Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-11-05
GENERAL GRANT.
His Visit to the Banana Mines.

yadS. The PARTY consisted of Colonel
and Mrs. Fair, Mr.. Mackay, Governor
and Mrs. Kinkead, Mrs. Gillette and
three journalists. The story of the
visit is thus told in a special despatch
to the New York Herald:
Before descending into the mine
the distinguished visitors went through
the usual preparation, donned miners
costumes, were provided with lanterns,
and looked as they never looked be-
fore AT first Mrs. Grant was doubt
full about going down, as most ladies
are who have had no experience, but,
encouraged by Mrs. Fair, she decided
to 20 finally and entered fully into the
shirt of the adventure. The General
did not believe she would go, and in a
good-natured banter Mr.. Mackay and
he passed her small cane into the hand
of a third party. The bonanza king,
Of course, got it. The three-decked
cage provided was furnished with
seats. Colonel Fair explained all the
machinery to the general, who was
highly gratifed with it and asked
Humorous questions. The ladies took
the middle deck and were under the
supervision of Fair, while Mackay
took charge of the general and the
gentlemen on the lower deck, and sup
eintendent Hugh Lamb did the hon
ors on the upper deck,
A CHAT IN THE CAGE.
The cage was lowered very slowly
and stopped at the 1850 foot station.
The shaft being in excellent order,
the gage descended without the least
Jar. and, as it glided ~noislessly down,
a reporter asked the general if the
magnitude of the works on the Com
stock lode did not exceed his previous
anticipations.
"Oh, no." he replied. Il had a
pretty good idea of what was to be
seen by what | read and from CONVEX
sation with friends who had visited
the mines"
Have yon ever been down in a
mine like this, 1850 feet deep?'
Il have been down in coal n ines,
pretty deep, too; but the shaft did
not go straight down"
" Do you intend to go through the
Southern States before you settle down
AGAIN."
cant say exactly at present what
| shall do or where | shall CO."
" You are announced to go home to
Galena, HIP
Yes, but | shall not remain there
long it is too cold in winter. BY the
way, is there any danger of the cage
falling to the bottom if the cable
breaksg 2
The reporter assured him that there
was not, and explained hat the safety
appliance in the cage would stop it if
the cable broke. BY this time the
cage had reached the 1850 foot level,
aud those on the lower decks we're
disembarking.
MRS. GRANT IN THE DEPTHS.
The q. 4 G. shaft is cool at all
points. from surface to bottom. The
1850 foot level is also comfortably
cool except where il merges into the
ore slopes. Here the heat increases
as each floor Of the slope is assembled.
Mrs. Grant was conducted along the
level by Mr.. Mackay, and made fire.
auent Inquiries about the amount Of
work required to excavate such i'm
mense chambers ont of hard rock
When they reached a face drift,
where q Burleigh drill was in opera
ton under the care of two perspiring
miners, naked to the waist, she ex-
claimed:
Isn't it too bad that some other
kind Of money can't be got without
digging this way for gold and silver?'
That's the very reason said the
General, shat gold and silver"
He stopped right there. doubtless
suddenly remembering the presence
of the reporters, and that he had not
better give them a chance TO nail him
on the finance question.
The ladies did not go further than
to explore the 1850 foot west drift to
4 its terminus in a conveyance. The
other members of the party assembled
a series Of ladders 4p to the first, sec
ond and third floors Of the slope.
INTENSE HEAT.
The temperature decreased until at
the topmost floor 1t was very pppres-
sive. The general was frequently
asked how he was standing it, and
each time declared that he felt no par
ticular Inconvenience. He continued
to smoke the inevitable cigar, fire.
Wently stopping TO get Q light irom
some Of the candles placed along the
drift.
You notice" sal | Mr.. Mackey, a.
a point was approached where two
mipers were striking a hand drill
while a third was holding it, how
regularly those men strike. They arc
skilled in their business
" see they are said the general
" aHd Id rather be the man who
strikes than the man who holds tn,
drill
ON THE LOWER LEVELS.
The ladies went to the surface from
, lhe 1850 station in charge of Colone
Pair, ybile the rest Of the party wen.
down to $3.50 feet in charge of Mr.
F Maekay. The south diff on the 2l5l
aot level, running into the Best anC
BelRber ground. was first entered
/, This drift vas veFy hot, the thermom
, eter indicating Que hundred and TWEEN
. ty degrees. The general fredaeatl,
. inquired about the work of timbering
4. how it was done, etc. aud was partic9
! jag " gDd out all about running drifts
t etc. Frou tbe 2l5O foot level tn,
b. party descended to 2}6Q feet, the loves
. OF the mine Some points we're yisite,
I. ON this level where strokes OF VEN
rich ORC were seen. The heat ther,
was very great. General Grant neve