Black railroad workers in Northern Virginia , 1862 .
Library of Congress the Negro who acted as fireman being incommoded by the unpleasant noise of the steam escaping through the safety valve .” Other dangers inherent to railroad employment included the probability of falling from the train , coupling trains or loading cargo .
Mineral extraction services ( mining ) followed the immigrant expansion into the interior of the young republic . The western development of canals and railroads facilitated transportation for settlers and financial interests , the latter seeking exploitation of mineral deposits prevalent in the Appalachians . Virginian gold mines , for example , are estimated to have supplied the US mints over several million dollars in ore from 1829 to 1860 , with slave hires performing most duties associated with extraction .
In neighboring North Carolina , the turpentine industry recognized the necessity for slave workers . Turpentine , born from pine trees , was used both as a solvent lubricant for rubber , and as an illuminate when mixed with alcohol resulting in “ camphine .” Slaves would cut the trees for sap extraction , “ chip ” trees as a means to keep sap flowing and barrel the residue for shipment .
Parameters defining master-slave relationships were often weakened through distance and the fact that slaves had some modicum of independence when employed outside the plantation . Furthermore , industrial slaves would sometimes withhold their services as a means of protest against questionable labor practices employed by their temporary masters . When instructed to report for duty to the Buffalo Forge one Sunday morning , a slave named Anthony refused his employer ’ s request in spite of the latter assaulting the slave with a rock ; informing his master
“ that this was Sunday and his day …” As a result , Anthony ’ s defiance garnered him time from work that day . Similarly , in 1859 , a slave named Billy threatened his employer , an ironmaster , with poison as a means of retaliating against unfair treatment ; no record exists of any reprisal in spite of Billy ’ s threat .
Sometimes slave owners sided with their slaves when the latter complained about the cruelties of bailees . In a January 4 , 1830 letter to William Weaver , William Staples wrote , “ I am sorry to inform you that one of the men I hired you ( Isaac ) has expressed such an unwillingness to return to you , that I feared should I send him over he would run away …”
In other cases , owners accepted their slaves ’ refusal to work off the plantation regardless of the bailee ’ s disciplinary practices or lack thereof . Written to Weaver : “ Our agreement was , if Brandus was not
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