New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-08

gray roof of old Shingles showed above the foliage
on the bank: below in the stream a fleet o, six
raftS-grcat logs, three feet in diameter; on each
raft two big lazy fellows. leaning against the
rudder- poles with the attitude OF gondohcrs
satin-smooth bark Of brown sand in sudden slope
against which half stood half leaned. full
breasted young woman in pink sunbonnct, with
waist. apron and skirt in soft shades of pink and
brown: a girlchild with it, hands on the woman s
shoulders, her little body pressed against the
mothers and her round face with quiet eyes
turned toward the passing boat; "A boy-chld IN
true boyish misunderstanding with feet wide apart
rod in his hands, head bent down indiiierently.
And now We were nearing Whtehousc, at the
extreme northern limit Of the cannccoa region
and there the interest Of trip began TO deepen
with an intensity that to me- was most sur
prising Tales. too much like the doubtful old
stories Of hidden treasure, had of course read IN
printed accounts Of the undeveopcd natural wealth
of Eastern Kentucky. Eastern Tennessee and
Southwestern Virginia, but ! frankly confess
had ser them down as being gross cXagGeratlons
or covert advertisements, Inspired by BOOMERS
Quaint and picturesque features ! Lad found
during previous excursions on horseback through
the Southern mountains but neither hidden
treasure nor promise Of hidden treasure. SO
approached the limits Of the coal fields in a
highly sceptical frame Of mind, and was even
disposed 20 make sport Of 80 pretty an incident
as this-that a handsome young town-bred woman
looking quite out Of place in that rough country
boarded the Sip Bayes as we were drawing near
the first mine. and when we had reached White
house left us. as who should say This way
fortune lies" Would it spoil the incident TO
give our fair guides name and to explain that
she lived at Whtehousc and had been educated
at a GOOD city school? Well at any rate. the
omens were propitious; and little by little, my
scepticism was disodged by positive proof Of the
existence Of wholly undcveloped natural resources
Of incalculablc value; mountains Of coal and Of
iron and great forests Of poplar, oak and walnut,
extending from Whitehousc away down TO the
Blue RIDGE below johnson City, Tennessee.
Hidden treasure, indeed, simply and literally hid
den treasure and therefore new interest in our
Journey which from this point dellehtcd me with
the union Of magnificent sconery. new types Of
character among the mountain people and hidden
treasure-thrce elements that you may not often
find in combination.
beginning with Whitehouse, where examined
one openng from which canne-coal has been taken
in small quantities for live years past, stopped
every now and then in our progress up the river
at points where the especially fine veins 10
be seen. Now on the right hand. now on the
left now camel coal now splint coal, now plain
bituminous coal, and now, irally near Piievillc,
the superb cooking cOal-coals, Goals, Goals show
ing everywhere, but taken out only in minute
quantities TO supply the river boats and the
farmers own freplaccs. Every farmer there has
his coal mine in his back yard, which he visits
occasionally with pick and basket very much as
farmers elsewhere visit their cellars with scuttle
and shovel Let show you one opening
the Big Sandy. which may stand for them all.
Here it is. rear GAINESVILLE, which is not a town.
YOU understand there no towns but just
house or two within sight Of each other, in the
thny settled region where every man may have
his coal cellar in his back yard and dig as he
! uses Here, then, is the opening, in a fern-grown
cliff. IL is sevenfoot opening, through solid
coal-at least the seam is more than six feet thick
"Sant" Lane, old Judge Lanes son, and the other
Lane boys it and SAINT occasionally tramps
across the cOm-bOttom meadow planted in In
dian corn with u basket and pick TO fetch
supply for Mrs. Lane. lie says it's hard work.