The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-07-25
-, Rn.aelra !. 1anr.in Gsrmanu.n

QUICKSILVER MINES OF lDRIA, tUEh-
MANY,) IN 1903. -
In 1903, on the night between the lou
and 10th of March, the workmen obsers seo
a thick smoke issuing from some ol ..
lower galleries. 1t assembled, anu ePiU 80
itself through the higher. NO nIe "%
seen, no sound of flames was heaIu' DuS -
was too evident that the NINE was oh my
below. Some of the workmen, WIN glea'
intrepidity, endeavored to reach tiie SeSno
of confederation. II was IN vain they
were forced to retreat from one galleIy "
another, flying before an enemy whom iney
could not discover: for the smoke, whlch
continued to make its may upwards 10 the
open air, was not merely so dense and SUI
locating, but so loaded With noxloas fumes,
and particles let loose from the fossils
among which the flames were raging. IN
the bowels of the earth, that no hvlhg
creature could safely meet 1t, much less
penetrate it. They were fortunate enough
to save themselves above ground, ana Ihe
idea was adopted of eXtIngInshIng the IRE
by excluding the air. All the passages
we've closed as near to the supposed scene
of confagration as they could be reachea.
The two shafts, which led mmedlately
above ground, were stopped up OUTSIDE ana
mine remained thus sealed up without et-
feet. Twice during this period, the COW
erinus above were removed each time the
enemy was found more furious than be-
fore. The flames were heard raging be-
low with sound at which the miner still
trembles when he relates it. The smoke,
burdened with mecurial and sulphurous ex-
halations, rolled forth from the mouth of
the pit like streams from the jaws of Ach-
.eron, striking down every one that came
within its reach. 1t was apprehended that
the fire had attacked the upper works, and
was thus threatening the final destruction
of the mine. AS a last resource, the direc-
tor resolved to hazard the experiment of
LAYING the mine under water. A stream
was turned into a perpendicular shaft, and
allowed to flow two days and three nights.
,sAuflng JIIe IIrSJ coy It t,rvt1uvod II0 04is~t
In the course of the second day, whether
it was that steam, generated by the meet
ing Of the fire and water, was struggling
for escape, or that an inflammable air had
been produced and kindled by the glow
ing fossils, of sudden, a subterraneous ex-
plosion shook the mountain with the noise
and violence of an earthquake. The huts
of the miners, situated neer the entrance,
were rent houses farther off, but standing
on the slope or near the skirts of the hill
started from their foundations; and the
panic-struck inhabitants were flying in dis
may from the ruin that seemed to threate..
their valley. The whole thing must have
1eefi splendid; accidental as it was, art
.couiG 90 no further in initiating nature. In
the mine itself, as was afterwards found,
the explosion had rent the galleries, thrown
down the arched roofs, and torn up the
stairs. But the victory was gained; the
vapors began to diminish and, at the end
of some weeks, it was possible to venture
into the mine. 1t cost two years to pre-
pare an apparatus and pump out the water.
1t was carried off into the Idria, and was
found to contain only small quantity of
mercury, but large proportion of vitriolic
acid, and SO much iron that the bed and
IRON ochre throughout It's Whole eo Tase
from ldria, to where it falls into the Lison-
20. At the same time, every fish disap-
peared from the stream except the eel,
which seems to bid defiance to every thing
except actual broiling or roasting.
Even when the galleries had been clear
ed of the water, i was impossible to work
in them, partly from the heat which they
still retained, but still more from the fumes
VI oupliAldtCu HiSiCuiys Which, pTOuuCeu III
the miners violent salvation, accompani-
ed with commissions and trembling of the
limbs. To produce an almost inhunan
zeal, high wages were offered to such as
would venture into places reckoned the
most dangerous, to explore the consequent
ces of the disaster, and collect the quick
silver which had heen deposited in large
quantities in the galleries. Many purchas-
ed this additional pittance with their lives :;
'-and altogether, the atmosphere which con-
=tinued for months to infect the mine, was
so baneful, that it was difficult to muster A
sufficient number of healthy men for ordi-
nary operations,