The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-18
Down in the Ophir Mine.
How Bob Ingersol Came Within an Ace
of Being Converted.

When Col. Robert Ingersoll was In Virginia
City about four years ago, q couple of report
ers, one of whom is now on the San Francisco
Chronicle, conceived the idea of giving the in
fdel a hotter experience than he had, up to
that time, admitted the vilest sinner would
ever undergo, even after laboring under the
disadvantage of not being alive The foreman
of the Ophir mine was led into the secret Of
The scheme, and, being a good Christian, at
once saw the practical utility of the plot. 1t
was elected to descend the Ophir for the rea-
son that the quality of whiskey then kept in
the Ophir visitors dressing-rooms was superior
to that of any other north-end mine. The Jus
tice mine really had finer brand OF liquor,
but the mine was down in the lower end OF
Gold Hill, and as the descent was to DO made
after the Colonel had delivered his lecture ono
evening, it would be inconyenient 10 visit
mine very far from the International Hotel,
where the Colonel and his family-wiie and
two daughters lodged. The matter Of
whisky is, unhappiy, one of great considers-
tion in visit to a mine, for the reason that
the effect. of descent upon a stranger is
strange weakness, which it is necessary TO
overcome upon reaching the surface with slim
ulants, or days sickness is the inevitable
consequence.
After the lecture the reporters called at the
hotel and escorted the Colonel and his family
to the Ophir works. Ingersou was in lively
spirits. He had lectured to crowded bouse;
had just received news that he had been yio-
lently abused by San Francisco theologlans,
and was about to experience novel ssusa-
tion-and delightful one, too, the reporters
assured him. He chatted aud laughed, and in
reply to some hints that some portions Of the
mine might be little warm, replied "Bring
it on; am not afraid of any natural heat, here
or hereafter. TrOt on your lowest leysis."
The ladies were taken in charge at the hoist
ing works by tie wife of the colored Office por-
ter, and supplied with miners clothes ia the
ladies' dressing-room. The men rigged them
selves out likewise in blue flannel shirts and
pants and hob-nailed shoes. Tho entire party
We're given long oilcloth coats TO wear going
down on the cage, as the vertical shaft was wet,
the dripping Water pouring down on the visit
ors like rain. "All set" cried the foreman,
and the seven persons packed in the cage were
dropped down to the ,475-foot level at am mr.
comfortable rate to the visitor making his first
descent Take off your coats here" said the
foreman, as they stepped out OH the iron door
OF the station, in the presence of a crowd of car
boys and miners. The ladies demurred, but
the Colonel being assured that it was the custo-
mary thing, that the ladies would be too warm
with and greatly inconvenienced by the coats,
he encouraged them. "Why, certainly, girls,
take off your coats Everybody takes them off
down here. That's all right, wife, tell the
girls to take their coats off; thers's nothing to
be afraid Of" and the young ladies shyly
emerged from their coats, looking picturesque
in their rough blue miners suits.
Nothing was ever seen like the spirits of tho
Colonel. He danced double shuttle on the
iron switch plates to the delight of the miners,
and scared the ladies with stories of gnomens
and spirits: "Call this hot eh?" he laughed
to the foreman; "oh, show me something warm
can't you? I'll freeze here" The foreman
winked solemnly to the reporters and replied
well, we amt got no very hot drafts here
now, but come this way and I'll give you some
thing little warmer than this" Then all
branched off from the crosscut a little east Of
the station and walked north toward the face
of drift being run toward the Union ground.
The air changed instantly as they turned
north. 1t was warmer; it kept getting warmer
as they proceeded. 1t got hot. The foreman
led. Ingersoll followed, after him the ladies,
and in the rear came the reporters. sit is cool
along here" remarked the foreman, "but il is
a little warmer in the face of the drift" In
gersoll was putting like porpoise, but he still
seemed cheerful. "Come on, girls, this don't
amount to much. Talk about your hot mines;
don't see where they come in" When it be-
came SO hot that breathing stung the lips and
HOStrliS Jl6 reporters SuS1SSb6u 10 Uu0 lAul6S,
without attracting the Colonel's attention, that
they had better not go any further.
Ingersoll pluckily plodded on, carrying his
candle aslant and peering little anxioasly
ahead until they met miner with his head
down rushing out Of the drift. "Where did you
come from, my man?' asked Ingersoll, as the
miner passed him. Come from the face of
the drift, old son." replied the miner, without
stopping. Something in the manner of the
man interested Ingersoll, for he yelled after
m A nd xch Org Won rnin
"Going to h-lto cool eff, /" replied the min
er, who evidently did not distinguish the ladies
in their miners costumes. Ingersoll halted
and said to the foreman: Perhaps we had bet
ter not go any further; / see the girls are not
following" AS he came back and met his
wife he whispered huskily: "Eva if thought
there really was place hotter than this we'd
go join Methodist church this very night"
Then they went down on the incline three hum
dred feet further in the ''giraff" While the
ladies were being interested in the compressed
air engine the exhaust-pipe of which formed
ice in temperature almost hot enough TO roast
meat in, the foreman told Ingersoll he had a
curious natural phenomenon he wanted to
show him.
Ingersol followed him down an abandoned
drift where the air was so hot the Oldest miner
would not work unless fresh-air pine was
first introduced. When he came back he was
shirtless, drenched with perspiration, and
scarcely able to walk. Everybody was afraid
he would faint, and the party prepared 10
ascend.
EVA" said the Colonel to his wife, al havo
been to place hotter than
"Robertp'
Yes, dear; L was only going TO remark that
it was hotter than
,,All setl' said the foreman, interrupting
the infdel, as we scrambled into the graf.
The foreman gave the bell rops three slow
pulls. "What does that mean?' said the Col
Onel.
''That is the signal to hoist"
"Well, my friend" gasped the Colonel, 90 IL
you get us to the surface uncooked will write
you an obituary that would make an angel
turn green with envy, when get 20 Chicago,
and he sank back in dark ner OF ths gir9E
pale, exhausted, and subdped.