Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-08-09
From the Miners Journal.


A VISIT TO THE BURNING MINE.
A large party gentlemen assembled at
Minersvllle, few DAYS since, for the pur-
pose of visiting the Burning Mine, on the
Jngular Vein, at the gap of the Broad
Mountain.
The shower over. we unhiiched our
horses, and retravelIed the road to its juno
ton, with no assistance but its descending
grade. Here the first symptoms of our
miniature Vesuvlus were visible, in the
clouds Of smoke which rolled down the
Gap. Leaving The cars, we walked up the
ravine. to the lower levels Of the workings;
here, although not surrounded bya food of
lava. we found the waters issuing from the
drltway to be quite warm from The effects
of the internal fire, and impregnated so
strongly with alkaline substances as 10 be
extremely nauseous to the taste.
We now prepared to ascend the west
brow of the Broad Mountain, boot straps
were unbuttoned, stocks unbuckled, and
coats taken off, and all preparations made
'for the nonce." Beetng above us for
some hundred feet, and belching forth
smoke and flame, arose the track of the
vein. which we assembled on the crop. A
little putting and blowing brought US to the
second level. where the disaster commenced
during the extreme cold weather of last
winter. A hanging CRATE placed at its
mouth to equallze The temperature, commu.
nncated fire to the couplings OF The gang
way, and was the primary cause Of the vast
damage which has since accrued. Some
hundred feet farther up the hill. a large
space had caved in, and down the fissures
between the upper and lower rocks, could
be seen yawning fiery gaIph, where Vul-
can and his Cyclops might revel in and
salamaDders only exist. A sulphurous ex-
halalion issued from it, which rendered
approximation not quite so greatfu as la
vender water, or as cool as iced punch
About the Jaws Of this vast cave. were de.
posts of sulphur. and some alkaline sub.
stances, in great quantities. Large rents
aud assures in the ground showed the
extent Of the raging internal heat, and
many places appeared ready to fall in, and
preclpltate the incautious spectator into the
chasm. Down the old air shafts, the cur
rents of air rushed with a rumbling earth
quakey sound, to feed with the oxygen, the
volcano beneath. Now and then, a crumb
ling mass of slate, or detached portion Of
rock, would leave the bed where it had
been recumbent since the world began, and
with resistless force, plunge headong into
the smoky crater!
The vegetation on the summit and sides
of the hill, showed the scathiDg effects oil
this unnatural heat: the tall pine dropped
its giant arms, the hemlock bowed it's head
as if parched by arid sufferings, the young
oak and chesnut were clad in a premature
"sear and yellow leaf" and here and there
the mountain vines seem to cling more
closely to their parent trees, as if, like the
children of LAGOON, they sought aid from
the fiery breath. and
"-hissing jaws that sputter'd flame"
A dreary spot is now that once lovely
mountain Gap! the elemental war has
Frustrated all its beauty Of foliage, the
voice of industry is hushed, the rustic cas-.
caGe seems to leap less merrily than it was
wont, and the once buoyant air is heavy
and oppressive with the murky vapors, tina,
lower over the fair face Of nature!
When. or in what manner the ravages
will be stopped, is matter of uncertainty
aud equally so is it whether human inge.
nuity can restrain them. In the NEAR
time, the loss Of time and material fail.
heavy on Mr.. l.. c. Dougheny, the lessee
who has used every possible means wilhlr
his power, to check the destruction. At
templs have been made to smother the
flame. but it always breaks out in some new
place with increased fury, and battles it,
opponents.