Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-09-29
Down in the BONANZA.

1t only takes five minutes. You step on
the cage and the hand that guides the IL
tan at the surface touches the rein of his
black monster and you are plunged into
The gloom. In moment the lights of
earth go out f; by the glare of lanterns you
know you are passing dripping timbers
the sounds from above grow faint and
fainter, and cease the vapors rise around
you as from a caldron; you hear now and
then a rumble in the deeps as though the
dark spirits below were complaining that
their treasures were being thus taken
away; you listen, expecting to hear The
mutterings OF the gnomes which guard
the sacred treasures; there comes dance
of the cage beneath your feet; you know
that the hand above has touched tho bit of
his burden bearer, and then the cage stops,
and you are more than quarter of a mile
below the busy city which you just few
nome nts before left from the dusty high
way you have stepped into the worlds
gra ndest treasure house; you have passed
from the temperate TO the tropical zone in
a IN ment-you are in the Bonanza. 1t
takes but little space TO complete the
transition; 1t takes but a moment to de-
scribe il; but the change is wonderful,
and, 10 one Of thoughtful mind, The won
der increases with each returning visit.
II is no little thing 10 work mine 1900
feet below the surface. True, there are
broad avenues there broad timbers which,
like Atlas, seem competent to support a
world upon their broad backs; there are
engines at work and cars running; but ev-
cry glimpse OF the men there reveals the
exertion necessary to keep up this conflict
with the spirits which guard the buried
treasure below. The men are stripped to
the waist, those brawny delivers, with per-
spiralion bursting ftom every pore. Those
white breasts ha We another Significance.
On the surface servile races may take from
the la borer his bread; down in that gloom
there is no fear of competition. The pale
faces there bold sway. There the Caucas-
ian race is indispensable, for what is need
ed is a steady brain, quick, strong hand,
a ruling intelligence. Those stronghOlds
are not stormed until graPpled with by the
worlds ruling races. II looks pleasant
down there In The mimic streets and under
tue Ia autcih SldIty Duii uelOhe luoso SlIeSAs
were opened, there was in the stifiing air a
wor k pei formed which cannot be calculat-
ed. Picks were swung, drills were struck,
powder was burned, men tainted and fell
in their places, but their work went on.
So it will proceed in the future, until prob
ably, a fer another sixteen years, they will
DO working 5000 feet below the surface as
unconcerned as they now delve at the pres
ent levels. We pass through long drift,
and suddenly we find where an attacking
col umn are driving into the ore. The sight
is ma gnificent, but for those in the East,
who fancy that silver mining is light
thing TO accomplish, one visit here would
dispel the illusion. A glimpse at The WORK
glance at The machinery, few thoughts
of the study required TO make a successful
battle against the rock, the water and the
danger, would suddenly reveal to them
how II is that a frst-class miner has TO be q
first-class man, and how, amer he COM
pletes his education below ground, he can
seize upon the ordinary avocations Of life
as a student afler comprising algebra is
never more troubled by a proposition in
arithmetic. - Virginia, NeU. Sentinel.