I am Neal Miller

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Wolf Alexander <thespitfirehunter@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 10:28 AM
Subject: I am Neal Miller
To: Seth Sturm <sethsturm@gmail.com>

from Wikipedia about The Great! John Henry. West Virginia steel driving man.

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".. known as Neal Miller, [he] told me in plain words how he had come to the tunnel with his father at 17, how he carried water and drills for the steel drivers, how he saw John Henry every day, and, finally, all about the contest between John Henry and the steam drill.

"When the agent for the steam drill company brought the drill here," said Mr. Miller, "John Henry wanted to drive against it. He took a lot of pride in his work and he hated to see a machine take the work of men like him.

"Well, they decided to hold a test to get an idea of how practical the steam drill was. The test went on all day and part of the next day.

"John Henry won. He wouldn't rest enough, and he overdid. He took sick and died soon after that."

Mr. Miller described the steam drill in detail. I made a sketch of it and later when I looked up pictures of the early steam drills, I found his description correct. I asked people about Mr. Miller's reputation, and they all said, "If Neal Miller said anything happened, it happened.""