the shovel, is one of the lightest materials. And it was found on
studying the rule-of-thumb plan at the Bethlehem Steel Company, where
each shoveler owned his own shovel, that he would frequently go from
shoveling ore, with a load of about 30 pounds per shovel, to handling
rice coal, with a load on the same shovel of less than 4 pounds. In the
one case, he was so overloaded that it was impossible for him to do a
full day's work, and in the other case he was so ridiculously
underloaded that it was manifestly impossible to even approximate a
day's work.

Briefly to illustrate some of the other elements which go to make tip
the science of shoveling, thousands of stop-watch observations were made
to study just how quickly a laborer, provided in each case with the
proper type of shovel, can push his shovel into the pile of materials
and then draw it out properly loaded. These observations were made first
when pushing the shovel into the body of the pile. Next when shoveling
on a dirt bottom, that is, at the outside edge of the pile, and next
with a wooden bottom, and finally with an iron bottom. Again a similar
accurate time study was made of the time required to swing the shovel
backward and then throw the load for a given horizontal distance,
accompanied by a given height. This time study was made for various
combinations of distance and height. With data of this sort before him,
coupled with the law of endurance described in the case of the pig-iron
handlers, it is evident that the man who is directing shovelers can
first teach them the exact methods which should be employed to use their
strength to the very best advantage, and can then assign them daily
tasks which are so just that the workman can each day be sure of earning
the large bonus which is paid whenever he successfully performs this
task.