Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-11-08
The CCai Recon.

talented editor of the New York Post,
recently made visi. to our county, of
which he gives glowing account and
from which we make the following ex-
tract.
Our party made svst the other day to
coal mine some three miles distant
from Mount Savage From one OF the
black entrances flowed lively littlc
tream with yellow waters, into which |
dipped my finger to ascertain their dator.
1t was acidu1us and astrngent. holding
in solution both alum aud cUpptras
Leaving this Stygan rlvuiet We came to
another entrance, out OF which train of
loaded trucks was passing, every one "l
| ,hich was attended hy miner, blackcn
I'd from head to f,ct with the dust OF hi,
task, and wearing in front of his cap
small crooked lamp to light his way
As they emerged trom the darkness they
| hooked like sooty dimonds of the II inc,
with flaming horus, coming from the
" NIB of the mountain. We now entered
each carrying lantern, attended by a
guide, whom the courteous proprietor
directed to % with US The vein of coal
here is from eight to ten feet thick, aud
the passage is OF that height. with roof
Of slistoning slate, proppcd i'll some pa.
ces by wooden posts. Here and ere,
on each side of the passage, yawned cham
hers cut in the coal vein, aud extending
beyond the reach Of the eye in the faint
light OF our lanterns, At leugth We
heard the sound o. sedges, aud proceed
ing for some dlstauc fu,t ler camr to the
end of the passage, W 'ere tn grimy work.
men, each with lantern Ia his cap,
were driving wedges into the cracks an
assures OF tie coal, to sepcrate it from
the roots and walls. We saw several
large blocks detached in this manner.
the worknen Jumping .slde when they
fell, and then We reiraced our Steps
| Before returning to the entrance, how
ever, our guides took US into branch of
the main passage in which, after pro-
"eediny a little way. we heard Il roar as
of flames, and thea saw u bright light
before us. A furnace appeared, in which
fierce fire was blazlug the blackeued
workmen were stirring and feeding it, aud
Il strong current OF air rushing by Us,
went with the flames up the shaft, winch
reached to the surface of the ground
ABOVE This, we are told, was Il contn-
vance to ventilatc the mine. all the
louI air. all the tre-damp and other nox-
lnus gases are drawn from the passages
md chambers by this method, and carri-
ed up to be dispersed in the outer atuos-
phere
On our way back to the entrance We
perceived that the vein lay at Just such
an incina ion as allowed the workmen
to roll the loaded trucks by hand along
an casey descent to the riouth, as | hear
is the case with all the veins.
When wss in this region twenty
eight years since, they had not begun
TO work the mines in iron and coal.
From the little town IF Frostour =, whefr
| then passed the night. place lyiue
high among the mountain ridges, where
you now look down upon several mining
llagcs There are twenty-five of them
in this coal ion. aud they are adding
greatly to Its lo,nlousncss New mines
are opened from time to time. $" thar the
mountains will be pierced from side t.
side with these artificial chlords. y
curious effect i, obs, rtcd IN soue of them:
the little veins OF water i'll the earth are
collected in the drifts, or ain passages
aud issue noislessy forth. with current
OF the color of u porter bottle. Whether
the soil above derives any advantage from
this sort of under draining have not
learned.
The population of the mining villages
though to this remark there may he e1-
pectation-does not APPEAR to me to BE-
of the most hopeful kind. They owe
little TO the school master. and know g.
little Of the advantages of education thar
they are not anxious to procur. them foi
their children. Such ofthenn, however
AZ are provi'lent. inves. thel. earnings il
lands, and they and the, children vii.
ultimately pass INTO the agricultural
class. The farmers whom the mnin.
companies found here, live at great dis
tauce from each other They inhahir
a region of considerable fertility; 'hei,
field. yield good crops of wheat aud Other
grains, the finest by an a sweet pasru
rage tor tucir herds. These farmers ar
Catholics, aud almost in sight Of where |
write in one of the greenest and pleasant
81 hooks of the hills, stands theirol |
Q urc" and the house of their priest, sur
rounded by trees.
From the point at which ] write many
interesting ex 'ursions may be made.
The visitor NAV follnw my example in
drive to the neighborng mines, or h..
NAV pass TO the q la les. M thew call The