American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-10-09
From the ST. Louis ReveiIle.l
FEN MINUTES ON AN INCLINED
PLANE.
BY JOE MILLER, JR.

BY JOE MILLEh1 Jhs
ITO the lovers of nature in her most savage
Beet, and to the admirer Of the wonderful,
neither miniature or art, perhaps no place
p,sents more attactons than the coal region
-the vicinity of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania.
lie wild and rapid Lehigh, partly subdued to
p uses of man for the purpose OF canal naVl-
Zion, winds its way for miles through ranges
4lofty mountains, presenting to the eye OF the
weller, with every turn OF the stream, arude-
magnificent and never-tiring panorama, re-
kte with savage grandeur and wild subhmity.
tied with the beauty of Gods works, the Gu
ius observer may crafty himself with the
arks of man, and contemplate, with pride ard
Plonishment, the contrivances designed by in
hllect to overcome the difficulties which, for a
1e, embarrassed the Lehigh Company in
uring forth in profusion to the lar OIL deni-
AIS Of the city and hamlet, the anthracite
lasures whose genial glow laden IN win
rs blasts, the proud abode OF the rich, or the
lsmbIe dwelling oil the poor.
eThe "Summlt Mines" the most extensively
erked coal basin of the Lehigh Company, are
iuated nine miles from Mauch Chunk, and in
der TO transport the black diamonds TO the
ehigh, gentle inclined plane, or grade, was
ade from the mines to the Shnte on the canal,
/ bwn which the loaded cars were suffered to
ffscend by their own gravity, governed only
~ the brake; and with each train went, as pas
Fingers, in the cars provided for them, goodIy
Ihmber of mules, which, having arrived at the
Fad of their pleasure trip, were employed to
faul back the empty cars, This arrangement
Produced much delay and hindrance, until II
las discovered that a mountain called Mount
fhsgah, in the vicinity, was higher than the
Summit Mines and accordingly, grade by
! mich to return the empty cars was established
ON Pisgah's top to the Summit. In order,
Iowever, to place them upon the grade, it was
Necessary that they should be conveyed to the
tmmt of Pisgah, and to this, one of the most
| Wonderful and steep inclined planes has been
wade that can be found in this country, OF
erhaps in the world. In length of tw enty-
Eree hundred feet it rises over six hundred
| net, and, to the eye Of an observer at its foot
0pears to ascend with steepness perpendl-
alar. A stationary engine at the top hauls up
she empty cars, by means of iron bands welded
| bgether, and the plane, being in many place
llt on entertainments renders the ascent excit-
40 and interesting.
| 1t was on bright summer afternoon, about
Eighteen months since, that Bridget O'Connor
ne wife of miner at the Summit, arrived at the
lot of the Plsgah plane with two of her chill
rem, one an infant of tender years, and the 9TH
boy Of about three years Of age. Family ne
esstios had caused her TO visit Mauch Chunck
nd bundle which she carried with her con-
aimed grocery articles for domestic use. There
gas no means Of conveyance to her home but
" the empty cars, and, placing herself an
.hildren in one of these, she was prepared fol
he ascent the plane. The jerking motion o.
ne bands commenced and slowIy the train was
srawn up the mountain. Although she had
ften assembled in safety, the miners wife could
bot subdue thrill Of terror, as she gaIed over
wful rrecipces on each side Of the track; anc
is her eye drank in, occasionally, the wild
grandeur of the mountain ranges, rising like
terraces far off in the blue distance, her wo
mans heart would shudder, as she also marked
y the bottom of the plane, and in the far of
ulysses of the rocks that shattered fragments o
kars which were dashed off the road, in conse
uence of the breaking of the band attached t,
hem. Often had such accidents occurred. a
lines, too, when the ascending trans carried
men as passengers; but they had always, b,
neans of superior agility, managed at the risi
pf limb, to save life by leaping from the cars