West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-03-13
4 Pennsvlyanta Gave.

in Pennsylvania, about three fourths of "A
mile TO the left, toward Mercer, of the old
Franklin and Mercer road and about one
mile and quarter from the line of the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Rail
road, franklin division, near the beautiful
little hamlet of Waterloo, on "A tract of land
owned by Mr.. Samuel II. Mckenzie, who
lives on "a farm in the vicinity.
On Christmas party of coal miners from
the mines at Stoneboro, who were having
"A jolly time In the village, heard of this
wonderful place, and one of them who had
worked in some of the deepest mines IN
England, laughed at the fears of the rlstics
and proposed to 60 and explore II. They
procured ropes and ladders, and, with
few tools and their miners lamps, set out
for the spot. Arriving ON the ground two
of the miners, Jack Henderson and David
Davis, made one end of IA suc<cr-rod line,
about five hundred feet long, fast about
their waists, leaving space of few feet
between them, and with their tools and
lamps and a supply of oil, started down
the incline. They proceeded IN this way
for about two hundred feet in II southerly
direction and downward, at an angle of
forty-fve degrees, through a crooked and
very rough passage, when they came to an
obstruction caused by the great number of
bouders which had been thrown i'm from
above, and were about To give up and re-
| turn when they discovered that tho gentle
current Of air still pressed the flame of their
| lamps in the direction of the surface and
concluded To make an effort to remove the
obstruction, After considerable delay and
labor, they found that a passage still con-
tinued, but raised abruptly for about sixteen
feet, and which had made the barrier to
the progress of the boulders thrown in from
above. Davis then returned and procured
a ladder, and was accompanied by several
more of the party, who had now become
bolder. With the assistance Of the ladder,
they passed up over "A bank or wall of rock
some sixteen or eighteen feet high, and
found themselves in long, irregular
shaped room or space, fifty feet wide at the
widest point and at places less than twenty
| five feet wide, and upwards of 100 feet
long, i'm which hung and glistened count
less stalagmitic formations of every magi-
nabe shape and size. The roof and sides
are limestone. The most wonderful thing
about the whole matter was the finding of
quantity of btuminous coal on one side
of this large, irregular-shaped room, and
which evidently had been conveyed there
from some other place, as no coal cropped
the debris at certain spot coal ashes or
burnt clay several inches thick was found
80 solid that pick was required to move
the deposit. At the extremity Of this room,
and running away from il AT right giles,
was found another passage or iissurc i'm the
lime rock down the sides of which water
trickled, and extending about fifty or sixty
feet to the right hand with gradual
downward slope, when they came To an
other stopping place. This time IL proved
10 be only dozen feet downward, and the
ladder soon helped them TO safe footing
again. This proved to be another immense
room, somewhat in the form of huge let
ter 5, very irregular, with one end longer
and higher than the other. Here more
coal was again found. All were impressed
with the idea that this coal had not been
brought from the surface, but were Of the
opinion that il bad been brought there from
some place in the cavc-perhaps further
down. So they proceeded TO prosecute the
search and at length discovered another
passage or split in the rock, near the taper
end Of the 5, which led downward, much
like the opening at the surface, only much
larger. After pursuing this, which led
through a small room, about forty yards,
they came SUDDENLY TO halt at the edge OF
a precipice, down which they clambered
for about twenty feet, and found themselves
10 long, narrow tunnel, apparently with
out end, either way. The bottom Of this
tunnel or entry was covered with a soft,
sticky mud, almost like putty. The end
10 the left, it was thought, would lead 10
the surface or side of the hill, evidently not
very far above the level Of the stream in
the valley. The other end led in the oppo-
site direction and across the line Of and
nearly below the first room explored,
underneath the body Of the mountain. A
further investigation showed that coal
cropped out all along the line of the canal
or sides Of the cavern and after a careful
examination and measurement the whole
space appeared 30 have been filed with
coal, which had been removed, and the
perpendicular sides, which were gray with
age left standing. Masses Of the lime.
stone rock had fallen in several places,
over which the party struggled with diff
GU ty After proceeding about one hun
dred yards from the point where the coal
drift was struck, measurement showed
the vein OF coal TO be eight feet three
inches in thickness, and the walls more
clearly defined and regular,
At this point remains Of masonry were
found and the tunnel or drift divided and
ran in different directions. To the right
hand seemed the most desirable route and
it was explored first This room OF cham
ber is plentifully hung with stalagmite, u
the most beautiful description imaginable,
which have been formed by the steady drip
through the limestone for unknown ages
past. Beautiful formations, ~ If ccmen,cd
into the walls, in many places appear II
would be impossible 20 describe the various
turnings and directions in which the mine,
for mine IL -, has been worked, but all Of
which radiate in all directions for upwards
Of two thousand feet into the body Of the
mountain from the main entry, az the
miners style 10, The roof Of the entry is
solid limestone, with here and there great
dark riffs overhead, which are probably
the entrances TO other unexplOrcd caverns
as interesting ~ those already examined and
described The miners and the other three
persons agreed among themselves 10 keep
the matter secret and did 80 for a short
time, in order that they might purchase the
tract Of land and reap the benefit Of the
valuable coal seam; but the story leaked
out through the family Of one Of the par
ties They succeeded however, IN obtain
ing mineral or oil and coal lease Of about
three hundred acres, and at once com
mcnccd proraffoua Affor q careful curyav