The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-29

How the Fire Originated and How
Far It Extends.
The Men Who Combat the Flames-Their
Looks and Apparatus.
ENPIRE NINE.
NEAR WILKEsBARRE. Pa

hour ~ Whlch " Is made, and unless Dy means OF
rhose fearful and circultous railway grades one as
eends and descends the mountains after nightfall,
the greater part of the beauty IS lost During me
day sees nothing but rugged. steep, rough
yaueys,5 wering pine trees and vegetation which,
while being dry and wIthered serves Tor no ether
purpose than 10 recall "reminiscences OF 4 dead
and disastrous year.
PRNNsYLvANIA's FLAMING MOUNTAINS.
At night, however. all these elements, which
at this season appear so dreary and uninteresting
by day play no unimportant part in the weird
scene whi0l everywhere greets the travellers eye.
The grandest outlook lying between the two great
cities ard the Wyoming Valley is Afforded from
the summit Of Wlkesha re Mountain, adown the
SIDES Of which hurIies with almost reckless speed
the evening train. You are on the top Of range
o. nigh nils thousands OF eet above the level of
The broad ravlnes underneath Miles upon miles
beyond the valley are other high mountains, which
In the distance seem like banks of clouds cleared
by lightning. Below you are smaller hills, and
every nil IS abaZe with fire. Adown the
mountain side run, as 1t were, rivers oil flame,
whose sources can be traced from the dead vegeta-
tlon back 10 The fire spark Of the locomotive which
fell midst. The sight is uuearthly, but at the
same time 1t is grand. The current of dir caused
by the rush and roar OF the locomotive hits from
their beds millions OF dead leaves which whirl
rapidly nehlDd ike myrlauS OF spOruVe DCLLer1lleS.
THE FIREBRANDs
from the engine DO not shape themselves in simple
sparks; but 1t seems as if at every pun great
glOpules OF fire were hurled out, which wherever
they strike klndle a conhagration The ravines
below look IKE SO many burning villages, and
broad serpents of flame seem creeping up
every Hill. The scene is such as no other
neighborhood would aford-grand at one moment
and at the next appalling. The rude pine trees,
towering alot IN their rugged strength, preside
ever the snouldering ashes, like dark and sombre
GEM, while the locomotive shreks now and then
as 1t another fend bidding defiance alike to
hre AND name.
From the point at which take nv outlook
Wnkesbarre only three miles but so winding
anu cicultous is this railway that TO NE, riding IN
the car, II il twenty.
arrived late IL the evening, and set out for the
BURNING EMPIRE MINE
n Fl We O'Clock IN the morning. The mine is anout
ten miles rom the city, and IS in mountain side
from winch the spires and no setops cannot be
several dieagreeable sleeps, and after he has pro-
ceeded as lar as horse can carry him he is
Obliged TO wade through mud, mlre and coal dust,
mixed 10 that sim consistency which Is like TO
pail of a shoe az every step. ter leaving the
carriage ana passing through little village OF
miners, despite the mad, one soon arrives at the
openlng. There is nothing on the outside
mass oil smoking ashes, TO indicate the immense
fire raging within.
THE DESCENT
il not made by means of shaft, but by broad
roadway when descends gradually underground
to the depth OF nearly 800 feet. At the mouth OF
the cavern there is an immense fan which sup
pies air to those who are compelled 20 work IN
the supnurous and deadly poisonous 60 es below.
Should that ian pause Tor one moment in its revo-
iutioDs dl the miners underneath would expire
almost instantly. once inbae that de ably air,
mixed with the pure air outside, and human
side of the ascent there is nothing Of interest:
the eye falls upon naught but dead vegeta-
ton, heaps OF unbroken coal and masses OF
Understandable rubbish There Is railway running
up RON the Empire breaker below but no are
passing over rs track now and the breaker itself is
Silent.
The stn breaker is the first evidence that some
thing about the mine Is wrong. Under ordinary
crcumsGa noes the machinery, now motioness
would be turning into the market hundreds OF tons
Di coal per Jay
RUGGED GUIDANCE
Let Us descend the mine. An old man precedes
rs. carrying burning lantern. He Is rudey al
tired IN rough shoes, coarse brooches, gray shirt,
ana he wears gistenlng leather cap, i'll which
Ii fastened smoking ana flaming torch. A
few steps, and only few, and daylight dIsap-
pears there is a marked change 10 the atmosphere.
and the only thlng one seems certain abouJ /, that
he Is gradually going down. his underground de-
scent, unlike a moral decline has no gliJterIny at
fractions to gently lure one one ieels con-
stanty like turning back, Tor he can see nothing
save his guide and the lantern, nor can be near
anything Dut the iaiDt echo oil coal and dirt CRUSH
ing underneath his tread. The cavern, however
Is very commodious, and one has no need to
crawl. The descent is not straight but winding
and occasionally one can recognize above and
upon either side OF him solid masses Of black,
Elis,ening rock, AS the Journey proceeds, the ar
mense Ian outside were gradually slackening the
speed OF its revolutions one cannot help feeling
al uncomfortable sort OF a sensatiOn tor, as he
goes on, the atmosphere seems 10 grow thicker
and thicker, and at the same time the heat seems
to increase at every step.
HOTTER AND HOTTER
grows the air, hotter and hotter, until il seems
mat one is surrounded by blazing furnaces
Every stride onward appears 10 intensity the
warmth ana human apparel seems more than
human nature is able 10 bear. The preparation
begins TO start from the pores, and the cur
rent Of air constantly pouring In rom outside
appears to be caught and subdued by that dread
1ul ana internal heat which almost ch0kes and
STILES You There IS no let up to it no relief; but
each and every moment one seems TO be surely
and inevitably approaching nell Suddenly the re
falls upon the air peculiar noise, like the mutter
Ing OF internal spirits, away down In the deepest
depths OF the universe. still on and these NUT
terings increase 10 mighty roar, until by and by
one can detect certain sounds above ali Others.
There is sound as If made by falling waters,
which gains and increases on the ear as to the
traveller does the rushing OF a cataract.
LOUDER AND LOUDER
echo the voices, and intenser and intenser be.
comes the atmosphere. Humanity ordinarily clad
could bear but few moments warmth degree
or two hotter than this. Tue old guide continues
slowly on the way clouds Of smohe enyeop our
heads. until the cavern taking peculiar curve,
brings US under mighty arch the floor and sides
names. IL may De wicked expression, but 1t
looks like a hell
THE DISTANCE is
between 200 and 300 feet underground. The fire
extends over this immense area OF 200 Yards
dread, awful and appalling, but indescrbabiy
beautiful nevertheless IL looks like an immense
sea OF gitterng gold across tue heaving breast OF
winch pass and repass the softest and richest com
D.nanons OF coors. Blue, green, purple, crimson,
mingling and lnternin9lng passing and repassing,
disappearing here and suddenly 1ashIng mp again
There, torture the senses, confuse the vision and
leave one doubtful OF the place wnereOn he STANDS.
Such Is Inc nre which your correspondent gaZed
upon, such me almighty king o these dreadful
supterranean realms IL Kisses, IL roars. Il flashes
up anu smokes, driving back the men and beioul-
ing the air.
FIREMEN.
Ihere are persons down there, human beings
ike ourselves, who have spent many months of
tnev past IN 1ghtlng this fire, and VINO Will spend
many months Of their lives yet 10 come. They are
Terrible looking creatures when thus engaged In
their work, whose besmeared faces ana rough
backened forms give them the appearance