The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-02
LANSING'SLETYER



| to the tide. These with a few yachts
and small pleasure crafts fill in the time
until we reach Plymouth.
Plymouth is really composed of three
parts or towns, and numbers close to
200, 900 inhabitants. 1t has magnifi-
cent harbor and breakwater a mile in
length. costing CT $50, 900, affording a
safe refuge for the largest craft. A
number of forts are scattered about,
and four barracks for some 5000 men.
Here the Mayfower set sail for its trans
atlantic voyage, Sept. @, 1920. The
Hoe" an elevated promenade, with a
fine view of the harbor is one of the inn
portant objects of interest.
On this promistory rises the statue of
Sir Francis Drake, as well as the orig
inal Eddystone lighthouse, re-erected
here, after being placed on the rocks.
Another point of interest is st. Andrews
Church, built during the fifteenth CEN
tury and containing many old monu-
ments. Plymouth as q whole is very
inviting place, and affords the traveller
a rest, after passing through number
less ke-begrimed crowded cities.
No particular industry outside of trad
ing and shipping seems to bother the
minds of the inhabitants. The streets
with streams of soldiers in fatigue uni
form and canes promenading to and fro.
Leaving this pretty little town all too
quickly by the fast Cornish express"
we reach in the evening Camborne,
where the largest, deepest and most sue
cessful tin mine in the world is situated,
and that is what we have come all this
way from our path to see. Let me say
first, however, there are two things
which l like more than anything else
about Cornwall. The dialect Is charm
ing, and the drawing sensation inimit-
able. The other and principal thing is
Cornish cream. This is obtained by
simply scalding the milk, but / think
there must be peculiar knack, for IL is
nowhere near as fine even next door, in
Devonshire. These two things, al
though widely different, left most pc
culiarly lasting impressions upon me.
Now for our tin mine.
The Dolcouth mine employs in the
vicinity of 1900 men, about ZOO of
whom are below the earth's surface
eight hours out of twenty-four, being
divided into three sections, from 9 to 2,
2 to 10 and 10 to 9. The mine at pres
ent is about 425 fathoms, or 1850 feet.
in depth. The pay roll amounts to
nearly e1 900 per week. As per state
ment for last twelve weeks the ex-
penses were f20,770, SIS, 1-5d, and yet
there was profit of f10,7S3, IS, Cd.
Quite a respectable business for three
months!
The average pay Of the miners for
work performed whore they are placed
by weekly wages is e5 per month. Be-
ing practically in a little world of their
oh v,1v hn in,
particular running from TO 6s week to
eS or G6 year. Food is practically the
same cost as in other places with
perhaps a little difference in the garden
produce. Now for trip towards Aus
tralia, for miner assured me he could
hear the cocks crow there when he went
to work In the morning. Visiting a
little house near the mine we divest
ourselves Of all clothing and put on
complete tin-miner's suit. This consists
of shirt, drawers, coat, pants, shoes and
stockings and 'kerchief around the
neck. On the head is first placed cloth
cap, and over IL a heavy hat of some
very tough material. We soon reach
the mine.
Here the guide mixes some clay to
pasty consistency, and, after inserting
wax candles and fastening bunch of
eight or nine more upon his coat, in
forms me the time has arrived when we
must bid the sunlight goodbye for at
least six hours. Preparing to descend,
l find another novelty. Instead Of the
iron cages with wheels, in which seven
or eight could be raised or lowered at q |
time, there is what is called man.
engine. This is the general idea. On
an upright timber or series of timbers,
at intervals of twelve feet, are square
plates Of iron, upon which the miner
steps. These steps drop twelve feet,
then rise again, back and forth, similar
to the piston and walking beam on one
of our river steamers. The walking
beam above, and the perpendicular
timbers the piston. This, from gen.
eral view, seems very easy, but let me
explain just few dangers and difficult
ties.
In the first place you are obliged to be
very careful when getting off each step
iuto the niche provided, cut out of solid
stone, all wet and sometimes very slip
perry. Again, although handle is pro-
vided between each step to cling to, vet
one must be careful, for within a few
inches on the side run wheels which
would crush an arm quite easily. And
again you must stand erect and yet lean
with the timber which sometimes slope.
for in many places there is just room TO
comfortably go through without bang
ing your head against the granite walls,
which would surely be death Again
there are fifteen steps, and as was the
case when came mp, these steps were
filled alternately with men going down
and those coming up, necessitating
continuous stepping on and off for the
space of thirty minutes without
break, for men are below, above and
beside you. Another important thing
is TO keep your candle lit, which is not
the easiest thing in the world with con-
stant draughts, but is indispensable in
the descent.
Take it all in all, il is of course safer
for the miners and in the end about as
quick. After reaching the foot of our
gigantic elevator, we fasten our candles
to our hats and walk for some time
through cuts aud galleries. Here and
there few men are at work, with
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