The Portland daily press., 1879-01-31
lFrom an Occasional Correspondent
Among the Coal Mines.-I.
A Visit TO Donaldson-On the Road 10 the
Coal Fields-Thc Miners and Their
Ways.

HARRISBURG, Pa, Jan. s, 1879.
arriving In this city q short time ago, and
nndlng myself with q week of leisure on nv
bands, 1t occurred to me that could not en-
psoy part of that time at least to better ad.
vantage than by visiting friend of mine who
lives 10 the anthracite coal reeions-Jos 2. BY
name. Accordingly advised Joe by postal
card of my intention. requesting him to re-
spond giving me directions for reaching his
residence in the somewhat obscure mining vii.
iage OF Donaldson, Schuylkill Co. received
an early reply, containing the necessary direc.
tlons for my guidance together with this whole
some moral Injunction given gratuitously:
Keep civil tongue in your head, six-shoot-
er In your pocket, and greenback sentiments ON
your lips, and you will be safe-as safe as In
Kansas anyhow"
On reflection 1 concluded to waive the two
latter clauses Of my friends sdmoui,iou. and
have nothing to 90 with either pistols or green
oackism as passport among the miners, be-
ing novice In the use of both arguments, and
in each equally liable to go off half.cocked'
and miss my man. I resolved, no wever, to OBJ
serve the first part of his advice most religi-
ously, and to think at least four times (doub-
ling the dose of that old proverb Of verbal
discretion, think twice, &c., before allowed
my tongue to wag.
Following out my friends instructions. ON
wednesday, Jan. 1st., at 2 p. M, repaired to
the depot OF the Reading r. r. Co., purchased
. ticket for Donaldson, and at $50 novel cut
OF the depot on my way thither. The cars
themselves on this line, with their windows
strongly wired on the outside, after the man.
ner OF felon's window, had a penitentiary
iook much IN Keeping with my Impressions of
the region toward which was travelling In
them. 1t recalled to my mind incidents had
read of in the papers of desperate criminals
escaping through car windows hand-cuffsd, the
train meanwhile going at full speed, and these
bars looked very much like provision against
such occurrences in these cars In reality,
however, this was only very sensible precau-
ton to prevent enthusiastic lovers Of scenery
from indulging the very natural impulse Of
throwing up the windows aid stretching out
their necks to obtain a wider view OF some
beautiful prospect, thus running imminent
risk OF losing their heads By bringing them in
contact With some bit of rock sceners, or soma
wooden structure impnging too closely on the
track.
The day on which started was one of bitter
cold and high wind succeeding heavy snow
storm, and the face of the landscape was hazy
with the driving snow. In a short time we had
spanned the little breadth of smooth farming
country intervening between Harrisburg and
tue mountain notch toward the west, aud pres
entiy we were shooting along at the foot of
rugged nils hich rise directly from the track,
almost per 1end'cularly to a great height, with
lmmense ragged masses of rock clinging to
toe'-e dizzy sides-overhangiug you hundreds Of
feet up, and looking as if the strength Of q
child might dislodge them and bring them
laundering down upon the egg-shell train be-
neatb. The swift flight of the train gave addi-
tional effect to the scenery. Mountains, at
first view broad, rounded and swelling, sudden-
ly have acquired sharp and angular outlines;
now they receded aud fattened, and now
rushed boldly and abruptly upon you. They
constantly thrust new aspects upon you as you
scanned their proportions from the windows of
the swiftly moving train. Then new stretches
Of mountain scenery were developed so rapidly
first wheeling iEto dim perspective, and then
STRENGTHENING and swelling space in color and
For some distance the track ran at the very
foot OF precipitous Hills, the rocks and trees Of
which were often entirely shrouded from view
Ny u"U~"'s-', -.a.----l 81 Ivino c,ora v,h,cb-
the engine threw off as 1t rushed along. At
length, however, the mountains began to re.
tire, to become less broken and diversified, and
soon there was only dark and monotonous
ridge bounding the vision, presenting q slope
desolate with snow and naked trees. Then for
considerable distance the road followed the
course of deep ravine, at the bottom of which
the eye traced the cheerless windings of q fro
zen stream, over which on either side the trees
bent mournfully-sombre and thickly--dead
frs, naked skeletons Of naples and birches.
and here and there young hardwood tree
shivered through all the leaves OF its summer
days ct verdure-sere and withered now. There
is no cultivated landscape along this road-no
tidy villages. Occasionally we passed few
houses perched on the hillside. will
porticoes in front, and showing dirty traces o
having been whitewashed some time or other
the past.
Now and then we were whirled By a sms
store or shop and saw few rough men stan
ng transfxed by she passing tran,-like D.
group. The small building VIII,
the train stopped moment "to water up"
heaped high with snow on top and bad ciclt
Jsrd long pendant from its caves, aud had
sabie-snd entirely sheeted over with ice.
sun, which despite the cold outside, al
warmly through the window, was often
'oursd by the fleece of vapor from the en-,
and this veil of white was CONSTANTLY mi
oy the WIND, some Of il madly flying owe
'ops OF the cars, some whirling straight ~
spiral motion, and large part of the,
,mitten down to the ground. scnddse
among the brush and bushes, growing re
ND thinner and thinner until it was lost.
aIter ride Oh perhaps su hour the M
lous mountain ridge to the right beese
,foken 10 outline, and at length we wern
urroundsd by diversified mountain ~,
vhicn grew bolder an more sbarnlv de- TO
me END OF the journey. Having chaprs
" rlne Grove-a considerable mining on
ne route, about half an hoar's ride bronze
Q fremont, from which place, the c'tor
oanaSson % N was ws,sp sSoqs twenty minutes inc 20
Ne railroad straight on. There was ness
'no strangeness in my surroundings erode
'sst the mining cottages scattered the
ray, that put me out little. 1t SCI ASH
mad oeen taken suddenly up ont fillza-
ion and dropped down in q wild ,svage
egion among rough class of pe AS
boxed about, somewhat awed and idered
tne poidness and ruggedness of nround-
1gs, couldn't help thinking hot snited
40 region seemed TO the maiutee OF
,ugn. Outlaw class, such as the or M0llie
laguires II seemed as IL murder violence
.rksd oy natural association in sued recess
OF nature asthis. By this time se in the
oad brought me into a kind of ~ ravine,
at OF sight of the village had liz, aud az
MS point, straight ahead of me Iome dis
'nce, , crack rang out on the air, the
port OF gun, aud in an instsrer, several
ore sa saoss followed in quick scion, until
Q3 4 II