Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-01-17

to collect and went to Beaver Meadow,
Jeansville and Audenried. in the north.
ern part Of Carbon county, Pa. The
coal companies pay their men regularly
once per month. aud the only time when
any one ever thinks of collecting bills
among the miners is Immediately after
payday. At Beaver Meadow, | had
good success, and at six o'clock in the
morning I rode over to Jeansville on.
an engine. that | might, if possible, see
some of the men before they went into
the mines. But to my disappointment.
| found that the company had not yet
paid at Joanoville. so | went across the
barren field. covered with stinted oaks,
laurels. and blueberry bushes. about a
mile, to Tresckow. BY this time the
sun was coming up, and | began to want
some breakfast. so | inquired Of the
first person met for hotel Imagine
my CONSERVATION when | found there
was none nearer than Audenried. two
or three miles away. From what | had
seen Of the miserable dens the miners
called homes, | did not fancy taking my
breakfast in one Of them, but necessity
knows no law. The house Of clever
widow lady who kept boarders was
pointed out to me, and, finding her. |
asked If she could give me breakfast.
She brought forth large loaf Of bread,
a cold boiled ham, plate Of butter and
some fruit cake, and as soon as had
begun my breakfast she opened the door
and in walked goat, and was given a
basin of bran mash on the floor at my
side. While getting outside of the
bread and lam. learned from my host
ess that such a goat was valued at about
$40. that she gave two quarts of milk
daily, and that 800 pounds Of hay was
all she bought last winter for two goats.
You hardly ever see sheep in eastern
Pennsylvania, but in all mining villages
goats are numerous. They give good
quantity of very rich milk, cost little
for keeping in winter and nothing in
summer, and are really god-send to
these miners. who could not afford to
keep COW or buy milk, because it re-
quires all their spare change to keep
their rum bills paid.
One of the first men / wished to see
was Daniel Brislin. and be was, / was
told. at work in Slope No. 6. Thi:
shaft is 600 feet deep. There is an in.
clined plane where the coal cars are
hauled up and let down by stationary
engine, and a little way from this is the
"man-way, " where men and mules 20
up and down. This is a round hole
dug down through the solid rock at such
an angle that the steps at the bottom
form very steep stairway. Borrowing
lamp. which. as / had not cap in
which to wear it as the miners do,
held in my hand. l went down alone,
being assured that when | reached the
bottom should readily find men who
would direct me. At intervals, down
this man-way, there were trap doors tc
prevent the draft The hole was So
small that whenever | stood erect my
head would touch the rock overhead
But | didn't stand erect much, for in
order to see where / was stepping,
found it necessary TO stoop and hold the
tiny lamp low The mud on the steps
was anywhere from one to six inches in
depth, and water was continually trick
ling from the rock overhead You car
imagine that this journey down into the
bowels Of the earth, alone, in the dark
ness which was 50 thick ii could al.
most be felt, seemed rather monotonoul
by the time had reached the bottom
200 yards below the surface. At last
however, on opening one Of the tray
doors, ] found myself on railroad run
ming traDsversely with the direction il
which was going.
did not have 10 wait here long be
fore | saw lights approaching and knew
that there were men behind them, thougl
in the darkness there. you cannot see |
person ten feet away except that 20,
see the light ID his cap. And even
they could be seen. their faces are -
completely blaekened that IL would b
impossible 70 recognize them. ! wa
told that Brisiin worked up this tract
about mile. and boy was sent ul
with me that might not 60 astray .
get in the way Of any of the coal car
which are constantly passing up am
down.
From The main shaft. which / hav
: referred 70 above. where the hoistinI
machinery i located, tie four or dv
main headings" run cut IN dineren
directions. ike the spokes of wheel
Prom these tracks. On either eide. braDc
; 81 the "bressts" where the miners work
They dig their breast about 50 Zee
vide and back from the track TIL the
reach those from the other headings
Between each two breasts i left pil
lar of coal some 40 feet 10 width :
!. support the rogf " rocks. The vein Z
! coal here Wa about sixteen feet thick