The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-04-02
For the Farmer and Mechanic.
An OId-Time Mine Explosion.

The late terrible calamity Of burning
mines at Pocahontas, Virginia, recalled
to my recollection an account which L
read wears AGO of a somewhat similar
case of CONGREGATIONS in an Austrian
m~ercurial mine. / have looked up the old
book-a volume OF travels by an Eng
lishman-which contains this accoCnt-
and transcibe below the writer's narra-
tive of the occurrence, and OF the means
by which the fire was finally extlnguish-
ed, thinking that you may consider II
worth publication. -.
= IL 1903, on the night
between the 18th and 10th of March,
the workmen observed a thick smoke
issuing from some of the lower galleries.
1t assembled and spread itself through
the higher. No fire was seen, no oun
of flames was heard but it was too
evident that the mine was on fire below.
some Of the workmen with great intr
pidity endeavored TO reach the scene OF
c~onhagration. 1t was IN vain; they
were forced to retreat from u gallery
to another, flying before an enemy whom
thew could not discover, for the smoke
which continued to make its way up
wards to the open air, was not merely
so dense and ~sutfocating, but so loaded
with noxious fumes and particles let
loose from the fossils among which the
flames were raging in the bowels OF the
earth, that no living thing could safely
meet it, much less penetrate 1t. They
were fortunate enough TO save them
selves above ground, and the idea was
adopted of e~xtinguishing the fire by ex-
Guiding the air. All the passages were
close as near to the supposed scene OF
confederation as they could be reached.
the two shafts which lead Immediately
above ground were stopped up outside,
and plastered over with clay. Five weeks
the mine remained thus sealed up, but
without effect. Twice during this period,
the coverings above were removed each
time the enemy was found more furious
than before. The flames were heard
raging below with a sound at which the
miner still trembles when he relates it;
the smoke, burdened with mercurial and
sulphurous exhalatioHs, rolled forth from
the mouth Of the pit, like steam from
the Jaws Of Acheron, striking down every
one that came within its reach. 1t
was apprehended hat the fire had at
tackled the upper works, and was thus
threading the final destruction OF the
mine. AS a last resource. the director
resolved 10 hazard the experiment OF
LAYING the mine under water. n stream
was turned into the perpendicular shaft,
and allowed to flow two days and three
nights. During the first day 1t pro-
duced no effect. In the course OF the
second day, whether it was that steam
generated by the meeting OF the fire and
water, was struggling for escape, or that
an infiammable air had been produced
and kindled by the glowing fossils. OF a
sudden a su~bteraneous explosion SHOOK
the mountain, with the noise n vlo-
lence of an earthquake. The huts OF
the miners situated zeal the entrance
were rent houses farther off, but stand
on the slope or near the skirts OF the
hill, stal ted from their foundations !; and
the panic-slruck inhabitants were flying
from the ruin that seemed to threaten
their valley. In the mine itself, as was
afterwards found, the explosion had rent
the galleries, thrown down the arched
roofs, and tore up the stairs. But the
victory was gained the vapors began TO
diminish, and at the end of some weeks
it was possible to venture into the mine.
1t was some time, however, before reg
ular work could be resumed partly
from the heat which the earth still re-
tanned, but still more from the fumes OF
sublimated mercury, which produced a
violent salvation accompanied with con
v~ulsions and trembling OF the limbs. 1t
was impossible for the miners to remain
long in the galleries. 1t cost two years
to prepare an apparatus and pump out
the water.n