The Celebrated Workingman
(Ed Foley)

I'm a celebrated workingman, my duties I don't shirk
I can cut more coal than any man from Pittsburgh to New York
It's a holy terrogation, boys, how I get through my work
While I'm seated at my glory in the barroom.

I can stand a set of timber, post, and bar or single prop.
I can throw a chain on the bottom or I can throw it up on top.
Oh, give me a pair of engines and be jeepers I'II not stop,
Till I land me triple wagons through the barroom.

I'II go down and work upon the platform or go out and run the dump.
I can put in pulleys on the slope or go down and clean the sump,
I can run a 20,000 horse-power steam engine pump-
That's providing that I have it in the barroom.

I'll go down and work the flat vein; I'II go up and work the pitch
I can work at the Potts or Newside-I don't care the devil which
I can show the old track layer how to decorate the ditch
Now haven't I often proved it in the barroom?

Now at driving I'm a daisy; just give me a balky team,
When I'II beat the spots off an evening run, be it water, wind or steam,
With your balance plates, and endless chains; they're nowhere to be seen,
When I pull me trip of wagons through the barroom.

Now at bossing I'm a daisy, and I know I'm no disgrace,
For I could raise your wages, boys, just twelve ccnts up the l'ast
Now didn't the Reading Company miss me when they didn't make their haste,0
And capture me, before I struck the barroom.

I can show the boss or super how the air should circulate,
I can show the boss fireman how the steam should generate;
Now the trouble at the Pottsville shaft, sure I could elucidate
Now haven't I often proved it in the barroom?

And now my song is o'er and I haven't any other,
For heaven's sake don't fire no more or else we'll surely smother
The landlord would rather throw us out than go to the bother
Of putting up a ventilator in the barroom.

And now my song is ended and I hope you'll all agree,
That if you want any pointers you'd better send for me,
But I'm not worth a good gol darn till I empty two or three
Of the very biggest schooners in the barroom.

From Pennsylvania Songs and Legends, Korson
Collected from Michael F. Barry, PA 1940
RG
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