(解説文要約)
明治中ごろ、坑内頭領と呼ばれる現場監督がいました。
偉そうに描かれていますが、実はとても多忙だったと作兵衛翁は記しています。
小さい炭坑では、二番方、つまり夜中の採炭には、修繕方などの保守の勤務者がいないヤマも多く、
色々なトラブルに一人で対処していたそうです。
ヤマによっては、坑内頭領のことをコガシラとも呼んでいました。
Around 1900, there was a supervisor called Kounai Toryo in each coal mine.
While he is painted to look self-important in this painting, this man actually held a highly responsible job, explains Sakubei in his text.
In many small sized coal mines, there often were no repairmen or maintenance men working the night shift.
Therefore, this supervisor had to take care of all the mishaps at night.
Konai Toryo was also known as a Kogashira in other coal mines.