The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-14
Che Rutland Daily Glohe
MONDAY, FEBRUARY IA. 1876.


| Meadow in season to secure ride to
Jeanesville on an engine which left Beaver
Meadow. ,leanesvile is a somewhat scat-
tered mining village, SO that to find two or
three parties, had to walk quite a dis
lance. There are several breakers in sight,
which indicates that as many shafts are be-
ing worked. Here, as in other places
throughout the coal regions all about, one
would come across places where the mines
had caved in. Perhaps there would be no
indication other than large hole, fifteen or
twenty feet deep, and sometimes with
water standing in its bottom, in other
places steam would be escaping, and In one
or two the interior opening could be seen.
The whole country is undermined, and |
should suppose that sometimes the build
in 10 must sink iu leaving in" From
Jeanesville | was told it was but mle to
Tresckow, so thoughjI would walk over
before breakfast A short walk across-lots
brought me to the village, and inquired
of the first person met for hotel. What
. was my surprise 10 learn that the village
did not contain srch an institution. But
the inner man must be appeased in some
, way, so inquired If there was not some
| house where 1 could get breakfast. AT fret
| was told there was none, but then my In
formant recolected that at one housein the
t village boarders were kept, and pointed it
= out. | found the owner "a widow lady)
feeding her pigs and poultry. The miners
\ | had lust had their breakfast and started
< for the mines, but she could entertain me.
$ The interior of the house did not vary
!, much from the other mining habtations,
= except that the rooms were larger. Set
ting some bread, butter. a boiled ham and
2 piece of fruit cake before me, she babe
y me help myself, which | was fam to do.
: Then my hostess opened the door and IN
a walked goat. which was given dish of
il bran-mash on the floor, so was not with
n out company at breakfast. A great many
y people who cannot afford to keep COW
~ keep goat, thus furnishing Themselves
with milk at a small cost. Sheep are ell
IS most entirely unknown in this section, but
70 goats are numerous My hostess Informed
NJ me that this goat was worth about $40.
IS She would give about two quarts OF milk
y per day. The milk is much richer than
~ cows milk. She said that herself and sis
ter bought about three hundred pounds OF
hay last winter to winter two goats on.
How much other food they got l did not
ask, but probably not great deal. In the
summer they run at large snd pick up theii
living. Thus it will be seen the goats are
. very valuable animals to these people.
II Between Treschow and Audenried was 8
~ mine in which worked one of the men
whom wished to see, and as l had never
a been inside of coal mine determined tC
IL go to him instead of sending in word ant
10 calling him out, as had done before with
IN other men. Wherever there is mine there
is, lust outside, n 'brealSer," where is sta
. toned the engine which hsu.s the cars M
&, the shaft, and where the coal is broken uf
er and separated by great screens into the eev
w eral SIZES of commerce: The shaft is sunl
where it is supposed the coal runs tn
deepest. 50 thai rs the mines work out il
ny all directions, the water will always rul
towards the foot of the shaft, where
great pump is constantly at work, car! yin
sy it off. The shaft is first sunk to an
through the vein Of coal. Then the mn
"headings' are started off from the shat
ta- in all direction, like SPIKES from the hu
i.e of wheel, railroad tracks being laid dow
nv as fast as the coal Is taken out and thes
''heading-' extended. Then from each O
these branches are run of on either side
,st pillars Of coal being left at intervals, I
support the roof of rock overhead. TIL
vein of coal IN this vein was about twelv
*, feet thick. so that the chamber made b
ID the miners was quite roOuy. Some VEN
are worked when are no more than fot
or five feet thick, a portion Of the roc
est sometimes havis e to be removed from owe
lily the track to make room for the cars. A
fast as these cars are loaded they are sho'
ed down the inclined track TO the shaf
ter where the ponderous m .ch,ne,y draw
them up. The empty cars are hauled bac
to the mines by mules-yOu remember II
in. up grade from the shaft in all directions
where tue miners work. These tracks
some places lead off for six or seven mill
l.. from the shaft, and frequently there
io communication with other mines yet. 70
can enter the tunnel at NesQuehonine an
pass UNDERGROUND to Tamaqua, siXIee
led miles from the point of starung, and in
liiy few months it is expected a tunnel frOl
he Nesqnehoning to Hsckeibirnie, two mill
from here. will be completed. This tu
mel is being made through for OF five mill
BILE of mountain to get the coal from Hackt
mn burnie. it beng impossible to work tn
lin vein from the side, because the vein slop
downwards, 50 the water follows Il
miners. AS have already said, they mu
9th begin at the lowe,I part of the vein al
the work up, 10 avoid reing drowned out.
sed With this much of an introluc ion,
s Use, will speak of my descent into the bowe
of the earth. This shaft is 200 yards-6
feet-deep. Men often ride up and dow
Tx Tx the "sope on the cars, but as it would II
aie pede business to have several hundred mi
tt G gong up aud down in this way, and as L
aay mules must have way to get in and OF
led another opening is provided called Z
I'M "man-way."
Being assured that would find men
ORE the bottom of the man-way who could {
yer rect me to the man wanted to find, |
solved to go down without guide. Be
5 by rowing one of the little lamps which eve
ana ana miner carries in his cap, but carrying it
nial my hand, ! proceeded to the little bla
ken hole pointed out to me AZ the entrance.
the entrance wooden props and plan
held the earth, but after descending Il
that feet the walls, roof and floor of the pass
me me were of solid rock. Steps were arrane
1T IL to keep one from sliding down, making
NAL sort Of a street stairway down through
ms, ,nsd solid rock. Several trap doors along
rs way prevented the draft, which wilh'
them must have been terrific. As II W
- | was nearly knocked down by the &
which met me on opening the hIst or
after that was more careful. have he
of darkness $50 thick you could cut 1t W
knife" | think / found it in
hole. Reader, imagine yourself 10 chs
ands her Of solid rock, so low that your HI
frequently touches the roof, with mud |
slime under loot and dirty water drip
from above, and with the darkness so de
that you have to sioop and hold your la
low at each step to see the next one, 60
down, down, 600 feet into the bowels
the earth. That was just my situat'
But l had not gone more than third
a. the distance when all the gloomy feel