, giving 10 feet of candlepower.

Electric lamps made all other lighting devices obsolete. The first electric mine lamp was patented in 1904, but acceptance was not widely used until the 1930s, long after the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines hey day.

The Almaden Quicksilver County Park and Mining Museum hosts events throughout the year and is located at 21350 Almaden Road, New Almaden. Hours are Friday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (408) 323-1107 for more information or details upcoming events.