Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-07-20
A visit TO st. Bernard Coal Mines
Hopkins County, Ky.

EDIToRS CHRONICLE Twenty years
ago, when the citizens of GAINESVILLE
first seriously begun to look around
and see what could be done by them in
the way of having some railroad facil
tiles, and the prospect of forming a
railway connection with the balance of
mankind; or rather, at that time, hay
ing the opportunity presented to them
of connecting by rail with the people Of
kentucky, and thence with the Allan
tic cities, either by then contempla-
ted road through Hopkisvillc, Madi-
sonville, Henderson, &C., or through
Russellville, Bowling Green and
Louisville committee, consisting of
j. +. House, c. i. Wilcox, the late E.
s. Howard, and the writer of this,
We're appointed by the citizens of
Clarksville to attend Railroad meet
ing at jacksonville, also to visit the
coal regions around and about said
place.
The committee soon found, on their
arrival at Madisonville, that they
could not effect anything from com
bination of causes, not now worthy of
mention, in railway matters, turned
their attention to an exploration of
the coal mines in the vicinity of Mad
isovillc; and though their examination
at that time was not very thorough, yet,
from certain indications, they were
convinced of the fact that they were
in the midst Of great coal fields.
The committee, on returning, made
written report of their expedition,
which, if it could be found, would
serve to carry many of our citizens
back to incidents connected with our
first efforts to build railroad. 1t
will be remembered by many of our
people that great excitement prevailed
az the time, as to which of the pro-
posed routes they would accept. The
facts are patent, however, that whether
wisely or otherwise, our destiny was
thrown with the Nj. G. a. i. railroad
But | have depressed too far, having
only intended to give brief sketch OF
a recent visit to the same regions, made
with few friends, July 9th, by invi-
tation of the Secretary and Treasurer
j. Atkinson, Of the st. Bernard Goa
Mines, embracing the same territory
visited by the committee above men
toned, twenty years since. And here
| must speak of and contrast the pres
ent mode of reaching said mines with
that OF twenty years ago. The com
mlttce, on the former occasion, wer,
some two days reaching the mines
although travelling in buggies har
messed to fine stock, the roads, for the
greater part of the way, were almos
. | ,,nnaSco d 10 o,,1 tl,ro,nb =, Io,,o r,,oat
On the latter occasion the writer, ac
companied by few friends, took pas
sage on the ears at Clarksville, and il
short time, three hours, reached thu
mines, having been joined, at Hop
kinsvillc, by the Secretary and Treas
urcr of said mines, and his cstimabl,
lady, who contributed greatly to rcnde
the trip interesting. We breakfastcC
, at Darlington, "a small though -four
ishing town, only few hundred fee
from the mines, laid of with broa'
streets and lots of convenient size, o.
which have been erected neat and com
Portable dwelling houses for workmen
managers, dc.
After breakfast our party made
p thorough exploration, travelling thro
many of the longest openings, Gu
through solid coal, in a car drawn b
= mules, and used for carrying said Goa
{ from the mines to the Il. & X. Rail
road, only few hundred feet from tn
same, then to he dumped into Goa
cars on the main track, and thence t
market | would like to give, in dc
=, tail, he result of exploration, as
t was thrillingly interesting TO our en-
- tire party, some of whom were ladie,
!, such as passing through openings mad
=, through solid coal, being often hun
u drcds of feet under ground; passin
) through many parallel openings di.
e tant 100 yards from each other. an
from which, at right angles, numeror
other openings branch on wilnessin
B., the miners with their miners LAM
Y attached to the front OF their can
9 pick in hand and hard at work, mar
d feet under ground, surrounded on a
10 sides by blackencd walls. yet secmir
- content with their occupation and pa
= being three and half cents per busl
% cl. The seam of coal now beir
worked, has depth of four feet nil
lnches-thore are other seams of Goa
n however, Of much greater Thickness
lie The openings enter the hill on Il
=, southwest side, the railroad being {
the came side, the coal dirg TO u
J. coSS'last. TIE @.aa3 ere row
e crG W.. I'D Nat ~ sir,