3. 26th January 1896
My grandsire told me the story of the machine that changed the world, it was
something that modernized the way we live our lives today, the steam engine,
invented in 1781 by James Watt. He told me it was a marvelous invention it could
work everyday and in any condition. It brought us out of the rural environment to a
more urban one. When he worked in the fields in the country it had depended on
the weather and the four seasons. When there wasn’t wind or water they couldn’t
spin a wheel, when the animals work sick they couldn’t work. He told me these
steam engines enabled a range of manufacturing machinery to be powered. The
engines could be cited anywhere that water and coal or wood fuel could be
obtained. Steam engines could also be applied to vehicles such as railway
locomotives, its also often used in factories as well. It seemed so amazing, a
machine that could work all the time even in the winter! His father was a wealthy
farmer, but over time there wasn’t as much work in the country and he moved his
family to the city. He told me my great grandsire was business partners with the
innovative man, James Watt, the person who invented the splendid machine this is
what kicked off our family’s wealth. He realized what the steam engine in order to
function need a energy source, what better energy source than coal. He started our
family’s coal mining business. I had always admired him; every time he saw an
opportunity he seized it.
4. When I was 5 years old my grandsire took Alfred and I on his ship that was
powered by the magnificent machine he told me about. We traveled around the
British Empire on a steam ship. My brother and I found it ever so fascinating that
welsh coal could power this enormous vessel. Later on that day the captain of the
ship explained to us that it was the coal that made the water exceedingly hot until
it turned in to steam and that caused the boat to move. We were ever so curious
about how such little coal managed to bring us this far out in the Empire, we were
later informed by a sailor that the coal they used was very special, it had high
calorific value which meant with little amounts it could still create a lot of energy.
This prolonged voyage took us to the India to acquire cotton, spices and tea. We
watched from our balcony as the workers transported the supplies into my
grandsire’s vessel. I heard him unleash his demency on his workers for they were
not fast enough, I learned that time like this it was all about productivity. I asked
my grandsire why we needed this much material, at first I thought it was for our
own consumption, it was only later I realized it was distributed through the
country. My grandsire made a lot of money by doing this. It seems like everything
people do now is only for the pursuit of money and power.
It’s amazing all the things the steam engine could do, it allowed them to
work anytime, now they could work everyday and not depend on what the
seasons and weather is like. Steam could also spin a wheel. There isn’t a need to
depend on water or wind. One of my grandsire’s workers working on the field
once told me, if you can spin a wheel you could do anything.
6. 27th January 1896My father, Sir Humphrey Tyler, was very disenchanted the day it happened.
He had recently just purchased a mine, his business just kicked off and
the Queen Victoria put a Mines Act in place. My father was so angry that he
couldn’t have women or children working down in the pit for him. I remember
him chaffing with his employer in charge of the miners. I asked him why he
was so mad about not letting children or women work for him on his property. I
couldn’t understand what the big deal was, I remember hearing him say that he
lost a lot of money because he paid all of all the workers in advanced to
motivate them to work harder. Furthermore he said he didn’t want to go
through the hassle of employing more people. He was even more enraged with
me because I came up with the idea; I thought that would motivate the miners
causing them to work harder. But now 2/3 of his miners have left with the
money my father generously donated them.
I get scared when he was mad, his face would turn blood-red and he would
direct his anger towards the people around him. After he calmed down he
explained to me that he was already being generous to them, offering them job
to work for him in the mine, they could be replaced easily. Thousands of
people are looking for work and they should be thankful that they have a job!
He wanted me to help him look for more people to employ; he wanted me to
learn about the coal mining business, one day he wants me to be in charge of
the business he established.
7. After hearing father’s opinions I found the rule outrageous, I strongly
believe that it is not only bad for the coalmine owners but also the
miners themselves. With the rule in place the bread winners of the
family, as father called them, will have to work extra hard. Now they
would be the only one in the family working in the mines and the
amount of coal they got us dictated how much they got paid. I heard my
father discussing with some of his other employers if he should close
the mine, I knew at that time I was too small to know about any of his
business, but I remember how much I wanted to work with my dad on
his mine and run the family business all by myself. I thought I ruined my
chance and I wouldn’t be apart of my father's business, because I gave
my father my incorrect advice and cost him a fortune. At this point I was
still young and I was still confused, I wasn’t really sure what to do with
my future. Now that there couldn’t be child labor to work down our
mines I wasn’t sure if I should continue down this path of the coal
mining business or if I should go explore the vast countries my
grandsire once took me to visit when I was young.
Many years later my father passed away with The Pock, and left the
mine with my brother. My brother took me along with him and let me
help him run his business, sadly the mine was all out of call and in 1876
Alfred opened a new mine, the Pendyrus Coal Mine.
9. January 28th 1986
When I took over the Pendyrus mine after my brother Alfred passed
away I made a fortune, a surplus of coal was extracted everyday. It
was all about productivity at the time. With the money I got from the
coal I built the magnificent town Tyler Town. It was a great place to
live.
I remember that day oh so vividly, Monday 28th January 1896. I was
reading the report about the coalmine disaster and I heard noises at
the front of my mansion. I didn’t know what it was. There shouldn’t be
that many people out on a Monday morning. When I was in pondering
one of my maids rushed in and exclaimed that there was a riot going
on outside my property. I stormed out of my office and walked out to
my veranda and saw people shouting and throwing things in
disapproval. I remember how furious I was at the people, ruining my
lawn causing havoc and disturbing everyone in Tyler town. I had no
idea what was going on, what were these people doing here. I don’t
remember anytime I was more furious than this.
10. When one of my workers brought me a letter that stated my mine has
exploded I was more enraged, my main source of income was
destroyed! I yelled out for my workers and demanded a report about
the disaster. I was informed that no.8 pit had a devastating explosion
also causing havoc in no. 7 pit. I was disappointed when I heard that 58
of my miners perished in the disaster, but much more disappointed
about my coal! The workers could be replaced easily, but the coal
cannot be.
My coal mining business was already going on a downhill spiral, there
was less and less coal in the mines. Some of my miners reported by
next year our current mine would be all out of coal. At this point I
wasn’t sure what to do with my career, I do remember hearing about a
business opportunity in India and Australia. I remember traveling to
India with my grandsire and Alfred, I think this is the suitable path for
me to go down. I could go and urbanize the rural country’s, that may
be a good business opportunity.
I think India should be the path to go down, its such an exotic country.
Who knew a place I visited as a little kid could influence my decisions in
the future. I believe this is the best path to go down.