The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-11-02
Down In an Iron Mine.

While at Ishpeming (NIich.), writes
Boston Herald correspondent made
my first inspection of the inner workings
of the great iron mine. Descending shaft
GA" of the Barnum mine on an iron
cage, l was landed 4S5 feet below the
surface of the earth in the space of forty
five seconds. 1t was quick trip down
ward and thrilling experience to
novice. Stepping from the cage to the
floor of the mine one stands few
moments blinking and winking while the
eyes grow accustomed to the dense dark
ness of the place. The head whirls for
some moments, and it seems as though
the lights of a Thousand stars were dancing
in black sky which spread itself before,
behind, above and below, on every side.
By-and-bye a candle is thrust into your
hand, your head grows steady and your
eye is able to make out indistinctly that
the lights which you see are not stars
in an inky armament, but the more
prosaic, greasy little lamps attached
to the hats of miners who are
at work all around you, some drill
ing with their power drills a series
of pockets which lead them fifty or 100
feet directly up through the sides and
roof. Others pursue "a vein that takes
them directly to one side. Your ears are
almost deafened by the constant rushing,
pounding, saving noises made by the
great drills as they crash their way
through rocks and iron ore. 1t is well
that you are provided with rubber boots,
rubber coat and rubber hat ere you enter
the mine; water spouts from everywhere
from the walls on either side, from the
roof overhead and from the floor beneath.
The main corridor in the mine is about
500 feet in length, ten in width, and
fifteen in height; smaller corridors or
chambers lead from this in every direc-
ton. On one side of the main corridor
runs an iron track for use 10y the ore cart
which comes rushing along, propelled by
tough little mule, at the most unex-
pected moments. Winking and blinking,
hardly knowing where you are, or what
you are about, fun of curiosity over what
you see, feel and hear, glad you are down
there, but sure you will feel happier when
once more abovc-you stumble along
between the rails of the little un-
derground track; tripping over huge
chunks of ore, anon planting ones foot
into a deep pool of water and then cling
my tloSc " tilC tolN, luSStu lIOH-IOCk
wall, while the ore cart rushes by. At
the end of the corridor you find a gang
of men with pick and shovel, breaking
the ore last blasted into suitable size,
and loading it into the car You watch
them, talk with them little, and then
turn backward. You are convinced ~
one thing-a miners life may have its
attractions for some, certain it is, how
ever, it is not what a newspaper man
yearns for. When you are up on solid
ground again (you are in midair min
ute and half going there you feel that
there is still some joy left in this life.
Then you examine the great Sturtevant
exhaust fan that pumps constant cur
rent of fresh air into every part of the
mine below, and divide your attention
between that and the huge Cornish pump,
which lifts all the water from the depths
below and sends it to an ad acent swamp.