, 1877-08-12

| A NARROW ESCAPE.
An Editor Visits a "Cave," and Gets Som.
Experience In Mining.
pirotnte t.yer.> Territorial Eafer5rise.
Below the groupings Of the Gould Il Curry
Mine Is to be seen large cavity, or sink, which
marks the spot under which a great cave oc.
Cured during the supcrintenlency Of Charley
Bonner. Happening to pass over the ground
yesterday, NC were strongly reminded of j
rather perilous trip which we made into the
underground region OF the mine at the time tils
| cave occurred.
Luckily ample warning had been given BY the
settling OF the ground within the n,ine and ehs
suappug and spltnttring Of timbers. therefore
no lives were lost in the cave. Views of the
grand crash in the mine spread rapidly through
the town, and all who heard Of the accident gave
| d sig. OF relief when told tint all the miners
escaped untniurcd. The full extent OF the
care and the damage done thereby in the In
terror OF the mine was not known for some time,
but from the cavity formed on the surface was
Judged to be very great. Being desirous Of
obtaining, II possible. full particulars in regard
to the condition Of the underground sections OF
| the mine, 'rc called upon Mr. Bonner and nado
| known our Wishes
II have not been IN the mine for three or
| four hours. and therefore am unable to give you
al exact a.cocnt Of the present condition Of the
cavcd portions. However. il you will venture
with me-. % said Ar; Bonner, I've vii! 20 in rs
| Having agreed to Mr. Bonner's proposition,
two lanterns were procured, and we soon found
ourselves. on the level where the greatest
damage had been done The miners had all
| left that part Ut the mine. Nowhere was to be
seen the friendly twinkle OF either lamp or
candle. all was dark us the caves of the Citn-
lncrii, save where the light of our lanterns fell
upon the walls OF the tunnel along which We
we're advancing, or where the rays streamcd far
ahead and were reflected back BIZ points OF
polished pyrites or bright quartz crystas-
At first. too, a]l was silent rs the tomb, but
as VIC moved forward the snap OF filling tim
her or the dull boom OF heavy fall OF earth
reached our ears These sounds constantly
grew more distinct. Soon was heard sorr OF
running fire Of sharp little snaps from the bent
aud splinteriog timbers, with ever and anon
startling ,nusket1ke report, as some large. t;oa-
ber broke in twain or was rent asunder.
We were now fast nearing the scene Of the
cave. As yet the ground about us WAS sound
and all the tiubcrs stood intact in their places
Our advance WAS slow and cautiously made. At
times some unusual commotion caused Us to
halt and listen half minute, with bodies iu-
clined forward and eyes strained to penetrate
beyond the light thrown ont by onr lanterns.
Few words passed between US. Wait bft''
or '1Now let us move on,' frota 3ir. Bonner,
was about all that was said.
Presently we elu,c to ! drift leatffng from The
tunnel NC had been trayersing. The Swapping
and grinding sounds Tere ROW more distinctly
heard.
). 1t is in this direction,' said Bonner, leading
the way into the drift.
We had not proceeded far before re came 10
where the tiulbers OF the DRIFT we're badly bent
aud displaced. We we're IN 4 sout yicre tie
ground was settling. "A kind OF ticking noise
came from the 1agoinn overhead and along the
sides Of the drift, and dirt sifted down on orr
hits
Soon we reached place where tho posts "a
the sides OF the drift were bent like bows. The
backs Of these bows projected into the DRIFT
and were full Of splinters, some OF which were
for1ned-snappcd out-before our eyes. Shortly
we came upon two posts ben: out from opposite
than foot apart.
"This looks bad,'' said Bonner.
AFerr.: Let us go bacl.'' said VIC.
SIT cannot be far to the edge Of the care. We
want to see that. Suppose we venture! Tim
hers are still strong when they snap,''
Il s"Tlen move on, " said We, but our legs want
cd to 60 the other way.
In passing between the two bent costs it Vas
necessary to turn our bodies ctfecwise. IN
about us the timbers were working and eroa,-
ing, but stil stood some distance apart. 1t The
end OF the DRIFT We CAME into large open space,
what seemed d long and broad chanlber,-aad
turning westward across this We were soon rs
near the edge Of the cave Us it WAS thought
prudent to venture.
Holding our lantcrus above our heads. we
saw before us black md yaSning pit or cI.asul.
The light OF the lanterns failed to show us either
the top or the bottom OF this pit, nor could we
sec across to the further side. 1t seemed to
have neither top nor bo:tom,-seeulel but 4
shapeless, boundless region OF darkness.
Into this fr1ghtsut pit there fell every ha!i
minute, from somewhere in the darkness high
above, great masses of earth and rocks. 1t
times, Judging from the thun.lcgo;,s sounds.
hundreds OF tons at once tuuablel from the roof
and sides of the chasm. Smaller masses were
almost constantly dropping in some direction.
wh1!e the spllnterine, swapping and 2:roaning ol
tinbers in all directions was Something fright
full.
Suddenly, as we stood quaking in the midst
OF the tremendous conmotion, great mass of
rock anu earth fell from some place high upon
the wall OF our side OF the shoreless Eea Of dark
ness, almost grazing the brink Of the r,asn l.-
fore us. With tic fall OF the mss came rush
OF wind that nearly extinguished the candies IN
our lanterns. ,Elevating his light and gazing
upward, atr. Bonner cried: ''Fall back: fall
back! the roof is giving way!',
. Almost as ne spoke mass OF several ttAs
fell from the roof Of our chamber not ten 1erf
in front OF us, and in falling took Large bite
out Of the edge OF our floor
"Quick, quick! THIS way! We must get out
Of this!" cried Bonner:
We ran back to the drift oy whicn We had
entered The tw3 posts between which We had
squeezed had closed together.
" Back. back!' crici Bonner. 'sThts way!
know drift. Quick! We may reach it"
BACK along the DRIFT we darte1 amid sounts
never to be forgotten and such as have seldom
stunned mortal ears. All about us Wis in
motion--all rapidly sinking.
Bonner led the way across the chamber we
had left few moments before. In corner oa
Tue east side the light OF his lantern shovel the
mouth Of q drift, toward which he was hasten
ing. Hardly was there time to observe this be-
tore he helq up his lantern, crsing, Bacx,
5ack!" and, with q ru1nblng crash, the mouth
of tho drift closed. and the ground before AID
about it hcgtn to disappear.
'Quick!' cried Bonner, grasping our arm
md hurr}iur us along. ITO the drift again.
It is our on1 chance's
Into the d lift VIC once more darteu. Souecz-
ing our vat between the cracking posts wc
reached thel place where We had before been
stopped. Though crushed together in the
middle, there was still a small open space be-
.Wecn the peists at the bottom.
Throwing himself flat on the floor of the drift,
8onner push h'ed his lantern through the opening,
hen, ny mighty effort, pushed through after
{. nc seencd an hour in passing, though he
probably w-fisglcd through in less than ten
seconds Our fear that he would stick fast WAS
lgonizinr.
*'Quick! Give me your hands! Leave your
antern!" shouted Bonner the moment he was
through.
instantly 'ye were down and had both hands
Trough the opening. In about two seconds We
we're hauled through Us hunter pulls 4 squirrel
'ut OF its skin. 4 short dash took US to the
main tunnel, and, as We ga;ned IT, Bonner
erventfT exclaimed. tsSafe nj last thank Eodt'