The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-11-02

On the sixteenth instant, the freemen OF
Rhode Island will give an overwhelming
majority to the Van Buren electoral ticket,
and the democracy of the State will be a
gam triumphant. Every where, at home
and abroad, are exhibited sure indications
of the success of him, who may be justly
termed "t the peoples candidate"
The election of Presidential Electors,
will take place in this state, on the 10th
inst instead of the 23rd as erroneeusly sta
ted in the table in our last and in Mary
land, on the 7th instead of the l4th.
We are not aware that any notice has
been taken in this paper of the discovery of
Anthracite Coal in the town Of Cumberland,
about six miles from Providence. We had
the pleasure, a short time since, of seeing a
fire made of it, which appeared to burn as
freely, and as Handsomely, as the best Penn
syvania Anthrncite.-The coal we under
stood was sold at the mine for six dollars a
ton, and was taken, at that price, as fast as
it could be got out, which was at the rate of
about ten tons per diem.
The Editor of the Providence Journal
visited the mine a few days since, and has
given the description of it which we copy
below.
The CUMBERLAND Coal MINE. A few
days since, accompanied by a friend, we
rode out to look nt the mine in Cumberland,
that has attracted so large portion of the
public attention. With the result of our vis-
| II we were much pleased We found a
large and commodious building erected o.
yer the mouth of the shaft. The boilers of
steam engine were laid, and every thing
indicated determination, on the part of
the enterprlsing proprietors, to prosecute
the work with the same zeal and persever-
ance that has hitherto distinguished the un-
dertaking. A fire, composed of coal taken
from the mine, was burning checrily in the
CRATE, which, though rudely constructed and
of insufficient draugbt, answered to prove
the excellent quality of the coal. The fire
was bright and hot, and appeared fully
equal to that made from the imported an
thracte.
We were politely invited by one of the
proprletors to descend the shaft. So, dom
ming miners dress, we disposed ourselves
to the best advantage in one of the cars used
for drawing up the coal, and were soon on
our downward path. As we looked down,
and saw far beneath us the lights shining
upon the dark masses of coal that formed
the sides of the excavation, and throwing a
lurld reflection upon the miners, who were
wheeling the coal to the cars, or tossing their
heavy implements in their brawny arms, it
required little imagination to fancy we were
descending the abode of the gnomes that
delve in the bowels of the earth. Arrived
at the bottom, we found larger excavation
than we had expected to see. A drift
way is cut from the bottom of the shaft,
each way, in the direction of the length of
the vein. 1t is the intention to extend these
about one hundred and fifty yards. The
shaft is sunk to the depth of seventy-eight
feet, and they are desirous of going one
hundred and fifty feet deeper. The VEN,
which was twelve feet wide when first dis
covered, at about thirteen feet from the sur
face of the earth, is, at the present depth,
fourteen feet in width, and probably increas-
es in the same ratio, as it deepens. On the
north side of the shaft is vein of mixed
coal and quartz, which presents a most
beautiful appearance, the quartz looking
like frost work, relieved upon the dark
ground of the coal. This coal is, of course,
unfit for burning. The pure quality is
found in the drift-wsys which pierce the
vein lengthwise. A vein of slate separates
the coal from the superintendent earth,
and when the coal shall have been removed,
will constitute a strong and secure roof to !
the excavation. Very little trouble has
been experienced from waters few small /,
springs trickle down the sides or drop from
above they are oil collected in small res
ervoir in one corner. We saw the 'quanti-
y accumulated during the day, which was
TOO small To cause any Inconvenience. !;