Why Miners Called This Machine the “Widow Maker”

What made miners around the world give one machine the name “Widow Maker”? The pneumatic rock drill helped workers bore through mountains and build the industrial world, but it also exposed them to deadly silica dust. The pneumatic rock drill changed mining forever. From Hoosac Mountain to Nevada’s mines, the pneumatic rock drill made drilling faster and opened the way for tunnels and major construction projects. But it also produced fine silica dust that could cause silicosis. This story follows the pneumatic rock drill, Simon Ingersoll, J. George Leyner, wet drilling, and Hawk’s Nest. Why did workers keep using the machine they feared? And how did a known danger continue for decades? 00:00: The Widow Maker 03:47: Hoosac Mountain 08:08: Simon Ingersoll 10:34: Silica and silicosis 12:27: J. George Leyner 15:16: Hawk’s Nest 20:15: The machine that reshaped the world 22:45: Silica’s modern legacy Subscribe to ORIGIN FOUND for hidden histories of machines that built modern civilization. Join the channel membership to support research. You can also donate to help keep these documentaries coming. #history #pneumaticrockdrill #originfound