Wills, Roy

How many remember back in the horse and buggy days when the old Never Sweat Mine and Never Sweat Mill was in operation in the west part of Commerce Oklahoma, adjoining the old Emma Gordon Mine. Roy Wills was superintendent of this property in 1914 with Guy Blackmer as mill foreman. Most of the miners working there rode the old steam train from Miami to Commerce while others drove a horse and buggy and a few even rode horseback. The train didn't run at night and Mr. Wills can tell you today, no doubt, the exact number of steps between Miami and the Never Sweat Mine because he had to walk the distance whenever he worked past 5 o'clock. He sometimes worked until midnight. The capacity of the Never Sweat Mill was approximately 150 tons to the 10 hour shift. The miners worked by the light of "Sunshine" lamps.