Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-21


stream. and "a the car is whirled swiftly along,
the traveller often finds himself gliding on the
brink of an enormous precip'ce, or overlooking
deem hollow Of uncommon wiidness. Numer'
Gus sprrss Of the purest water burst out IRON the
mountain and cross the track, caused by the ex'
cayations Of the road. The ride, on the whole,
is a delightful one, and may be well recommend
ed to the traveller; as it passes over one OF the
widest specimens Of mountain scenery.
At the head of the railway are several houses,
a tavern, aud number Of stables, belonging to
the company. A large clearing is here made.
but there are no signs of cultivation except
few small patches for garden vegetables, and this
whole country, for all agricultural purposes. has
an appearance of utter desolatlon. Wehere took
the stage, and passed by the mines or rather
quarries, from which the coal is taken. lhey
are situated on the west end OF the mountain,
and the surface now worked contains an area OF
perhaps FIVE or six acres. The earth, trees and
rocks are removed from the surface toa depth OF
six to ten feet, and the whole mountain then DIS
closes mass Of solid anthracite coal. Hundreds
of laburers were employed with picks and oars
in getting up the coal, and in some places MANY
were engaged in drilling and blasting 1t OIL
They had excavated in many spots thirty or Tor
" feet in DEPTH and water courses were frequent
which continually broke in upon them. Tenn
porary rail ways were laid in every direction
among the quarries, on which the cars were drawn
about bv the mules to receive their cargoes; after
which, they were drawn up the main way, and
placed in regular train for Mauch Chunk. The
business is carried on with much regularity. and
could not but admire the advantages to the la
borer of procuring this coal, where he can work
in the clear light of heaven, in comparison with
those dark and dismal pits of the Schuylkill.
where the dingy miners, with little tin lamps
hooked into their caps, pod over their gloomy
task like the tabled Vucans of the internal re-
gions.
A ri de Of IL miles carried US to the head wa
tiers Of the Schuylkill, and the principal valley
of that valuable coal district. Through all this
region agriculture is scarcely known. The coun-
try is altogether composed of mountains and val
leys, all filled with coal. Here are several good
buildings. erected for the accommodation OF
agents for the coal companies, and miners and
carriers. A rail way commences at this point
and continues to Port Carbon at the head of the
Sehuylkill Canal. Another rail way, which
commences near this place, anu runs to Port
| Clinton. MANY miles lower down on the Schuy-
kill, was nearly finished and ready for use. We
took passage in car on the road to Port Carbon,
which place we reached in an hour. distance
of eight miles. This road was along the bot
tom of a Wild valley near branch OF the Schuyl-
kill. Numerous mountains terminated IN this
valley, and many hollows stretch out laterally
from the main one between them. At nearly all
these passes little rail road issued from the
main one, and led up narrow valley to the
coal mines, some of which were in view as we
passed. Ia some places huge banks of coal pro-
4 Ill. bod
sides Of the car as we passed them.
Port Carbon is a small collection of houses,
stores and tavern and an immense depot for
coal. which is here discharged from the rail way
for shipment on the canal to Philadelphia. A
ride of two miles in carriage took US into Potts
vile, a busy, overgrown village of 5000 people,
surrounded by coal mines and the prnci pal place
of supply for this immense coal region. The
ykili coal is found in veins of greater or less
magnitude in the hills, and ii is excavated from
pits running into their sides. vein frequently,
runs many hundred, and sometimes thousand OF
| feet through these hills, croOkins about IN Its
course, and often varying in its elevation. lney
are generally deposited between layers OF slate or
sand rock which, as the coal is taken out, have to
be supported by wooden posts, in very extensive
veas, BY pieces of coal which left for that pur-
pose. We entered one which was about six feet in
diameter, & followed il for 800 feet through pud-
dies Of water, low dnL narrow passages, where We
could only get along oar hands and feet, and up
steep, slippery .huies to the place OF excavation.
Thecoa is dug Up win rioks ~ TIM miners, who,
notwithstand'n. he dreary nature VI their employ
ment. appear to be "a contented race OF men
They throw the coal as it is mined down the
shutes when It is loaded into cars and drawn out
BY mules or little horses. and regard the dark
, ness Of the pit as little as the miners.
Nim'od HHiffe.---T The Boston Transcript
states, that on Mr.. Hacke't's venturing to intro
duce this gentleman 10 Louisville audience he
came very near being ''used up for the liberty
he had taken. The Kentuckians were outrageous
~ indignant, and after the first representation of
the - Lion of the West" certain "yellow flow
ers of the forest" cot the skiff ready to row him
up salt river" in case Of repetition Of the in
suit, which being limited to Nimrod, he wisel, abb
stained from giving further pro,ocation. Awr-
for in tho .ouisyilIa Journai in alluSion In the