Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-04-15
FrOstburg. April Is. 1876.

IHE BURNING M1NE-hN 1Mi'hf-NSl' r.
SPEcTAcLE.-Acceptin an invitation from
Jonathan Radcliffe of Pompey Smash, and
accompanied by Mr.. John n. Benson OF
Frostburg, we visited Spruce Hill Mine on
Tuesday last On the way we encountered
Mr., John Fatkin-a fortunate circumstance
inasmuch as we found Mr.. Radcliffe una
yoidably absent Mr.. Fatkin, therefore,
became our guide companion and friend.
Spruce Hill Mine owes its present dis
tinction as "the burning mine to ventll-
ating experiment four OF five years ago.
Mr.. Thomas Brown, who was then Super
intcndent conceived the idea of relieving
the mine of "black damp" by means of a
furnace. To test the efficiency of his idea
he extemporized a furnace by placing an
old cooll-stove under flue leading to the
surface, the flue being lined by huge oak
boards. Fire was placed in the stove; the
strong draught produced heat sufficient to
ignite the tlue lining, and thence the burn
ing was communicated to the surrounding
coal This, of course, was never designed,
and so little fear of an enlargement of the
confagration was felt, it was deemed I'M
necessary to extinguish a fire which must
erelong 'go out itself"
Not so, however, with great element
turned loose upon rich field gifts choicest
food 1t has rcveled amid the sulphurs and
gases native to our coal until it has grasped
twenty acres within its consuming emil race.
And now, its area enlarged and charging,
AMI with new vents constantly opening, its
facilities for extension are daily augmenting.
The rich pillars of coal underneath are 60
ing down in heat which reaches forty
feet to the surface to destroy also every
vestige of vegetation. Trees, erewhile
strong and vigorous, hold a well-nigh root
less tenure, and the grasses and briars died
before the "lords of the forest"
But we anticipate Mr. Fatkin led the
way into the mine We followed, passing
"cross cuts" "rooms," ETC., and stumbling
over falls and stepping into pools of
steaming water, until Mr. Fatkin cried
"holdw He had encountered a volume
coming into the heading in which his lamp
would not burn. He said it was ''blacl
damp" and went on to tell how miners fire.
quently loose their lives by plunging into
"black damp unawares; how a single
breath of this subtcrannean poison will
PROSTATE and another kill the Lapless in
vader of these dealh!y glooms. We We're
not frightened, but a respiratory intimation
of this noXious vapor produced sensations
of peculiar discomfort, and we were willing
to retreat Mr. Fatkin moreover said che
was not willing to go where his lamp would
not burn, and he would not lead us where
he would not go himself" We felt thank
full for his kind consideration, and an
nounced that we were quite ready to re-
tire, although we had seen but Il gliinmcr
of the great underground fire represented
as a rare and radiant spectacle.
On the way out we thought over the
matter of ventilation with such impressions
of 1t as we never experienced teforc-of
the men whose calling exposes them whole
days successfully for years to atmospheric
poisons lurking in these chambers more
deadly, if possible, than the fabled Upas-
of the apparent indifference or fprgetful
ness with which the great public regards
nervous descriptions of the perils of the
mine. 1t is but just, however, to a great
number of those who aecry these represen-
tations as proceeding from a factious class,
to say they know nothing of what they
speak. To them the sunlight, pure airs
and fragrant vegetation, are natures beat
itudes; no darkness, no 'choke-dalnp," no
foul smells for them. They knolc uothing
Of them, either because they lack opporun-
ity or inclination to become acquainted.
But if they could realize the painful post
ures of days labor in the mine; or have
a limb caught undera "tall," or a rib broken,
or collar-bone disl,cated; If they would
breathe impure air short time-alI such
would readily accede to the miner all that
he asks that material, mechanism and en-
gineering can afford. But the great popu-
lace, unacquainted with wants which really
"PPS'sA W. S'SiJ - i'l"tiiy arc ShtpbiCol,
callous, and even proscriptive. If they
yield at all, it is n stone in response to the
miners cry for bread or a serpent instead
of a fish. In attestation, the act of the late
Legislature, providing for ventilation"
really affords no more ventilation" than is
already obtained. 1t has the name of
ventilation Bill" without ventiation-the
shadow without the substance"-and the
best thing the shadow" can do is to keen
the substance from "fading"-unti the
next Legislature, when the miners hope to
secure more substantial provisions for the
protection of the health and lives with
which God has endowed them in common
with other human kind. So far has lcmis.
latiye neglect gone in this matter il is no.
torous that the more peril to life the less
protection afforded by law. In the mine
with its darkness and dangers men have
died and families have suffered berefl of a
shield which protects even the beasts of
the field from maltreatment. And if aman
dies suddenly on the street the facS is die
nified with all the solemn accessories of an
inquest, bat scores have died in the mine
-Inrn how /.