The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-06-12
W Walhalla ana thaSiTpnnsl

~ Waihaila and the Tunnel ss fs Z
, From an interesting letter .ef the @picIs ems
.correspondent pf tIissE q dstrt,ssr SSe
extract. the following notice of the thriving
town of Wallalla ,and tile operations at. tho
Tunnel: 4. y 81 I. sl =. s ? 80 -
Wlnt Augusta is TO Elge6eH District, Wal
hnlla is to Plckens District. Every body seems
to take n pride and pleas,,rs in visiting the
place. Hardly nny one from tho lower pnrt of
the District ever goes up towards the moun-
tans without making it cohv verIient to drop in
at lIolsomb's. Bicinnn's or BaI,ntge's Called
blngcfs) all Of whom understand the nrt Of
making their guests realize the poetcal i,lea Of
n Happy Home" IN the mountains. Disik
ing to he odd. too went to Walhalla before
going to Piekens. The sign Of continued i'm
provcincnt about this new town are palpahlc
on every hand. 1t is characteristic dof the
Germans to be Industrious nnd thrifty. If n
German wants to stimulate n little, he takes n
drink sans ceremony, then goes right back to
his work. Stepping into very pretty store
through mere curiosity, I was isthcr surprised
to see middle aged woman setting by the
fire carding wool. Straws show which way the
wind blows. and these little things show the
bent of the German mind. The custom Of
house warming is riff" among those Germans
And In settlement like this WHORE new house
is dedicated to the domestic Lures every
month or two, the people must derive no little
enjoyment from the Observance Of this time.
honored custom. A new house wns pointed
ont to me. in wliicl, few nights previous, the
old aud tho young had joined in the merry
early eve till "br''nd daylight" And this in
English is called honse-wnrming. (Dom'e
know what it is called in Dutch.) -
l5y srccial invitation of II friend Mt TunnclI
Hill, spent some time there in looking around
at tho works. The skill an.l energy of the
present contractor, George Collyc-, IS striking.
ly displayed at every point Near the East
in its wild career down the mountain stspide,
and made to send fresh air by means of q ara
ter'bfdsf, through n long tube to the operatives
in tho tuancl. This current of air not only af.
f"rds relief to the t"iling miners, but serves to
drive out the smoke arising from tho blasts.
l could see that tic cavern here had length
ened great deal since my visit in February
last. at shaft No. there is IN ingenious con
trivancc for bringing out the smoke. (thc
same thing is to be seen at shaft No . and ~
long huc constructed with the shaft terrni-
mates Mt the s,rtnce in little house. which is
made air-tight except a small opening at the
top. at the proper time, fire is kinllel in
this little I'"use: and Hs flames can no more
exist without air than animals, the con.c
9ucncc is the mir; together riM tie .moke,
drawn up from he..lcpths Of the SHIFT L.
horse gin used here does not always perform
we'll as the steam engines. On one occa
when every thing wns in readiness for b.a
the man at the bottom of the SHIFT gave the
signal for being drawn up out of danger, and
the horse We're started round in brisk trot rs
usual When the bucket was about half way
up. one ofthe ponies triprcd md fell to the
ground. Meanwhile the explosion took place and
the rocks mn lc tile hottom of the huge iron br c,
ct rattle most frightfully. They saw the man
thus exposed h,llowed murder Justify, but
fortunately he escaped without any greater
injury than his fright. They nrc tunncllinc in
No. l, and about70 feet of rock have been ex.,
cavnted. At shaft No. ,, tlic piles of frapmon
tnry granite afford proof positive ,h1t tile
work here is steadily progressing. But Us this
shaft I,ns to Lc sunk e2G feet, It will probably
not be brought down to grade before the latter
part of this year. at No. 3. there ia a steam
engine thirty feet long will, a mining pump
connected, aud having capacity to drain two
such shafts. But little was done here last
winter on account of the usual quantity Of wa
ter, and the detention Of the engine by ice and
shipwreck. They will soon Lc down to graLe
in No. A. Not long since reservoir was en-.
countcrcd here. which threw up the water will,
such force. ns to knock heavy drill out of the
workn.an's hand. Before the last man was
drawn MP. the water rose three or four feet in
been exhausted. and it is now nothing more
than an ordinary spring At the western por-
tai. was pleased to see that come native H.
bor-sevcrni whites and two darkies, headed by
an old Cor ,.lI m;ner.-hat been brought into the
service. The operntivesnre making most OK.
ceilent headway in this part Of tae work.