Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-07-16
OI Tic Il CCilld He
In PENNSYLVANIA.

shamokin is coal mining town of five or
the last reported horror in explosions of the
fatal fire damp, resulting in the death of ten
,;ctims. Conrad Drumheiser, the inside
boss on the 10th of June went into an old
rorking. as it is called, with lighted
lamp. when an explosion Immediately fol-
lnwed. which communicated with the air
WAYS to the slope or level above where the
men worked They were not acquainted
with OF accustomed to the fire damp, and
thought it powder on fire, and remained until
nearly overcome, when starting to come out
met another wave of the black damp and
fell senseless and smothering. The stronger
among them managed to get out, and giving
the alarm were followed by all who were
able to fee the danger behind them.
The town is pleasantly situated on the
Sbamokin creek with beautiful hills sur
rounding it, rich in anthracite coal, one vein
Of which is said to be forty feet in thickness.
Almost mountain of coal refuse, slate and
dirt are been piled up west of the town be-
low the entrance to the mine, which is high
up on the mountain side. The town is at
the junction of two railroads which connect
with the Northern Central on the Susque-
hanna at Lumbury and Herndon. [ left
herudon via. the Mahoning and Samokin
Railroad which follows the winding way of
the Mahoning creek, among these ever beau
tfu ranges of the Alleghanies. Ox-bows
and horseshoe bends of the most approved
pattern are ali the style, in pursuing the
siouous channel of these streams, until you
can but wonder where you are going to
pierce the Gordon of wooded hills that sur
rounds you. Sham0kin is dusty town, and
especially so at this time for it is very dry
now, and to-day the wind blows the fine,
black dirt in clouds that are nearly sufJcat-
ing. The coal taken from these mines is
very different from that at Morris Run and
Fall Brook, this being hard coal or anthra-
cite which requires crushing, and that soft
or bitumInOus. l suppose the manner OF
mining to be different also In the mine
went into at Morris Run, the layer of Goa /
was nearly level and only from three to fv
feet thick, while here the layers are inclined
and much thicker. In the former mines as
coon as Il level or breast as they call them IS
abandoned, it is planked up and caulked to
prevent the formation or dissemination of
bad air. 1t is hard to feel that so many
dangers await the brave and patient toilers
who banish themselves fsom sunlight and
beauty for the good of mankind, and who at
the best shorten their days by the impurities
ofthe air they breathe. Miners are short-lived
and generally poor for although their earnings
ings are large. they are proverbially improv-
idcnt Their days's work ends early, and
they have from three O'clock until bedtime
for spending both their time and wages, and
neither the one nor the other is always spent
to the best advantage. Many of them are
foreigners, and most entered the mines wheI
they were children, tor boys earn good wages
as drivers, ETC., so that the whole system
seems to do but little for the cultivation OIL
education of the employee. More's the
pity. The scenery of this part of the coun
try differs essentially from that of our OWL
Green Mountains, yet this is beautiful, too
though after less variable pattern.
reached Harrisburg, a lovely town, yer.
early in the morning, en- route for Williams
port and leaving it behind began to max
use of my eyes in admiring the scener.
which continually greeted them whlcheve
way looked, and in the gray dawn OF tn
morning these beauties were still more strlk
ing. than later when sunshine, dust and hea
made it more tiresome to behold them. W
were steaming up the east bank of the Sus
Quehanna, the Pennsylvania canal betwee
Us and the river, with the road leading ou
of the city winding around first on one sid
OF the canal or railroad, and then on tn
other, as convenience in building seemed
dictate. Road, canal and river banks wer
fringed with trees and bushes, while th
broad stream, with it's noble background c
islends and the noble bridge which crosse
here, made view almost unsurpassed /
lOveliness. The Susquehanna is broad
shallow and rapid stream, full of rocks an
logs, and Incapable of navigation, excep
for RATS Of lumber, and for those only /
high water. As We pissed the boats on th'
canal, drawn by three or four mules, wit
their drivers sprawled out upon their back
trying to catch little sleep as they journeye
along, the difference between their style {
travel and ours made very apparent the im
provement in respect to speed which the la:
thirty years in railroading bas lnaugurated
but for comfort and pleasure the old packet
boat was, suppose, far preferable. sha
always remember with pleasure shol
ride of eight or ten miles upon steam cans
boat from Syracuse, N. Y, to Fayetteville
with Its pleasant cabins, neat carpets, cas-
chairs, piano, and other appliances for cor
venence and pleasure, nearly resembling,
course, the old packet-lipes, except IN tt
manner of propulsion, which was little
any faster.
ridge of mountains raising above tt
stream, some 800 or 1000 feet, seems to ha'
been cut through by the waters forming 6
abrupt gap, with the head-levels at an ang
somewhat less than 48a. These mountai
ridges nearly all densely wooded, ar
different from any ranges of mountains
have ever seen in Vermont. They are reg
lar in their heights, slopipg back smooth
from the streams at their base; laid out
long ranges, curved and bending with &
streams they are yet level on their tops. A
rise to about the same height and are alwa
beautiful with the different colored folia
OF hemlock and oak, chestnut and pin