Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-08-15

toned, stocks uIbuckied, snd coats oh, and all the
nreparations made Tor the nonce." Beetling shove
a. for some hundred feet, and beiching forth smoke
and flame, arose the track cf the vein, which We
ascended on the crop. A little putting and blow
ing brought us to the second level, where the dis
aster commenced during the extreme cold weather
Of last winter.
A hanging crate placed at its mouth to equaliae
the temperature, communicated fire TO the coup
lings OF The gang way, and was The primary cause
OF the vast damage which has since accrued. Some
! hundred feet up The bill. n large space had caved
| IN, and down the assures between the upper and
| lower rocks, could be seen a yawning hery guiph,
| where Vatican and his Cyclops might revei in, and
salamanders only exist. A sulphuIoas eshslaton
issued from IL which rendered approximations not
| quite SO grateful as lavender water or as cool as iced
| punch. About the jaws OF this vast cave, were depos-
,tes of sulphur, and some alkaline substance, IN great
| ouan,ities. Large rents and assures in the ground
showed the extent OF the raging internal heat, and
| many places appered ready TO fall IN, and precipi-
| tate the incautious spectator into the chasm. Down
| The old air shafts, the current OF air rushed with a
rumbling earihqaakevy sound, to feed with their
| Oxygen the volcano beneath. Now and then a
! crfmbling mass of slate, or a detached portion OF
| rick. would leave the bed, where ii had been re-
,umbent, since the world began, and with r~esistless
! force plunge headlong in the smoky crster.
Il II T. ktEtlHtfpU 0u tbS otsffsf
hill. showed the scathing effects Of this unnatural
heat the tall pine dropped its giant arms, the hem
lock bowed its head, as if parched by arid suffer-
ing. the Young oak and chestnut we're clad In u pie
mature " scar and yellow leaf, and here and there,
the mountain vine seem 10 cling more closely to
their parent trees, us il like the children OF LAGOON
they sought aid from the fiery breath. and
-' kissing jaws that s%putterd flame
A dreary spot is now. that once lovely mountain
r.. - .-AA.. ,rAsf - a fAI MI 4 hpAn-
~ of foliage, the voice Of industry is hushed, the
r,stic casade seems to leap less merrily than it was
wont, and the once buoyan, air is heavy and oppres-
siye with the mueky vapours, that lour over the iair
face of nature!
When. or in what manner, the ravages will be
stoned is a matter Of uncertainty, and equally 30
ia il, whether human ingenuity can RESTRAIN them.
In tho mean time, the loss OF time and material
falls heavy on Mr.. l.. C.. Dongherty. the lessee,
who has used every possible means within his pow
or to check the destruction. Attempts have been
made to smother the flame, but it always breaks
out in some new place with increased fury. and
battles its opponents.
Our curiosity satisfied, we descended the noun
tain. and betaking ourselves to the cars, ran down
past Mner.villc again. The West Branch hoad
. in excellent order; the lower part OF the iron
track has for some time required no repairs OF any
Importance, and the wheels now run over II al
| smoothly rs if II were a pailor floor. There Is nc
| doubt of the inexpedience Of wooden roads--lhe
| iron rails ii even they wear out from heavy busi'
| ness, are worth almost their first value for old me-
| tai, but when the wood becomes rotten and splinte'
| ry, money must be paid to have it hauled of the
| track.
After nigh,-fel, we arrived at the hospitable
! mansion of X. C.. Hull, Esq, superintendent OF the
| Read under whose directions the present delight
full haunt was arranged. Once more under roof, the
evening was spent in a delightful manner, and for a
| while, like Burns Tam o Siianier,
We thought ma on the long Scotch miles,
The MOSES. waters, slsps and stiles
That lie between US and our home"
At length, however, parting time arrived-we
bsde "good nigh" and reached our domicils' some
to recount the pleasure of their jannt to then wives
and families, and we, 10 give this hssty and Imp
;ng Dissertation 10 our friends and readers.