The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-07-20
NUMBER 24.
BRCACmENG = SygyE.

Among the many dangers the Cornish
miners have to battle against, one of the
greatest arises from accidentally CARVING
the excavations too close TO some disused
PIT, that perhaps many years since has
oeen boarded and earthed over, and IN
course Of time forgotten.
When miners have reason TO susDect
that such Is the Casa suspicion cansr-
ally caused by greater exudation Of Wa
ter than IS usual-ihey at once proceed to
what Is technically termed ''hole it :" and
the following description of il NAV best
be given IN the words of an old Cornish
miner, ono Of the principal actors in the
undertaking:
'Nell, you see, sir, we were working
two hundred fathoms down-running a
level due north--and to our surprise the
further we went the more moist the earth
got, I'LL on going TO work one morning.
we found the whole end of the wall Gov,
eres with drops of dew. Seeing this. il
struck oil of Us at once that there must
be pit at no great distance, and (as
! they Almost alius are) full Of water
I Fancy this, sir; a body O water reaching
many faihoms above; you are working
/ only separated from it by a thin crust of
/ clay, putting you in the nonentarv fear
OF tins giving way, and the water rushing
in upon you
However, there It was, and must be
! got rid Of, and this, too, by driving or
'holing' right into i ; for if left we should
| never be safe, or tell when we might
/ come unawares across one Of the many
/ levels or shafts which run such numerous
ways and depths.
/ "When the captain Of the mine learned
/ Of Its existence an offer was soon made on
/ toicrable generous terms TO any who
! choose TO empty it; which offer six Of Us
accepting, we at once proceeded with our
/ dangerous task.
''Ihe first thing we did was to put up
/ strong frame work with doors attached,
/ opening inward toward the old pit, 90
that the instant the mine was holed, by
running and closing the doors in passing,
the mass of water would be kept back for
2 time-long enough, at all events, as we
hoped, for us TO reach the ladders.
After placing three of these safety
valves, as we called them, along the level
at short distances apart, we proceeded
slowly and cautiously with the more
dangerous part Of the work Bit by bit
we got nearer and nearer 10 the old mine,
at every blow of the sIedge on the borer
expecting the rush of water 10 follow,
often fearing TO strike more than enc
blow before running for our lives, till the
constant dread which we were allus in Sc
worked on the nerves Of the bravest that
even a falling stone would be sufficient to
put every one of us to fight
''Never shall forget the morning when
at last we did get through and ] can
fancy seeing one o my mates as he then
stood with the borer held rp Cor another
TO strike, the rest of US watching for the
blow to fall, and prepared to run if neg
essary.
cat last, while every eye was fixed on
EN-, the steel hammer rang on the borer,
which in another second was sent whizv
zing far away down the level, as with a
horrible roar the water came tearing and
crushing through the earth.
cit was run then far Hte, sir; and
in a far shorter time than ! can tell it, We
were through the first door way, and in
the act Of swinging to The next, when the
first was dashed against it; but, thank
Cod, this for time resisted the pressure
of the water, or should not be here tell
ing of it.
"On we sped, our only hope of safety
lying in gaining the ladders before the
last door gave way and what distance
they seemed, when even a few moments
gained might rescue US from death -
Breathless, at last we reached them, and
had assembled but few rounds when,
with a bang -whirl--crash--the water
was upon us, and, fast as we climbed,
like some horrid monster seeking our de-
struction, It gided up step for step with
Us.
Even now 4 shuddering feeling creeps
over me as L call to mind the fierce strug-
ole it was to climb faster than the water
rose. Faint and weary. we still tore ups
ward, for to rest only for few moments
would, TO certainty, have been death.
Up, up, with our dread enemy gaining
on our Tagging footsteps now with cold
water gliding to our knees, yet still with
renewed desperation struggling on
Thank Heaven the adit was at last reach
cu, ana we were StsSo Ai"5P'"5 OCA
exhausted limbs few feet higher, we
watched the dread torrent rushing throUg h
this outlet Then it was that, giving a
glance toward my comrades, find ther G
are but tlco left. Yes, sir, six of US went
down three only came up. Whether
they were overlook in the level or washed
from the ladders none could tell, for death
was too closely following as at the time
to allow of US bestowing a thought on our
poor mates. However, we thought .
deal more about them on reaching the
mouth of the pit, where stood their pale
faced, anxious wives scanning us on COM
ing to grass, and asking, with frightened