Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-02-22
OFF on A TRAMP.
The Penftentiary Committee Hunt
ting mp their ProfOgess-A Flying
Trip 10 the Sewanee Mines. -

Ahe Eem1EeWAAary COEumAtte0 HUM
tng mp their Profogess-A Flying
Trip 10 the sewanee Mines. u
Thursday morning in the midst Of a de-
lightful shower which poured down in tor
rents nearly sill day, various and sundiy
members of the Legislative Committee on
Penitentiaries, assembled at the Chatta-
nooga depot for the purpose of making a
visit to the Sewanee coal mines, situated
in Grundy county, in which mines one
hundred and seventy five colored convic is
are employed, the main object of the visit
being to sacertain the manner in which
the convicts are worked, fed and otherwise
provided for. A
! Mr.. Warren was the only member of the
Senate committee who had presented him.
self at the depot at the time for starting,
the House committee being represented by
tie following named gentlemen: Messrs.
Blevins, Beals, Turner, 81. r. Moore,
Pearson, Elder and B. M. Tillman.
The Committee were ably reinforced in
their tour of investigation py the following
named: Gov. John G. Brown, DIR. @. p.
Henry, Physician of the Penitentiary; DR..
Wright, Superintendent of the Peniten
tiary; Mspr Thos. O'ConDor, Lessee of the
Penitenttary; Hon. A, A. Freeman, Col. A.
s. Colyar, James I'll. Shankland, Col. 3. +.
McGhae and Lady, OF Sewannee Mines,
and Miss Mamie Miller, of Hurricane
Springs. The two last named were unan-
imously voted a very valuable addition to
the party, as by their animated conEersa-
ton and quick repartees they aided mate
rally in making the time pass swiftly and
nlee@-santly by.
The party proceeded as far as COwan,
Franklin county, on the regular ChattanoO
ga train. At this. station we found spe-
cial train waiting to convey the party the
remainder of the distance
miles-by way of a line of road built, owned
and operated BY the Sewanee Coal Mining
Company, which road is marvel Of en-
gineering skill. For the first ten miles it
winds in and out, making msrVelously short
curves, and ascending at an average Of one
hundred and thirty-six feet to the mile,
while in some places il is two hundred.
Although comparatively small, the
engines used on this road
are very powerful, having six drive wheels,
and they carry long train Of cars up the
mountain with the greatest ease, but as
one stands in position to see the entire
train, he cannot resist Q shudder as he con-
templates the probability of coupling
breaking between two of the forward cars,
and imagines he sees the tr ain rushing to
destruction down The mountain side. 1t Is
pleasant to know, however, that thu road
has been so well managed thus far, that no
accidents have occurred from tie day of its
completion. I
After ride ofabout an hour over a route
which, for wild grandeur, connot be sur
PISSED anywhere, tie party reached
THE MINES.
The rain had ceased, and preparations
were at once made for visit 10 where the
eonvicts were at work. Plug hats were
discarded, the wearers substituting therefor
head-coverings of more serviceable pat
tern. Each member of the party was sup
piled with very small lamp, which he
fastened to his hat, or carried in bis hand,
as he preferred. a train Of doztn small
coal carts, with mule as the motive pow
err, was run up to the entrance to the mine,
luxurious seats being improvised out of
kegs lately filed with blasting po der, and
on these the visitors were told TO sit down.
A festive youth, With newly started
moustache heavily laden with coal dust,
(his face being streaKed with the same ma
terisl and lamp ril artistically blended)
took position on the first car, spoke to
the mule, and away we ratified
at a swift trot, the banging Of the cars,
cracking of the drivers whip, shouts of the
party, together with the distant roll of the
noise of blasting, as il echoed and re-
echoed along the narrow passage way,
combining to make the scene and surround
ings rather trying to persons nervcusly in
clined. The dense darkness was relieved
here and there down the long line Of fun
mel stretching out before US, by the lights
carried in the hats of the miners, our rap
idly moving train of cars occasionally pass
ing one, as be would stand closely pressing
against the wall, looking like demon from
some other world, with bis clothes covered
and impregnated with coal dust, his black
face surmounted by bis lamp blazing like q
huge star, as it hung suspended from bis
hat band.
After riding until the visitors thought |
they had reached the centre of the noun
tain, the party disembarked, and under the |
guidance of Col. Colyar and Capt. Shook,
followed up several Of the galleries which |
opened out at Intervals on either side Of the |
main passage way. In many places, these
galleries we're only four or five feet high, |
STOPPING on the part of those |
who were pursuing their investigations
ssDown in coal mine,
Underneath the ground"
Au hour was spent in cropping around in |
these passage ways, visiting the eonvicts
where they were at work, two by two, dig
ging, pryiDg and blasting out black dIa-
monds st the rate OF probably thirty car |
loads per day, and then we returned to the |
main gallery where we found our mule and /
traiu Of palace cars in waiting, ons of the
party being so impressed by what he bad |
seen that he remarked that after seeing |
those men digging around on their knees
in that way, be would never grumble
La mica Of n,al nrni-,