The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-08-21
THIRTEEN MILES UNDER
GROUND,
Visit to the Coal Mine at lockwood,
Tenn.-7h hours Under Ground
Meonard g. Goddard

How would the readers OF the
TINES enjoy thirteen mile trip
under ground, with the thought that
there are thousands and thousands OF
feet of earth above you and are from
a mile to four miles to the nearest
way OUT That was the trip
taken by the writer Saturday. Aug.
9TH. 1897, and as many have never
had this novel experience, ! thought
an account of my trip might Zoe read
with interest. 1t was my first ex-
perience of the kind and if 7 don't call
everything by just its right name |
hope my miner friends will overlook
the errors, as | will try to make my
8 slf understood by all whoFhave never
been down into die +'bowcls" OF old
mother earth.
Downing an old pair Of trowers, an
old SHIRT and strong pair Of shoes, |,
in'company with my courteous friend,
.. Hoyte McCully, of the Rock
wood Times-RepuBEcan, start
ed fortthe mines early Saturday morn
ing, where was introduced to the
.MineBoss, Mr.. Mack Taylor, with
whom we were to go asale made has
.dailyreund visiting every room m
this vast independently.
There are two coal mines at Rock
wood, but we weat into No. I, WINCH
was started in the yearzS76. 1t has
been mined for "a years and yet thers
seams to be as caeAoh ccal still IN sight
as there was years ago. In thus mine
there arc in the lselghborhood OF aBo
men working and altheugh the out
side world looks aponttheir work @s
exceedingly daSseroes, they are es
Jolly a set of fellows one ever meets
with ami many sce the Jokes cracked
and pranks played on each other 'es
they ,all.assemble to go down to theit
days work. 1t ts generally supposed
that theEboys who wotl, in the msins'
of our country are arorgh lot, but L
wish to,say right mere that SO far Is
the boys that wOck in Mine No L., al
Lockwood, this Us not so. | neNe;
saw so lasge crowd OF men an
more ,,Otts erly 0c well behaved. t.
meet may Of them and itaey were al
gentlemen and oOuldsnot have beer
treated more cle1erly. L shall atway
have pleasant reodleotlors of the met
I,tsaet whes | visinad the mine, M,
wish is shat the coming good time
maylgive them an unoreaee in wages
for no meu,deserve at mote than they
We'll, L ,uanst get fhaokNo my story
lin the first place a short account q
, lhOy the mines are constructed and
careGfor IS Geccessary. Nt the bas'
@f the mounta.n is the entrance aDt
the ,main hailian this afIne runs bacl
seMeralhundred feet before, you comt
to the FIRST "slGpe" and there the Goa
vein goes down at, we should judge
an angle Of from ten to twenty dc
grees in the main entry, Miaich ex
tends back, into the mountain a milk
and hak. Running into this mail
entry are eight other entnies ant
branching off from all Of hhem, arr
veins OF coal into (which these mel
dig and these excavations are callet
rooms. So much for the mime.
AS to the cave of ahe mine, there
NEAR the entrance very large argln
which pumps compressed air thSougl
large pipes into the mines. Marrow
gage railroad tracks are laid alonI
every entry and branches into ever,
room being warked, so that Oh
miner can load his cars eight wher'
he is digging. The cars hold s.
bushels, which is a ton and five bu
shells. They get 4oS tons per da!
out of this mine. La the main entr!
the cars are let down into the mine
and pulled out by cable, which
large engine at the top winds about
large spool. In the other entire
mules are used to pull the car
to the main entry where they arr
attached to the cable and drawn Il
the top.
In the morning at two o'clock ;
man known as the "Fire Boss" make
the rounds OF the mines, going int
every room, to find out if there is am
gas. If there isn't he marks on /;
little black board, one of which is a
the enTence Of every room, o. K