Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-02-12

bic of his danger, Mr.. Hosie protect
ed himself as well as he could; he
wound up his watch, and felt the time
by the hands. He also, with a piece
OF chalk, wrote in different places his
name aud the hour when he was at
certain points. Being in total dark
ness, however, he missed his way, but
was snabled through his acquaintance
wlthssEs mines to set himself right
He first tried to reach No. /, but after
tolling TO that road, found that 1t was
all crushed in. His only chance seem
ed then to proceed at angles with
the main arteries of the mines and pass
over to No. 3, and this he labored to
do in accordance with his best iudg-
ment.
At one time he passed thorough a
marrow entrance into a chamber, and
IN endeavoling to creep out on the 9th
er side, he was caught in narrow
place by the hill above settling down
upon him, expecting to die there. But
another settling of the mass crushed out
some of the materials around him, and
he was enabled to free himself and
draw back into the chamber of the
mine. In returning, however, to the
hole by which he had effected his en-
trance, he found to his dislnay that ii
was closed; and he was compelled
to hunt new passage, and final
| ly to dig his way out with his hands.
| Thus, after working for more than
thifty-slx hours, he at length reached
No. 3, where he rested, and then when
the hill haG partially ceased its work
ing, proceeded towards the mouth of
the mines. On his way he met MIR.
Dryden, one of the superintendent,
who, with his men, was exploring the
cavern with lights, in search of him !;
and at about five o'clock in the morn
ing he emerged to the light of day,
having been given up as dead, and
been incarcerated in utter darkness be-
meath a settling mountain for forty
eight hours. Mr.. Hosie told me ma
ny Of these particulars, and tie others
| cleaned from the principal officers of
the company, 10 whom they were mar
rated.
At one time Mr. Hosie saw lights at
distance, but they soon vanished.--
They were the lights of men in No. 3,
seeking after him. These lights how
ever assured him that he was pursuing
the right course. Mr.. Hostess han.is
were scratched and cut up by working,
SO as to be completely covered with
sores. He never for one moment lost
his self-possession, and to this fact,
added to his tact and perseverance, is
to be ascrihed his deliverance.
There were about forty men in the
mines when the catastrophe occurred,
and the twenty six who escaped, ow-
ed their preservation, in a great meas
ure, to Mr.. Dryden, one of the super
intendents, who conducted then out
with grea, GOODNESS and self possession,
while portions of the hill, other than
those which first fell, were settling
down around them. Learning that
one poor Irish laborer, who had been
struck down by slate, was left with
his leg broken, he went back alone and
brought HIM out. Sometimes he was
compelled to creep and draw the man
after him, through crevices which We're
soon after closed by the settling Of the
hill. In two hours more the whole
had shut down, so that if he had been
left his death would have been inev-
table. Thanks to Mr.. Dryden for
his GOODNESS, inttepidity, and humani-
ty.
The greatest possible efforts are now
made by working night and day to
reach the place where The fourteen were
at work; but faint hopes. however, are
cherished respecting them. The place
cannot probably be reached before the
middle of next week, if then. The
probability is that they have been
crushed to death. Most of them were
men with families. One boy only is
known with certainty to be dead.
Except for the loss of life, this un-
foreseen occurrence is not much to be
regretted, nor will it greatly impede
the company's operations, since it has
occurred at about the time when it is
usual to suspend labor for a couple OF
months, TO repair for the Spring, and
every thing will be rectified before
then.
With sentiments Of respect, | am
yours, HI. A. ROWLAND.
-:0:-
I FLOUR The Cincinnati Atlas es
Inmates the quantity of flour in that city
at the present time to be not less than