The New York herald., 1879-10-29

LBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
VIRGINIA, Oct IS, 1879.
To-day General Grant had new experience. A
soon as breakfast was over. accompanied by Mrs
Grant aud Ulysses. Jr.. he visited the famous Con
soIida Virginia Mine. The party consisted o.
colencl and Mrs. Fair. Mr.. Mackay. Cover
N. aud Mrs. Kinkead, Mrs. Gillette an'
three journalists. Eeforc descending into the
mine the distinguished visitors went through the
usual preparation. donned miners costumes. wers
provided with lanterns and 'looked as the!
never looked before" At first Mrs. Grant was
doubtful about going down. as most ladies' are
who have had experience; but encouraged o!
Mrs. Fair she decided to 30 finally anu ensereo iuy
into the spirit of the adventure Inc ueneral uld
not believe she would go. and in . good-natured
banter Mr.. Mckay and he passed her small cane
into the hand Of third party. The 30
nsnxa king, of course. got II. Inc three-
decked cage provided was furnished with SEATS
Colonel Fair explained IL the machinery to the
General. who was highly grathed with it and asked
numerous questions The ladies took the middle
deck ana were under the supervision of Fair. while
Mackay took charge OF the General and the gentle
men Oh the lower deck. and Superintenaent HuSn
Lamb did ths honors on the upper deck.
A IN THE CAGE .
The cage was lowered very slowly and stopped at
In ne cs"e descended without the least jar and
- IL ulided noiseessly down reporter asked the
ne
stock lode dd exceed his previous anticpations
.Oh, no." l,e replied 81 had pretty good IDEA OF
what be seen by what read ana a from conver
sation With friends who had visited the mines.
..Have you ever been down III mine like this
II have been down in coal mines, pretty Deep
too. bur the shaft did not go straight down"
..Do GU intend to go through the southern States
before you settle down againy
- can't say exactly 1T present what shall do or
..You are .nnounced to go home to Galena. Ill?'
l.,,tI null nf main rhapn &c fa0
cold winter. By the way, is there any danger OF
the cage failing to the bottom if the cable breaks?
explained that the safety appliance i'll the cage
would stop it il the cable broke BY this time the
cage had reached the 1850 foot level. and those
The lower decks disembarking.
GRANT IN THE DEPTHS
The 9. c. shalt is cool at all points from
surface to bottom. The l75o foot level is also CON-
iortaby cool. except where 1t merges into the
ore slopes. Here the heat increases each
floor OF the slope is assembled. Mrs. Grant
was conducted along the level by Mr.. Mackay. and
made frequent inquiries about the amount of work
hard rock. When they reached face drift where
lu Leigh drill was Ill operation under the care of
two pcrspirrg miners naked to the waist she ex-
rs it not too bad that some other kind of money
can't be got without digging this way for gold and
silvery'
That's the very reason said the General. .that
gold aud silver lie stopped right there,
aouDtlcss suddenly remembering the presence of
the reporters and that he had better gave them
chance to nail him on the finance question.
The ladies did not go further than to explore the
17.0 drift to it's terminus in i conveyance.
The other members of the party assembled series of
ladders up to the drst second and third floors of the
slopes.
The temperature increased until mt the topmost
floor it was very oppressive. The General was fre-
quently asked how he standing it. and each
time declared that he felt no particular nconve-
nicnce. He continued to smoke the inevitable
cigar. frequently stopping to get light from some
OF the candles placed along the drift.
You notice. said Mr.. Mackay. point was ap-
preached where two miners were striking a hand
drill while a third was holding it. "you notice how
regularly those men strike They are skilled in their
business"
.i see they are," said tho General and I'd rather
be the man who strikes than the man who holds the
drill"
ON THE LOWER LEVELS
The ladies went to the surface from the
1850 foot station in charge Of Colonel Fair.
2l5v feet in charge Of MIR. Mckay. Tho
south drift the also foot level running into the
Bes and Belcher ground. was first entered. This
degrees. The General frequently inquired about the
work of tniberins. how it was done. &C.,
running drifts, &c. From the 2.l5O foot level the
party descended to 1850 feet the lowest level Of the
mine. Some POINTS were visited on this level where
streaks OF very rich ore were seen The heat
there very great. General Grant never once
gained seventeen pounds in weight recently. and
thought that few Turkish baths like this would
room bring him back to his original avoirdupois. lie
also suggested that such hot places would furnish
fine field for convict labor. as. by consignng
man to such fate. the frequency or crime would
soou be diminished.
At the 1850 foot station. while preparing TO ascend
to the surface. General Grant expressed the
opinion that the mine should be in paying
condition, Judging from all the breasts that
he had The chef impression that he
made the party while under ground
that he was practical and observing man.
He was there not TO satisfy mere curiosity, but to
gain knowledge On the way to the surface lie told
in his compartment of tho to shut their
ayes and ascertain whether they did not feel az IL
tiev going down instead of coming up. They
all tried the experiment and experienced the same
sensation.
While passing through the Assay Office solid
brick of gold and silver four inches long and two
aud a half wide was presented to Mrs. Grant. with
the following engraved inscript ion:-
Souvenir of the Consolidatod Virginia Mine to :
! Mrs. General U. S. GRANT.
Virginia City. New. Oct. ~ 1879.
Colonel Fair Presented to Mrs. Grant small phial
with the inscription
! Onc-half of my first days work in California.
It's value in dust did not probably exceed $40. but
rs a souvenir it beyond price. Before changing
heir min,rs dresses a splendid photograph
taken or the party After bathing and dressing they
were driven to the stamp and pan mills whore they
finished most instructive days work.
AN INVITATION FROM THE PREsIDENT-UN-
ABLE TO ATTEND THE ARMY OF THE CUM
WAsHISGToN. Oct 49, 1879.
President Hayes has sent a telegram to General
Grant. inviting him to be the Presidents guest
when he visits Washington.
General Sherman has received despatch from
General Grant stating that he will be unable to at
tend the reunion Of the Army Of the Cumberland
In this city ON the 10th pr)x, he has engage
ment FOR that date at indianapolis.
EXPLOSION OF AN ENGINE.
an ENGINEER KILLED AND FIREMAN NOR
TALLY WOUNDED IN THE RAILROAD station
Al HOBoKEN LAST NIGHT.
serious accident. resulting in the death of
and the mortal wounding of an-
other. occurred at the depot of the Della
ware. Lsckawanna and Western Railroad, Ho-
boken. yesterday evening The Summit accom-