Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-04-13

houses and gardens ana other evidences
Of improvement, including steam saw
mill, were seen wherever there was a
spare acre of creek bottom, until we de-
bouched upon the enchanting view of
the Robinson tract, with its blue grasses
and cattle, its rolling topography and
beautiful dwellings on the distant hill
tops. Our party stopped on the way and
drank from fine Chalybcate Spring,
whose chemical deposit had left its trail
of gold on every thing it touched for
many feet We soon lost sight of the
Robinson tract landscape and dashed in
to the gulches Of Walkers Mountain to
our last mile. which for its high grade
of 232 feet to the mile was the wonder of
the Narrow Gauge. Our Engineer Capt
King, determined to see everything rode
on the front of the engine, and tfequent-
ly our train paused TO allow him to In
spect the bridges, Arrived at the Altoo-
na Coal Mines, we were shown through
them by the superintendent and Mr.
Palmer, TO whom we were at every mo-
ment of the day indebted for every cour-
tesy he could extend to us. There IRE
three Goa! veins worked. These extend
over distance of two miles along the
ridge In which they are found, and near
the terminus of the rail road these have
been broken in two by u geological up
hcaval, which left only small portion
Of the coal seams on the western end
which Is now being worked, The dip Is
about 45 degrees and starting on u level
with the terminus of the road the hill
has been tunnelled 1i00 feet through to
the opposite side, Above this tunnel
the miners work toward the top Of the
hill, the coal falling by grGvitation down
the inclined floor into the coal cars
which are drawn into tho tunnel to re-
ceive them. The large % foot vein con-
tains peculiar glossy soft coal which
the mere pressure Of the hand will crum-
Bile to u mass Of small particles. The
mere process of mining 1t crumblcs II
into very small granules. 1t Is as yet
unfit for domestic use, but is very Valua-
bic in the reduction Of the zinc ores at
Martins, and the furnaces at Saltville
will soon be fitted up so as to use 1t eX-
clusively for fuel, an air blast run by
steam power being requisite. The small
or three foot vein Is the hard coal. 1t le
used for CRATES, stoves and engines. The
little $2,s0O engine that drew our party
burns 1t exclusively, and prettier fire
! never saw. There Is scarcely any
smoke at all from it, and il gives a splen-
did blazing heat. In cook stoves It seems
to be the ne plus ultra for cleanliness,
and regularity Of heat. Our party wit
messed Ito use In cook stove that had
been continuously In use for eight years,
and two Of theec years with this coal.
p. W. schsfier, Mining Engineer of
Pottsville, Pa. pronounces 1t one Of the
| finest steam conls he ever knew, A very
pretty stream of water running from the
mine was tested by our party and found
to be very strong alum water. After
some two hours spent at the mines we
re-embarked on the N. G. train and re-
turned 10 Martins I'm time for an elegant
dinner which Mr.. Palmer had provided
for us at the Calfec Honsc. The length
of the Narrow Gauge line Is eight and
one-third miles. The ties are five feet
long and cost 10 cents each. The rails
are 20 lbs. per foot, and owing to the
haste with which the track was laid, and
the very bad.weathcr Of the winter 1873
o, the track has settled into some irrcg-
ularity of shape, which will soon bC
corrected. Mr.. Palmer thinks our n
G.. should have n 30 ID, rail, though ar
increased number Of ties would enable
us to use the 30 ID rail. There are Is
bridges and trestles built 0t n cost PEI
running foot of $4 for the bridges and
81 80 for the trcstlcs. The entire cost oI
the road was about Ave thousand dollars
per mile, of which Mr.. Palmer says
about one-lhrd represented the grading
one third the ties bridges and trcstlcs
aud the remaining third the rails and
equipments. The rails are Of the Y pat
tern with fish bars and bolts. The grad
Ing was done IN 80 working days. Large
quaniitlcr Of the coal will he delivered
over II at Martins this year. Already
some 1000 tons have been delivered, Ont
from the mine now being worked there
will yet be taken some $1,000 tons NOR,
before II will be exhausted The Com
pany will then open the mine on The
cust aide of the fault where the sam,
veins extend for two miles eastward
containing nm unknown, but immcns,
amount. Unfortunately the Company
sent out an inferior article at first. bcing
obtained too near the surface. The Goa
they are now getting IA obtained undeI
the management Of MIR. NJ. +. Maize
m experienced operator IN the Anlhro
cite coal Of Pottsvillc, Pa, and th,
quality Ia most excellent.
The afternoon was spent by our party
IN inspecting tho Bertha Zinc works a
Marins, which have recently been pur
chased by Mr.. Palmer, aud are supcrin
tended by Mr.. Thomas Jones orswansca
wales, who employs force Of Welsh
men. The works cost Mr.. Palmer som,
$40. 600 and were opened the 9th of las
November, and are now turning OH
1000 lbs. per day Of pure stcltcr, worll