Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-09-12
NIGHTN A COAL NINE.
Industrious Toiiers Working Beneath the
Surface of the Earih-A Weird scene
Graphically Described.

Industrious Toilers Working Beneath the
Surface of the Earih-A Weird scene
Graphically Described.
A small doorway, made OF upright
logs and crossbeam. marks the en-
trance to the leading mine in the heart
of the anthracite region. 1t is located
on the mountain road just above Black
Jeddo, in Luzerne County, a place
made notorious during the Molly Ma
gsire reign. In company with an ex-
perienced guide with small miners
lamp suspended from hatband, tourist
enters the dreary, cavernous depths Of
night. As his eyes become accustomed
to the darkness making his way over
rivulets of running water and stumbling
over shining pieces of anthracite he
reaches the railroad track which con-
meets the toilers in this underground
workshop with their brother workmen
in the mammoth breaker perched on
the mountain side in building of such
magnitude that the ten-story structures
on Chestnut street sink into insignif-
canoe when compared with it.
The sharp whistle of the little engine
which winds its way through the dark
recesses Of the mine warns all corners
10 give it room to pass, and the tourist
hastily jumps into the ditch and presses
close TO the sides of the bank. The lit
tie engine, with its train laden with coal,
rushes on. Passing onward the tourist
enters roomy chamber where dusky
men, with dingy lights, with heavy
drills, are tapping into the hard, black
rock beneath their feet and scooping up
the powdered dust until sufficient
depth is reached, when the explosive
material is inserted, the fuse applied
and the warning cry is given.
All rush for shelter behind the pillars
or lie fiat on the ground until the burst
ing rock has ceased to scatter. The
mass thus detached is sufficient to fill
small train Of cars, but body of labor
ers with pick and shovel and sledge-
hammers reduced it to convenient size
for handling The train is soon loaded
and the little engine takes it to the bot
tom of the slope, where a mammoth
wire cable is attached, and powerful en-
gines at the mouth of the slope draw
the load to the outer air. The cars are
then placed on the tracks of the breaker
and powerful machinery carries them
upwards to great height, where the
mass is shot down on the iron hoored
room. where brawney men break up the
large Jumps and the mass is again
started downward, passing through sew
eral chambers and being picked over
and examined by numbers of old men
and boys, who are considered fit for
nothing else than to pick slate.
These mines are worked day and
night. and there is no intermission. No
daylight penetrates the gloom OF the
mine, but the flicker of the little lamps
suspended in the front of the headgear
of the army of workmen somewhat dis
pels the gloom. With cans upon their
back, one filled with oil, another with
water and another with powder, the
miners wend their way into the bowels
of the earth.
Returning again 10 the ear,h's sur
face, looming up in the darkness is the
mammoth breaker. Electric lights
shine from its many windows. The
tourist ascends the steps and now and
then feels a splash of spray from the
water through which the coal passes un-
til he approaches the upper chamber.
Here, seated around net work of
shallow pans in which the coal is con-
stantly in motion and pressed forward
on its journey to the car, is large body
of people of all ages and nationalities.
As the streams of glittering coal pass
in review before them, each piece of
slate is removed and thrown into a box
alongside of the busy workers. Thus
every piece of coal which is brought to
the market is handled by number of
people. philadelphia Press.