New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-02
DAY AMONG THE WINS AND MINERS.

n,
Til. IA essentially the region of black diamonds
rvr loot OF ground beneath IN surface is rich IN ore,
and svvsits only 10 be transferred 10 market to be
co ned into gold Hundreds OF the bare? sons o, Eus
are engaged in this coinage, with Fch IN hano ana
Ugh tcd only by the stnr-llke taper ths' SP',he y"
iaeir hats The miner here is not TIE same nagyara'
touyom wretch he is in the mines Of tie old world
Here no women and children ever enter to harness
their tender limbs before the 20 drag to NE their
hidden wealth, at the expense u virtue, heai'h ana
even Ike itself No families here take mp their abode
in the atOns glad OF the shelter dug out "
the earth to protect them from the pess storms aud
the far more ptiess task master. Here no infants
first see TIE light amid the wall Of Che young mother.
whose only couch the ore herself and child have
been doomed To drag from the earth 10 enrich her
master But she is not slave. Oh, 40, she is .
daughter of Britain living beneath her laws and prays
nightly for her ana thanks God that she lives IN land
Of freedom Verify there is much to answer Tor among
the tlsk masters OF the old worls
Desiring 10 see the mines and miRers as they are,
with several Others repaired 10 the entrance of one
of the largest veins where were met by the super.
intendent who politely offered TO procure guide ana
torches This soon accomplished, ana we entered
the shaft. This tor about hundred and MT. feet.
ran in = uniform vein about ten feet wide and eight
hirh when il branched of into two distinct veins, run
ming at right angles with each other. TINS VEN,
said guide pointing to one of the nets, has not
been worked since the accident . lew years ago.
Then YOU are not free trom all the ills that attend
mining in the old world 2" said we inquiringly. "A
relative returned the guide, has his grave tar be-
youd those masses which block up the way. He died
a horrible death, aud sleeps in unhoy ground; but.
thanks to the Holy Virgin his soul is in Heaven"
We had hitherto barely doigned glance at guide,
but now we surveyed him with feeling OF respect,
though am sorry to add, ming led with curiosity lilo
was lair specimen of his class in this region nearly
six feet high, cOmpactl built; MS eye clear, iu ana
searching.
I'VE have,heard of the misfortune but some were
saved if remember rightly " Yes. some one Of the
bosses lived aud worked his way for three days, with
nothing but his dinner which he had taken INTO the
mines the morning of the accident, to sustain hinr
amid the poisonous air with which his prison was filled
lie found a cam of oil, pick and crow-bar, aud by
the aid of light he worked himself out, but Sir he had
worked the ft of the bones OF his hands and torn 1t
from his limbs among the Jagged points through which
he had crawed from the spot where he had alive but
belpless left his companions" Efforts were made to
recover some of the bodies were there not ~ Efforts
Sir we never stopped night nor day, for two weeks,
then alas we desisted for knew twas toe late, aud
they sleep where they fell"
Taking the other vein. we pursued our way, the ex-
cavaton all the while growing higher and broader tho
intensely black coal being around, above, aud below
U.s. making it look like darkness intensified Our
guide put out his torch and until then had no coneep
ton " hat total darkness meant IL was suiiocatng
painful horrible. And underlined fear seized me. and
in terror called for light which the guide produced
with match and applied 20 the torches. Pursuing
our way, we soon came to the miners, who with the
taper their caps rang out the heavy sharp strokes
uIon the coal that perhaps intended another win
ter to Ight up coy sanctum IN distant city.
A little beyond the vein again branched, and after
pursuing our way until we were informed we were
Two miles from the entrance aud the outer world wc
Lcosp 10 retrace our steps We had not proceeded
lar when three of our number gave out and amid
hearty laugh of the miners, placed on car and
trundlod out" Never shall | forget the sensation
daylight produced Ii Was so strong, 30 over
towering that was forced to cover my eyes Tor 1t
% tFf. .raIn
Our way lay through the quarters assigned to the
miners The houses are regularly built, while far
above them towers the church. You attend
"churcb then ~ said | inqu,rmgly to the
guide. docs the gentleman take us for heathenF'
reorted female voice. We turned and found
} ourselves opposite door where stood an aged,
comely matr0n, her gray locks smoothed away from
/ her forehead and covered by muslin cap, while
a white neckercbef crossed and pinned over her
/ brenst NO mother, the gentlemen know we are
"not heathen but they not used to our way but,
"perhaps if they would in and rest awhile they
would not go away pre- udiced against u.s." Taking
stool-chnirs there were hOne-we surveyed the room
The shelves tables and floor were whittier than had
thought it possible wood could be made and spoke
volumes in the old matrOns favor. Mother" said
our guide "cOud not be prevailed upon TO have more
comforts about her, although father, brother and my
self earn enough to give her any thing she needs.
whist Patrick, heart is full Of sorrow for all
that gone before; tempt me not lest sin and never
see them more. Your hOnors," she added turning to
us. 'do not know all the Ike OF us suffer"
"Suifer! Surely, Madam, you need moi suffer here"
mo. not here-ts the old country. See, Sir, and
barring her arm she pointed to number Of long, deep
scars my body is covered with these for was born
in the mines IA well rs were my two boys, and 80
nv Kathleen; aud there she dcd-ded beneath the
lash for she was delicate wee thing, a mere baby
and there died my old father and mother; and is it
wonder then that when they had never house q
home that should think Of them when have both,
and never a bit of work in the mines to do"
There are Socss England but nightly she prays
God TO save her Queen while fhe gives thanks that
che is free.
''You look comfortable you are" said, as sur
yeved everything around.
And 50 we are we have COW and pig raise our
own potatoes and 1t not for what is gone before
that keeps my heart in sorrow, sure, would be the
happiest mother ia Ameriky."
Leaving this quarter we wended our way back to
our hotel where found the steps filled with coun-
trymen listening to of their NUMBER who adj
dressing them and gesticulatlng violently. Making
J our way through the crowd, we heard him say: I'VE
twill force these United States 10 adhere to
| the Missouri Compromise; We will settle tho
whole Of Nebraska Territory with ireemen aud
and then where the Slave States will be- In order
TO have slaves there must first be masters. We must
that there are no mastcrssee that reemen break
"up the wilderness there in Nebraska, and then our
eyes will be greeted by the sight OF man degraded
into the crngng serf coming bis labor into gold that
"Lis brother NAV live in ease Here the speaker de-
sceIded from the bench from which he had addressed
the auditory amidst deafening cheers Tor the eipl
grants for such the speaker and number OF otnefs
| uroyed To he They are their way 20 90 as inc
speaker said: people the Territory with freernen
Noticing dgnifed venerable ola man ''snihg aPars
from the rest questioned him as TO the ieeng oi tho
people in that region in reference 70 .ne OIL inc
fsforri Compromise. There is but one feeling, said
t'4i'''ui .If can he hut one and that ia that Wa