Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-12-21
Down in the Depths.

On last Wednesday morning, a party consis-
! ting of two ladies. Prof. Garfield, L. Sutliff and
Harmon Austin, Esqs., and Ourself, started to
visit a coal mine, and burrow under the earth
for a little while. First we brought up at the
mansion of Josiah Robbins, ESQ. at Miles, and
leaving the ladies, were joined by Mr.. Robbins
and proceeded to the coal mine of Messrs. Tod
d Wells, at Mineral Ridge. After sufficiently
admiring the massive steam engine, (every part
of which was clean, bright and in nice running
order the pump. throwing up 80 to 50 barrels
of water per minute. the machinery for hoist
ing coal, de-, we placed ourselves in the charge
of Mr.. Isaac Folford, the Superintendent. and
after being provided with caps and hats be-
longing to the miners, and with small lamps
to light our underground pathway, We stepped
upon the hosting platform, and were lowered
dowu,the shaft. The shaft is perpendicular,
Is feet by 8. and l34 feet in depth. 1t is sunk
through clay to the depth of 65 or 20 feet, when
a strata of sand rock of 8 feet in thickness, Is
reached, beneath which is q mixture of slate
and sandstone for 40 or IS feet, after which is
strata of rock 81 feet in thickness, which last
firms the roof over the coal. Arriving at the
bottom of the shaft, we see the lights (Which
the miners fasten in front of their caps, } twink
ling in various directions, and the rumbling of
= ear and trampling of hoofs warns us to step
inside from the wooden railroad LITERALLY an I'M
derground railroad, } which stretches back into
the darkness. The car is drawn by a mule,
which seems quite as much at home in his sub
terranean dwelling, as his long-eared brethren
above ground, and we thought his eyes had a
surprised expression as he gravely winked
them when We held our light near his face,
though one of our party persists in the asser
ton that he was stone. The stable consists of
little chamber cut out of the coal, at one side
of the entry. The car loaded with coal, was
run upon the hosting platform, off which We
had just stepped, and Immediately it common
ced its upward journey towards the surface,
but on what part of the surface it will give light
and heat, what machinery it may turn. width
er the products it may assist in manufacturing,
may 60, whose steps may be lighted by the
gas-light it may evolve in some city's streets,
what part of the great drama it may yet per-
form; who can say?
Under the guidance of Mr.. Holford, our par
ty proceeded along the main entry a few yards,
and turned into a side entry about 5 feet in
heighth, passed on to the end, where the mi
ners were at work. In the roof of the mine
were plainly to be seen impressions of huge
trunks of trees, which could be traced for thir-
ty or forty feet, until they would cross the en-
tries. In these, the marks of the bark, the eur
Natures of knots and limbs were distinctly Wis
ible. There were also carbonized specimens
of gigantic ferns, some beautiful cheekered spe-
eimens of the plant called by biologists Lepi-
dodendron, and the j%ointed Siggillauria.
Our Geologist, prof. Garield,) who had
long studied books, but who was now having
his first practical experience in a coal mine,
was in raptures. We were interested in watch
ing and listening to him and Mr.. Halford.-
They were specimens of two different classes.
The first, a dozen years ago, was a driver on a
canal, but now, raised by the force of industry
and talent, is a Principal in a large school, a
clergyman, an eloquent lecturer, and a State
Senator elect. The second, twelve years ago,
was a miner, working with pick and shovel in
this same coal feld-now, through his own en-
ergy. tact. and the knowledge acquired by OBJ
servation, he is superintendent of these works,
standing in the front rank of his class. The
one deeply read in bookish lore, had gathered
l.
knowledge from the writings of man; the other
had studied the Testimony of the rocks" writ
ten by the finger of God, far down beneath
earth's surface, long ages before the foot of man
had pressed it. The one sought knowledge to
add to his W stock, and to dispense it to 9TH
ers-the other sought it to add to the sum of
material wealth. They were alike, and yet
unlike; the representatives of two elasses-the
thinkers and the doers-the t~hrobbing brain.
and the busy hands
The main entry is - feet wide and IL feet
high; the side entries are about 5 feet in height;
the south and west entries are now about 100
yards in length; the others are some 50 or so
yards each. Nearly all of these entries have
been made within the last four months The
average thickness of the coal vein is four and
q half feet. Its underlaid with avein of black j
hand ore, Of an average thickness of 6 inches.
quantity of coal shipped from this bank
st present, is so tons per day, which viii prob !.
ably be increased on the opening of spring, to
$50 tons. J
In one of the entries, our attention was called '
to what is in mining phraseology, termed a
horseback. This is essentially different from /
. horseback above ground. 1t is an upheaval t
Of the rock through the strata of coal, which
cuts the coal vein completely in two. When J
such an obstacle is met, the rock must be blast
ID aad the entry driven through it, to reach
he coal beyond. As these hOrse-baeks are.Of
Tarious thiesnesses, they sometimes prove Sc 6