Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-06-11
For the Freeman.
Notes of Travel.

rf, two or three hours for return train,
+Boosbt might as well see how coal was
mind. and what life was like, a mile and
half under round. Going to the dumping
lace near the entrance Of the mine, where
al the coal is weighed as it is brought from
the mine, and afterwards dumped from the
miniature cars or tracks which convey it
f-,n, the mines to lower level, where 1t is
1,ad.d into the coal cars for general trans
,arration. was directed to the superintend-
ant IF the mule trains for seat in one OF
the trucks that would take me into the bow
ola If the earth. or through the mountain,
If choss to %; for passage, or several
rather. have be cut quite through to the
mines at Fail Book, or Arnot, on the otaer
side. found him very social, and willing
r,aecommodate me with anything for my
e,mlolt | might desire. a mine coal train
consists Of six small cars, capable Of carry
ins half ton of coal, and drawn by a single
mule. Two boys, from twelve to fifteen
yeirs of age, act as drivers, and each is fur
pI,hei with a small oil lamp fastened to .he
hand Of his hat in front. | was furnished
with a special car, making seven in our
train, with a clean seat sawed for my special
accumulation l believe this is the only
srscIal car | ever had furnished for my own
use by any road in the country; of course
appreciated the honor done me. Taking my
sea. n the centre of the car, and also in the
centre o. the seat to preserve due balance, as
the cars are hung so as to be easily man
aged, W tn the wheels very near the centre,
anI ter being duly cautioned about holding
my head too higl and keeping my hands Oft
the side of the car, was handed an oil
lamp. and we started on our subt erranean
iourney. My drivers were black as mps of
darkness, but were right jolly boys, and
I cir eyes and teeth shOne, from contrast, as
brilliantly any sons of Africa. They
were bright, intelligent boys, aud understood
their business, but their hair did not curl,
and when their faces were washed, | imag-
iDeI should find them nice looking boys.
JUST as we entered the hole in the mountain,
waich WAS only just large enough and high
enough to admit the mule and the cars, an
other train came laundering out from anoth-
ec entrance, with both drivers lying fat on
Their bellies. because the roof of the mine
wlsust nigh enough to clear their heads if
ta-y sat up on loaded car. 1t rather made
NE t1lak Of my Instructions. The roof oi
the gallery for thirty or forty rods was sup
ported by timbers, but after this only by the
la7er Of coal which had been followed from
the entrance Of the mine, and which varies
in thickness from two to five feet The grade
into the miGe is rising most of the way sc
that our mule was not forced out of walk
There are many short curves in our wind
iUg way, and on each side of it are many
excavations cutting across at right angles
sjme fJrty feet apart, where the layer Of
e)d has been followed from forty to eighty
fee, from the main gallery. The air seems
pure aud cool, but water drips from the cell
ing in many places, and on the flor or road
bed, stream is continually running. Toe
coal quarried here is soft coal, of an excl
lent quality. One of the boys was very SO
cul, and devoted himself to me said hi
got $500 per day for his work, and the day
labor ended at half-plst two o'clock, com
mencing at seven in the morning. He likeC
1t much, though many got hurt in the dark
ness by missteps, being crushed between
clrs, or run over. On our return [ did no
wonder. After reaching a miles distanc
from the entrance Of the mine, he said if
wished to see the way they mined coal, h.
would leave me and my car with friend o
his, while he went farther to load his trar
or exchange it for loaded cars. s. be too
my car off, and turned it into one of th
side leads. After leaving the main CALLER
the excavations are only the height of th
layers of coal, here about fur feet high, s
that miner working here, or in fact any
where else in this great mine, cannot stan
up straight all day long. The boy told hi
friend that here was man who would lik
to know all about how it was done. and lef
me. This miner was loading truck wit
work until he filed it, when he showed it O
the track to the gallery for return train
lie soon returned, and lying fat on h
side, took his pick and commenced pickin
oat the coal at the bottom Of the layer, fo
lowing it along as he told me, for ten c
tweye feet, and as far under as they ca
reach-sly three or four feet, when the
drill in near the top of the layer, and ba'
it down with powder. They are only allow
Ell to take out eight yards in Width, and hay
To prop up the roof every six or eight fee
He went In with me some eighty feet trol
the maiu gallery, where the roof had falle
IN only a little while after he and his con
panIop had lett it. He said they made frol
$500 to S. 90 per day. and no miner woul
exchange his way of life for farm labor, {
a, least he would not Their days wor
stopped when the mules stopped running
h4li-past two, and they had their time
themselves. The atmosphere was cool ar
Comfortable, and their pay more than ar
farmers man could earn. If they worked 81
teen hours as farm hands did, they could b
come nabobs. Well, was glad of course
md they could be contented at their task
but could not fud it in my heart to envy ther
o1on my train came back for me, my C
bitcbed on, and seated for my return jou
ney. My Car, was of course, loaded on
with my own weight, and was the last of t
tam; and being the last, and light at ths
was rather unsteady in is movements. Fl
'eiurn, being down grade. was made as ia
as mule could trot, and |, in my light C
behind, felt good deal like the snapper tc
whip. Wasn't sorry when it was over, a
MnlnnrnnI L. / Soorn