Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1877-09-08

snaps lioAn ING peH' tliu SpiAitetiiS5
| tiInbers, with ever and anon start
| ling, nusket-Eke report as some large
timber broke in twain or was torn
asunder.
| We were row fast nearing the scene
| Of Tie cave. rs vet the - und about
! rs was SCUM. and all the timbers
sto"d intact in their laocs. Our adj
| vance We alow and cautiously made.
! Al times soI@c unugual comrotion
catsel US t. isalt and listen half min
)tc, witt bodies Incline. forward and
eyes strained to lenetratc aeyrnl the
i!gh: ,'lrcUn out by our lanterns.
Few words passed between us. "Wait
u hit, Or now let us move on, from
ilr. G2nner We're about III that was
said.
Presently we came to 6. dritt lead
in5 from tie tunnel we had been
travorsing. The snarping and s ind
ing o'n,1s were now mole distinctly
| heart.
"lt is III this .irection," said Bon
..er, leading TIE way into t],e drift.
We had not lroceede'' far boI re we
came 10 whore thc tilnbur o.. the rift
We're BADLY bent anl ''isplace'. W.
We're il, . 5. OF where the sr''un1 was
setli'.c. 4 kind OF ticking nois1 came
'ro'' the /: :;ssin.5 "verhea.! and long
! TIE sides cf the ,,rl1t, anil ,uf', ;,iiae.'
| t,own OIL or hots.
F., Sorl Nn reHcl.e'i 9 place where th>
os91 Oh liz Sides uf ihe ,ritt wero
ben; Ike lows. Tie backs i these
bows proiacte into tn" drift and were
f71ll Il syhnters. so,ae : which We're
for1ae'1-s'.appod cut-''efole our
| eyes. Shortly We camel pom two pos :
bent ont r. N orn'sit 81 ,,ss ci til"
'!rif; 81 j,eir backs were not more
than d jf'nt a ant.
"I'i;, lo,ls ! al l." asil Bon'.er.
"Nery. Let lis so back, +" sail we.
"It cann.t '"o Ear t!,e edge # tie
cave. We want t. Gee that. Sup.
pose we venture? Ti:abers i.rc still
strong when they snap"
".r!'en move az, sail We, Int ouy
!e,,s wanted 10 S tie other ay.
III tassi''5 between thr bert pests
It was necessary to tG:n our bodies
e'!gewise. All about us the timbers
were working and grcaning, but still
stood s TIE distance apart. At the
en} Of the ,lrift We came into a
large open space-what seemed a
l,rg and broad chambor-and turn
Jug westWa.'' acress this we Were
soon ~ near tie edge Of the cave
as il was tho''ght prudent to venture,
'.oldlng orr lanterns ,lbove our
les Is We sew before us a black and
yawnin5 pit - chasm. Tho light Of
the lanterns failed to show us either
Che top o. the bottom Of this ;,il, n"E
could We see across to the further
si,e. it scene to have neither toy
lor hoti ..l--sveI.el but g shapcless,
'orr,iese le4I ~ i darkness.
50 ln;o t,,is f.iehtfrl pit there fell
every halt minute, from somewhere in
the darkness high above great masses
OF eartl apd rocks. At times, Judging
i:om the rl.underous sounds, hundreds
Of tons at once tumbled from the roof
and sidcs Of the chas,n. Smaller mas
; ses were Almost constantly ,'r pling in
solae directions, while, the srlinterin5 !,
+ swapping and sroaning O. tinbers in all
, directions was s,raet' ,in., lrightful.
| "ul,]e'..y: g. We stoo! 4uallins in
! Die ,nlls', ~ the tremendous co1nmo-
tipn, q great mass q rock an,. earth
ia!l from s'lae place high up on the
well % obi side of tho shcrelcss sea of
darkness, almost grazing the brink Of
the chcsm beior, us. With tne i1li
| Of the mas came q rush of win yhat
ne ,ly eXtinsuis!,9,s tho candles III out
lsutyrna. Elevoti,.s his light AMI
ga2ins upwar, Nir. Bonner cried :
Fall back tail back the roof is CIV
| ing Way."
Almost rs lie splko q mass Of sever
al tins fell tgol4 tha roof of our .ha.o-
Ter not ten Seet IN .'on.. Ct us, and in
falling took large bit out o. the edge
Of our locr.
"Quick quick! This way! w
must get out Of this" cried Bonrer.
We ran Lack 10 the DRIFT by w|,ian
we had entered. The two posts he.
tween which Nes had squeezed had
closed togethes
/, .y"naok, back lasa lneer. "Th;s
May |. II lsnoa ~ We
may IL rsaclll,iSt.' -.