The herald., 1897-02-08
DOWN A SHAFT AFTER FACTS
Educational Scheme Introduced
in Pittsburgh
GOING TO NATURES SCHOOL
A New Method Of Studying Geology
and MlneraIogy
More Can Be Learned In One Day Than by
Weeks Of Study Of Text Books
and Specimens

A novel departure from all precedent
in the manner Of instructing school chill
dren in mineralogy and geology has re-
Gently been tried with great success in
the public schools of Pittsburg, Pa.
Instead of text books, blackboards and
few common specimens of minerals,
these scholars were taken down far be-
low the surface of the earth and with
pick and shovel got from actual work.
a practical knowledge of the earths for
nation which it would be impossible TO
obtain in any other way
When the plan was first suggested by
Professor Samuel Andrews who is prin-
cipal of the Pittsburg grammar schools,
there was considerable argument as to
the advisability of taking whole class
of young people. twenty-five in number,
down into working coal mine.
The majority of the pupils and their
parents were willing, while the natural
timidity of the few in the minority was
soon overcome by curiosity and it was
decided to make the trip.
For a number of reasons, the mine
of the Knoxville Improvement company
was selected as the one to be visited
1t is only a few miles from Pittsburg,
in what is known as Knoxville Borough.
Its peculiar formation and the variety
of minerals which are constantly found
there made it particularly attractive TO
those interested in the trip.
There were ten youths and fifteen
young ladies in the party, which was in
charge of Professor Andrews, Miss Nc
Call and Miss Newcomb, teachers in the
school.
The entrance to the Knoxville mine is
at the base of a hill and instead of a
shaft sunk directly down, it is for the
first 1000 feet long sloping tunnel grad
ually going lower, and lower, and fur
ther into the ground until the opening
Of the first working is reached.
When the party reached the mine they
were met by the superintendent and four
of the most experienced miners in the
employ of the company.
The opening to the mine is nothing
but an oval hole dug apparently into
the Stygian darkness of the mountain S
center. A small track of two steel rails
which look more like a. plaything than
practical railway, runs out of the
tunnel and winds around the base of the
mountain until it reaches spur track
over which the coal is sent to the large
eastern points of final distribution.
Some of the young ladies were inclined
to hesitate when they saw the brawny
duSt-begrimed miners armed with
picks and iron bars with their miners
lamps Pickering on the front of their
hats and throwing sickly yellow dis
couraged sort of flame against the bright
sunlight.
At the suggestion of the mine superin-
tendent the entire party put on rubber
boots and mackintoshes and after being
provided with lanterns started on their
novel journey toward the center of the
earth.
Four small cars, such as are used TO
haul the coal out of the mine, were pro-
vided with demure and desolate looking
mules AS motive power and the entire
party disappeared within the black
mouth of the mine tunnel.
1t was a new experience to everybody
but the miner-guides, who, as they went
along the ever descending and winding
tunnel, explained the different grades
through which they passed.
Just inside the entrance there was the
big air fan and engine to be examined.
1t is this machine which is practically
the lungs of the mine. Through it
constant supply of fresh air is forced
into the farthest workings and shafts of
the mine and by the same agency all
impure and noXiouS gases are drawn
out of the mine and discharged into the
open air.
At the end of the tunnel, a thousand
feet from the entrance, the party were
shown the old workings of the mine and
the what are now considered primitive
water ways by which the earlier mine
was kept free from water.
Here far below the Hurface of the earth
the lights carried by the party showed
plainly the earlier workings of the mine
through the slate and rock which sur
rounded the original vein of coal. There
were reddish traces Of iron ore to be seen
but it was not in sufficient quantities to
warrant it's being mined.
Under the Pickering lights small pieces
of coal and ore sparkled and shone amid
the darkness like diamonds. In one of
the short branch tunnels there was re-
minder of the fact that even under the
best of circumstances coal mining is be-
set with dangers which no man can fore
see or the utmost care prevent at times
The sides of this tunnel were blackened
and SCARED as If by fire. Huge pieces
sides and roof Of the gallery and many
of the massive props which originally
supported the roof were knocked down.
The party were warned not to enter
this tunnel as there was constant dan
ger of some huge boulder or mass of coal
falling from the roof or sides. One of
the miners who was with the party ex-
planned that this gallery was once the
scene of an explosion and fire resulting
from fire damp, and since that time the
gallery had been cQlsidered as danger
Gus and was not worked.
The party were greatly Interested i'll
this particular part of the mine, but as
their object was to get practical
knowledge of the workings of the mine,
they again took their train of mule cars
and continued onward and down, down,
seemingly forever downward.
For two thousand feet farther they
went on, the miners telling them as each
level was passed. Now it was the fifty
foot, again the 100-foot level, which
meant that they were that far beneath
the earth's surface and constantly de-
scending.
Nearly mile under ground the party
arrived at what are known as the rooms
or actual workings of the mine. 1t was
here that for the time being the young
people were to become practical miners
and gather from their subterranean hid
ing places minerals and specimens which
could be obtained in no other way.
The miners who accompanied the
party pointed out the true vein Of coal
which was being mined. 1t took some
time for the visitors to become accustom-
ed to their novel surroundings. The
lights on the miners hats seemed, when
seen through the black surroundings in
the mine, to be so many firefllies dancing
about lust over the faces of the men