ABSTRACT
Most coal seams in northern Kyushu were on mountain slopes or in valley bottoms, where tilted seams made horizontal shafts or moderately sloping drifts uncommon and complicated the work of evacuating water. As the headings progressed downward, the miners found that they were increasingly difficult to work, both in hewing the coal and hauling it to the surface. In the Meiji period, a skilled miner became in charge of an experienced gang to contract for the mining of a single small mine or a section of a larger mine. Under this gang boss, male sakiyama and female atoyama or atomuki usually worked together in teams. The team was called a hitosaki. In earlier times of economic downturn, the amount paid per wagon could be unilaterally reduced by management. Other types of deductions were made from the miners' wages. Repayments of loans incurred on taking employment at the mine, called kataire-gin, and were almost universal.
