Ernie Robles

Growing up [in Silver Bell] was amazing!! Never had to lock your doors, never had to lock your cars. Yet when we talk to other people about it, they think we're from Mars!!! 

My fondest memory is going to work with my Grandpa, Mike Molinar, who worked in the Crusher. 

Somehow he would take me to work with him on swing shift and all the dump truck drivers would give me cookies or fruit through the window in the crusher!! 

But most of all I remember my Grampa teaching me how to run the crusher and to maintain the amperage so the Crusher wouldn't get overloaded, as he would go and check the ore bins!!

 I remember this as if it was yesterday and it wasn't until he passed away that I found out how old I was when he would do this. I could not believe that I was only 3 years old!!! 

It blows my mind to think of taking any of my own grandsons to a mine and teach any of them how to operate a piece of machinery!!!

 And the antics of the other workers there -- they would throw their work gloves at me and when I turned to see who threw them they would hide!!

What memories of such a fabulous place and time!!