Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-05-29

nearly up to my ankles all the way, and endeav-
ored to smile as duty bound. l discovered,
however, that our friend was not only perfectly
serious, but very truein his remark, as it was
by no means unusual for mud and water to be
kneedeep in the galleries. The water oozes out
Of the rocks and coal--sometimes and in some
places in drops, OF Others in perfect streams,
continually. 1t has a sound like rain constant
ly falling. The farther you go down, of course,
the greater the annoyance becomcs and in very
deep mines powerful pumps have to be kept in
constant operation, in ordM to prevent the wa
ter from accommodating too rapidly.
Not the least interesting feature in thisun-
dersround city, was the miners at work. The
lights arc 80 feeble that we come continually
upon little squads Of workers. The lamps, in
deed, shine SO dimly sometimes that you can
scarcely distinguish the burrowing, moving mass,
from the other black stuff around it. Some
times, however, larger lamps are hung up 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 it up in the cars which are to convey
1t to the sun, constitute the miners employ
ment. 10 come across body Of these men
thus engaged, you would think indeed that it
was very Hades, and that the miners were
fends incarnate. The peculiar smut from the
coal gives mos. demoniacal expression to the
countcnance, and the effect of light and shadow
on group, is startling in the extreme
walked on muuingly Pick! Pick! Pick
and the fall Of the coal, varied by the calling of
the mule boy to his animals, and tho rolling of
of the car.
Their occupation is somewhat suggestive, too,
thought l, burrowing in the fire stuff forever.
The guide who accompanied me, seemed quite
an intelligent person, and learned number of
interesting facts from his conversation. He
spoke Of the operations, Of the arrangement of
the signals, Of the manners and regulations of
! the miners, and of many other things After
telling me Of the dull routine of miners life,
threw up my hands
"What, arc there men whose souls cannot
point them to something better than this'"
"Sir," said my friend, "you are mistaken
the miner is as happy in his occupation, and as
proud Of it as you are of yours These things
must be done; you should rather thank God that
there arc men to be found ready and willing to
do them
Hardly rebuked by this it did not answer
my doubt,' said; IL did not SEQ how any one
could choose such life."
That" said the guide, E" is u mystery-very
probably because their fathers and grandfathers
were miners before them, and they have never
seen or heard of anything better. 1t is certain
however, that they are contented, and, in their
way, are happy. know many an old miner,
those, who have been in imminent peril of their
j lives scores of times, who would rather now
work down in these mines-in the midst of the
! fire-damp-than labor on the surface for treble
miners wages. 1t is thing we cannot ex-
plain, but it is so"
My guide went on in his garrulous, though
interesting strain. lie spoke of the terrible
fire-damp-the most deadly enemy of the ope-
rator. Scarcely II day passes but some are
burned with it, often fatally. 1t is harmless of
itself, but on contact with fire, explodes with u
terrific force, burning every one within its reach
it occurs most generally in mines where there
is want of ventilation, but no mine is entirely
free from it. Any blow from pick may let Il
flood Of the poisonous vapor out upon the ope-
rator The fact of the damp being fired in any
part Of the mine, becomes Immediately known
to those in the other galleries by a peculiar
sensation in the head. 1t feels us if powerfully
compressed on either side about the temples, to-
gethor with snarting and tingling in the eyes.
When the miner becomes conscious of this, (and
he knows but too well what it portends,) the
best thing he can do, is to drop like dead man.
and grovel in the mud and water-drop instant
ly and thrust head, feet and hands into the
mire as far as strength will serve. Should he
accomplish this in time, the gas may pass over
him without harm, but should he neglect to
take the warning, or even be too tardy to take
advantage Of it, he must suffer most horribly
Instances have been known where men, though
half buried in the mud, have had the flesh burn.
ed from their backs us the destroyer passed ovel
E them.
After L labored recital of these terrors, thu
guide turned to me coolly, and asked il shoult
like to see some Of the fire damp?
"See some of it " almost shrieked.
"Yes," said he, "with the Davys safet,
lamp can show it to you with perfect i'm
punity."
thanked him hurriedly. but declined tn
offer.
Numerous other perils assail the operate
; every day. The fire damp is not the only dead
n ly agent from which he suffers. There is on
8 other vapor sometimes exhaled, called the black
damp, which sufocates the victim. There is n
n escape from it, death is inevitable. Many
t man, too, has met his end by the falling of hug
masses of coal and the crushing in of embank
lnents. The guide related several instances Q
8 this kind within his memory, and said that me
J had been known to disappear suddenly and tina
- nothing had been heard of them until long
y long time afterwards, when their remains wer
found by their fellow workmen while diggn
~ after coal
- we had now gone over the entire grounds
~ and were returning IN tho n,.oa or ~. o,, 4.
: alton. The beat that my heart gave in goin
= down, was nothing to the throb felt in ever
- vein, on beholding again the sun. felt as if
~ heavy weight was taken from my heart sudder
u ly, and had left me as light as q fairy, Still
he shall never regret my visit to the coal nine
Il LII. n