Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-03

A letter from Summit Hill, Pennsylval

A letter from Summit Hill, Pennsylvania, Re
the Philadelphia Bulletin, says:
Most of your readers have, among the many
points of interest in this place, doubtless heard
of the burning mine After the tourist has
taken the enchanting ride over the Switchback,
he is ready to look with interest upon the old
fashioned looking town, a portion of which is
underlaid by the ignited coal. The fire was not
discovered till the carly part of the year 1859,
when it had already made considerable progress.
1t is the general opinion that it was the work of
an inCendiary, but the motive that q person could
have that would induce him to set fire to a val
liable mine, causing the destruction OF thousands
of dollars worth of valuable property can only
be Surmised. Ii may be that some thirty or forty
years hence, when the fire has died out, and also
all interest in regard to it, we will be startled by
the confession of some ancient but time-soitened
sinner, who will give the full particulars; but
we must wait till then. The excitement at the
time Of the breaking out of the fire was consid-
cradle, but coal mining in this country had not
then attained the magnitude that it now pos
sesses, and fires in the mines were then almost
unknown. The miners had as vet no experience
in them, and very simple, in fact entirely too
simple, means of extinguishing the fire was
adopted.
A dam of timber was built across the gang
way, of bur little more strength than a parti-
ton between two rooms. This was intended to
retain the water and back it upon the fire,
which would then certainly be eXtinguished by
it, The theory was good, but, unfortunately,
when the wafer rose TO a considerable height,
the dam gave way before its pressure A sec
ond dam was Immediately erected, but it met
with the same tate as the first. 1t was then de-
cided to build dam whish could not be bursted
by all the pressure that could be brought to
bear on it by the waters of the mine. Four
feet were cut out of the solid coal in the top,
sides and bottom of the gangway, and solid
sasUN ~ r,a1- al
erected, and clay packed in behind it for the
space of ten feet. The water backed up against
this, but now the water was not the agent of
destruction. The fire had made a detour
through the COAL and had enveloped the
dam on all sides, save one, and on
that was the water. No human structure
could exist in such conflict of the elements.
1t was earth against fire, water and air, and
earth succumbed. The dam having given way
the fire soon reached the mouth of the slope,
and all hopes of eXtinguishing it were given up.
Since that time the msne has been closed. The
fire will burn out, but will certainly not be ex-
tlnguished in any other way. Occasionally
small tracts of land falinto the frey furnace be
low. The effects of the fire and its accompany
ing heat are almost as well shown here as at
Vesuvius or Etna. The rocks are baked and
are of many shades of color; they have changed
their stratited position, and are inclining in
every direction. But perhaps the most interest
ing of all are the changes wrought in the rocks
containing iron pyrites (Fe 2, S. The pyrites
have been heated in the proximity of steam,
which caused them to become soluble in water
they have then been dissolved ont of the rocks,
leaving perfectly cubical, glazed cavities in the
solid rock, giving it honey-combed appear
ance.
Fortunately the inhabitants of this village
have not fallen into blunder similar to one
into which the residents of parish in the
northern coal district of England strayed. The
parish contained bed of coal which had be-
come ignited, burning under large extent of
country. The effect of this terrestrial heat was
to change the character of the climate from a
temperate into a tropical one. Two, and even
three, crops were harvested every year; the
trees were always green; a perpetual summer
seemed to cling to the spot. 1t was soon de-
cided upon to establish an agricultural college
at the place. Funds were subscribed, the
property was bought, the buildings were erect
ed, the implements purchased, the laboratories
furnished, the professor appointed and the
students gathered together-when, to the aston
ishment of the trustees, and indeed OF all inter
ested, the fire burned out