Ottumwa weekly courier., 1876-05-17
m wills 4 WINE.


DOWH IN a MIME.
The Union Coal and Mining Com
| pany, with headquarters In this city
lown and operate the most extensive
coal works in the State of Iowa, op
Grating o mine at Shocks, near the
Dcs Moines river, one at Avery, in
Monroe county, and also one at Flag.
Hers, in Marion county. The mosi
extensive Of the three, perhaps, is the
one at Avery, where the company a,
present is working about 80 hands.
Yesterday, by the courtesy of Col
s.. A. Flaglcr, the general superinten.
dent Of the. company's works, the
writer was invited to visit the Mon
roe county bank.
We left the city, a party of five, and
took passage west via Niobc Ander-
sons freight train; and here let us
say THAT the aforesaid Niobc is a
brick, and to him the party are in
debted for favOrs.
| In a short time we were at the vii
Ilage, which we found to be town Of
about. three hundred inhabitants,
principally miners. The town is inn
proving smartly, and about twenty or
twenty-five new houses are now being
built, many Of them by the coal COM
Lpany for their employees
When we arrived, it was raining a
healthy shower, and the party tarried
but little while until we were joined
by w. T. Ramsay, the superintendent
of the mine. He had provided for
our reception, and special train OF
l"Pulmans" or mule-pulled cars were
just ready to start for the main shaft,
q mile or more from the railroad. The
coal track is substantially built and
provided with regular T rails and
side-tracks every few hundred yards.
Two mules tandem will haul six cars
Of coal with ease from the shaft to
| the railroad. The loaded cars had
been side-tracked for the visitors ac-
commodation, and we sailed down
that road through the rain at . rapid
rate.
At the shaft, we found large
building provided with ssponderous
machinery" for hosting coal, smith
shops, and everything else necessary
for carrying ON large business. The
shaft is lG0 feet deep, and is entered
only by cage propelled up and
down the shaft by steam. One of our
party, tony little fellow. changed
his clothing, and we stepped into the
cage and started on trip good dis
tance toward the kitchen, if geologists
have the correct idea. The sensation
of dropping downward at . rapid
rate is peculiar, and stranger is
somewhat inclined to sweat If nothing
worse. In an instant we were at the
bottom, where we were joined by
John Ewart, road master, provided
with special cars for the occasion and
started on our explorations. The
vein averages between four and five
feet in thickness, and is perfectly dry.
1t is an utter impossibility to describe
our course or the incidents of the
trip while in the mine, and It is only
necessary to say that it was peculiar
and interesting. The mine is provi-
ded with all the FACILITIES Of ordinary
railroads, substituting mule for steam
power. We were whirled through
the mines distance back and forth
at least three miles. Those mules are
well trained, and when going on a
full run, will dodge a car, and make
a turn that would puzzle man. The
drivers entered into the spirit of the
occasion, and when we would strike
down grade would apply the air
brakes with vigor-- which consisted
in twisting the mules tail. We visit
ed the men at work, saw them loading
cars, which are run to the mouth of
the pit, hoisted up the shaft by steam
and transported to the railroad before
they are unloaded. For safety this
mine Is not excelled anywhere. The
company have adopted all the pre-
-eautionary measures that seem to be
necessary to guard against the loss of
human life, and the air Is almost as
pure below as above ground. They
have two entrances and one air shaft
which is provided with large fur
mace i'm which fire is kept burning
day and night, week day and Sunday.
The company own l37 acres of land
in body, and have only mined about
25 acres. They are now taking out
about Is car loads of II tons per car
every day, and the demand seems to
be increasing-the recent reduction
in freight operati largely in their
favor.
During the month Of November
last the company loaded l,20O cars,
and the coal bill of the c., b. & O.,
for the month of December alone was
over $4,000. After rambling the
mine all over, we returned to the sur
face, pretty thoroughly wearied. A
hearty supper revived the party some
what, and after taking stroll thro'
the town, we visited the Miners Mu-
tual Institute. This is an institution
bnilt mp and fostered by the miners
alone. and already numbers large
membership The arey starting a
library, and already have number
of volumes of useful books, which
are circulated around and returned
after being read. Last night they had
a concert which was given by the
members of the society, and which
seemed to interest the audience huge
ly. This institute is open every night,
and is always well patronized. There
is not 50 DON about the place; the
people seem healthy, contented and
happy. The train coming along be-
fore the performance closed, we re-
gretfully left.
The return trip was devoid of any
particular interest," aud we haye only
this TO say that the'.coal interest d
this country is q big thing, aud people
who are fand Of Interesting eKper.
FENCES should cultivate Col. Flagler's
acquaintance, and go down Into a
coal mine.
No CUREl NO PAYy
Fret. .. Clay TeAa, NJ q.
Formerly Fhysician-in-C Chief Of tho
Lunr lnsfiinin 64E 10Th sfraat N "