The morning call., 1890-10-26
GHOSTS IN
COAL MINES.
Dark Galleries and Passages
Where the SpoOks Wander.
superstitious Miners-Phantoms Which Haunt
Disused Workings and Give Warnings
Of Impending Danger.

%.HE bituminous coal mines in the CEN
GSTS trail portion of Pennsylvania differ
J1SS radically from the coleries of the an
thracite regions, for whereas the latter
mines rs rule consist of deep shafts, from
the sides and bottoms of which diverge the
tunnels or workings, the former. on account
of the mountainous country and the near
ness OF the coal to the surface, are rarely
other than Slopes, drifts or banks" that
is, simply excavations in the hillside, ex-
tending under the ground sometimes for
miles.
After mine has been worked for few
years the earth becomes veritably honey
combed with galleries and passages, which,
being abandoned. are left open and I'M
marked, the operators relying upon the
miners knowledge of the plans to prevent
their going astray, or even if workman
should get into an old drift his light would
soon show him his error. 1t is extremely
dangerous, however, evenfor an experienced
miner to attempt to grope his way into or out
of mine without lamp, for he may I'M
consciously wander into a side gallery. and
be led directly away from the desired point.
Happily for him if losing his way is at
tended by no serious consequences, for it is
by no means unknown for persons straying
into disused galleries to fall into shafts
sunk for testing the thickness of the vein,
and there, far distant from human aid,
perish from wounds or hunger. An
other and a more uncanuy danger
which encompasses the wanderer
leries where the vein dips" that is, de-
scends in an obliQue direction into the earth.
When the miners reach dip" the down.
ward course Of the vein is followed until it
again assumes horizontal position or it is
demonstrated the dip is too deep to warrant
further working. In the latter event the
excavation very quickly fills up with water,
and an eerie sensation steals over one who
gazes on one of these underground lakes Of
unknown deepness lying quiet and black.
under the Pickering torchlght.
WORKING ALONE IN THE DEPTHS
OF the earth, miners are oftentimes ex-
tremely superstitious. and the recurrence
of anything which they have learned to
regard as an omen is sufficient to cause them
to quit work. Strange sights and sounds
are claimed to be heard and seen by these
toilers A few years since an old trust
worthy miner came from his working in
one of the principal coleres at noon
and announced his intention of quitting
work for the day. When pressed for a
reason lie demurred ut giving one, but
finally stated that when hard at work in a
new room, far distant from any other cham
q
church bell. He was laughed at, but per-
sisted in going home, and subsequent events
proved his good fortune in so doing, for be-
fore night the entire gallery In which he
had been working cayed in, and it was only
by chance that large number Of miners
were not buried under the dirt and clay.
Other mines have the reputation OF being
haunted, and there are disused workings
into W hich the men could not be tempted to
enter Sometimes the phantom takes the
shape of an uncouth beast, Of which large
fiery eyes cleaning through the darkness
form the chief component part; in others
the spirit Of some comrade miner, whose life
has been crushed out in one of the frequent
casualties, stalks through the galleries pick
in hand and lamp burning in his cap. Not
a sound does he make, but slowly traversing
the main gallery he goes to the point at
which his body was found and disappears.
The news spreads through the mine that
old Jenny has been seen, and with one
accord the miners throw down their tools
and flock homeward TO escape the disaster
the spectacle is said to betoken.
Sometimes these tales assume darker
hue. 1t is related that in an old mine which
had been worked for many years aud which