The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-23
COM M UNICATiO Ms.
For the Union.
For the Union
OF A TOUR THROUGH THE
GREAT COAL AND IRON REGION, AL
LEGANY COUNTY, MARYLAND.

COAll AMI A.
LEGANY COUNTY, MARYLAND.
There is probably no truth which is more deeply
and intellectually impressed upon our minds the
older we grow, and the more we see of our great
country than that we do not know our resources,
and that we have formed no Just idea even of the
vastness of American enterprise, of the power OF
American energy, and of the extent TO which the
triumph of American labor, capital, and skill may be
pushed In almost every department OF art, mechan-
les, manufactures, or commerce. Those OF US who
reside, like your humble correspondent, IN large
towns, are compelled TO receive their information
from the writings Of Others and all that is thus ac-
quired may seem to be abundantly satisfactory,
until we are convinced, by practical and personal
experience how really little has been written, Or II
written, how imperfecty and hastily. Then 1t Is
that we hnd how contracted Ia our information
how shortly bounded the horizon of our knowledge.
We pass rapidly as thought from State to State,
and, with few and imperfect opportunities OF Judg-
ing, are yet enabled to convince ourselves that
much of the grandeur in scenery, the advancement
in trade, the multiplied manufactures, the growth OF
towns, and the increase of observation-disclosures OF
which are almost forced upon in every quarter
have never been written printed for the popular
eye; and are, in effect, sealed book to the great
mass of the people. | was never more impressed
with this, than in recent trip to the coal and IRON
region of Alegany county, Maryland, over the Bal
tmore and Ohio railroad, stretching, in one unbro-
The average rate of travel over this road is never
less than twenty miles an hour; and il is probable
that there is great thoroughfare, especially after
you leave Harper's Ferry westwardly, which
abounds equally in grand and inspiring scenery.
The Potomac winds along the road for distance of
over sixty miles-now gliding close at your side IN
a narrow modest stream, now spread out in a broad
and graceful sheet--now losing itself in 'lbe con-
nuous woods" and appearing again with its
bright face mlrrowlng the wild and imposing hills
that crowd close To its shores in many places, or
rejecting the blue and laughing sky, Sometimes
the scene changes to country rich with the beau
ties Of successful cultivation; and broad fields, good
fences, and substantial farm-dwelllngs, attest the
presence, not only of the happy and even wealthy
farmer but of grateful and luxuriant soil, even
valuable as some of those famous Penns ylvania
lands, which are conceded TO be without superior.
Enjoying this natural panorama, arrived in Cum
berland in about eight hours from Baltimore, and
tarried at MIR. Cowton's admirable and we-patron-
lied hotel over the evening Early in the morning,
accompanied by a friend, drove to the celebrated
biuminous coa-mines of the Maryland Mining
Company, distant about ten miles from Cumber-
land, and enjoyed the opportunities extended TO me
Of ascertaining the extent of their operations The
Maryland Mining Company is composed ola num-
Der Of stockholders, principally Amercans,) with
the we-known New York bankers, Brown, Broth
ers, q CO., at the head Of the direction. The pres
dent Of the company is Horatio Allen, esq, of New
IOTh, uiSlHSulSHtu us All uDle, anu
learned man. The engineer and agent, who
resides at Cumberland, is M. o Davidson esq
a gentleman, as l can personally testify, who
devotes all his time, and the remarkable talents
with which Nature has endowed him, unrem-
tngly, to the important duties intrusted to him.
His report just year ago, testing the practical
blity of the enterprise which has since been
bly, begun, is one of the finest specimens of scien
ic research hate ever read. The capital of the
Maryland Mining Company is 100000. This
company owns, in the vicinity already described,
1900 acres Of land, 100 of which underlaid
with ten-feet vein of bituminous coal! The whole
body Of coal underlying, in different VEINS this tract
of land, has been ascertained to be sixty feet in
thickness Ii is located in the very lap of the great
biuminous coabasin, at the head Of Braddock' 5
run, ten miles from Cumberland. II is estimated
that eight hundred or thousand hands will be en-
ployed in the mines when the mining operations as
at present designed, shall be finally completed. /
observed in progress of erection twenty dwelling
houses for the miners, with large office, store,
bucksmith-shop, &C. The plan Of mining will be
exceedingly interesting. The main gallery, which
it is intended to make one continuous subterianean
street two miles long, penetraes the very heart OF
the great coal mountain. From this will dIverge
numerous, transverse galleries, extending to the most
distant parts of the property The old working of
the mine, begun previous 10 the systematic opera
tons above alluded to, have already been carried
into the large vein, near the opening to the dis
opening the mines is quite simple. The main gall
lery, twenty feet in width, is to be pushed forward
till ii reaches the solid coal beyond the National
road The sides and roof will be lined and arched
with masonry, to prevent the leakage from the SUI
perneumbent soil Ii will also prevent any accident
which might otherwise be caused by the jarring of
heavily-laden teams on the National road immedi-
aiely over it. The front and mouth will be protect
ed by parapet and wing wallis and below the horse
path brick sewer will be constructed, two feet in
diameter, TO receive and carry off the drainage from
the mines. When the pure coal is reached the main
gallery will be carried in by two parallel avenues,
each nine feet in WIDTH separated By rounded columns
Of coal icelre ei ia tcd commenced at intervals of
twelve feet from each other pursued in parallel di.
recton against the dip, until they shall reach the line
of previous workings, which will be continued un-
til the hill is pierced The headings of the galleries
are to be wrought by two miners abreast; while on
either side two others will work out, IN succession,
the rooms, connexions between the galleries, trim
ming the columns at the same time into cylindri-
cal shape. BY this plan Of parallel galleries, all the
available coal will be extracted and sufficient guam
tity lett remaining in the columns, so managed as To
alternate in the support afforded to the roofing Of
slate. BY this means, all danger from the weight
above, from water, and the explosion of combustl-
BILE gases, will be avoided; while ample ventilation
will be afforded, and labor concentrated and econo.
mized. Railroad tracks will be laid down in the
main gallery--one for loaded, the other for empty
cars,.-and connexions established between the two,
Ut convenient distances to facilitate communication.
As the headings progress, track will be laid lead
ing the to the immediate locality Of the mining
operations. When car is loaded, the decliyity of
the basin and the track will be such that it will de-
scend by its own gravity. On reaching the main
gallery, the will be collected near the entrance
where they will await the arrival of the engines, to
he transported over the company's railway, now
| constructing, between the mines, to Cumberland.
BY this means the coal is not shifted from the mo-
ment il is placed by the miners in the cars, until il
reaches Underwater, two hundred miles distant! The
remaining track in the main gallery, will receive the
empty cars, which, from time to time, will be drawn
up by horses to the vicinity of the coal excavations
The miner works erect, driving his gallery before
him with the same freedom and that he would
excavate ordinary compact earth; while the facili-
ties afforded him by the immediate removal of the
material greatly accelerate his progress. There is,
of course, more or less danger in such underta-
king; but the miner devotes himself to his task
with perseverance and courage that are indeed
remarkable. In the present limited operations OF
the company, the coal is excavaied and delivered at
Inc anth nft ho cn,