The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-03-07

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ana sun. a' anansle o'aoous ~ deg.-'ook
ing up lom Tue o'''om .ne entrance socme'
h'ue pA'c" o' hsn' 10 iaf on ana 10 anai
that ie'' 10 We "eio inshe miadie Oh I'M
Sar.n' m
! Where 'no car nad stopped was nm oper
space, somc '"eh'y 'ec' square, In the oen'
ter oi u oppo'''e inc opening, stood olaa'
ing' lour!siae s'a''' no'a'ns nse orsiA ousi''
els OF coal was informed that this fre
was Kept burning, 70 produce greater drai'
into tho mine' branchins on from thi'
central position, werc various galleries OF
passages pointing in every direction. These
follow tic courses OF various veins. Rail-
t. Tays = '-a'' taroosn she entire 'sns'n o'
each, which AL conhcc'ed az 'nis mincprop-
CT ihc coa, 'S 'or""ru0u ',''ncr run ''e
distant working grouha'' ana from 'nehce
to the surface. Tho whole OF the arrange
nents are very beautiful, the loaded cars
arrive with the utmost regularity IRON the
various gangways' are shipped to the suriaee
with the rapidity almost oi thought and
again and again return' ever insatiate. we
were taken into one Oh thesc passages, call.
ed the Z" great chestnut vein, and explored
IL 10 lis utmost iiini's 'niS VEN proceedcd
over quarter oi mile other veins were
also OF considerable length. The entire
passagc-ways in the mine, extended between
Tour and iive miles. Think oil this IN the
heart oil the Earth, where every piece must
be knocked away by the blow of pick.
There seems to bc q regular system Of
s'rcc'S' 'aa' 10 70 Say' ah irregular system
'or 'ney cross ana recross cach other ~ e'-
cry Imaginable curves and angle, and
through them troops Of mules, with loaded
and empty cars, arc seen passing continual
ly. When once mule goes into the mines,
he stays there for life. He had best take q
long look behind him, when he is put into
the fatal car, for it's the last time he'll see
the sun. Stables are prepared for them,
(Which they don't occupy much however,)
and they eat and workshop and work
work and die, down there amongst the coal,
Many a man does the same thing above
ground.
AS we were proceeding along an avenue,
one of the guides remarked that the walking
was remarkably good for this season of the
year. This understood to be facctious.
seeing that the water had been nearly up to
my ankles oil the way, and endeayored TO
smile as in duty bound. discovered, how
ever, that our friend was not only perfectly
serious, but very true in his remark, as it
was by no means unusual for the mud to be
kncc-lccp in tho galleries. The water oozes
out Of the rocks and coal-sometimes and in
some placed in drops, at other times in per-
fectstrcams-continually. ltsoundslikc rain,
always falling. The farther you 60 down Of
course, the greater the annoyance becomes /;
and in very deep mines, powerful pumps
have to be kept in constant operation, in
order to prevent the water from accumulat-
ing too rapidly.
Not the least interesting feature in this
underground city, was the miners ut work.
The lights are 50 feeble that we como con-
tinually and unexpectedly upon the little
squads OF workers. The lamps, indeed,
shine sometimes SO dimly, that you can
scarcely distinguish the bnrrowing, moving
mass, from the black stuiraround it. Some
times, however, large lamps, are hung up
all around, and you are enabled to inspect
more closely their operations. There is
however, not great deal to witness in the
mechanical execution. Knocking the coal
from the rocks with his pick, and piling il
in the cars which are to convey it to the sun,
constitutes the miners employment. To
come across body Of these men thus en-
gagged, you would think indeed, that it was
avery Hadcs, and that the miners were iiends
incarnate. The peculiar smut from tho coal
gives most demoniacal expression to the
countenance, and the effect of the light and
shadows on group is startling in the eI-
tremc.
,.,Ill -. ..,,.:.al., n: l., Dbl,