The record-union., 1897-11-22
THE BOTTOM OF 4 MINE.
USES OF THE NEW WOMAN
MINING BY A WOMAN.
Not So Easy as It Looks-A Press
Association Down in the
Earth.
Especial Correspondence of the Record

| Earth.
Especial Correspondence of the Record
Union."D
| PORTLAND (Or.), Nov. 1S.-During
the recent visit of the Oregon Press
Association, of which 1 am member,
TO Baker City, the guests had the novel
experience of going to the bottom of
mine. A mine l3O feet deep. The mine
of which J. speak, the Flagstaff, is one
of the largest and best known mining
properties in Eastern Oregon 1t re-
quires a considerable amount of nerve
to enter the cage and to go down that
long black shaft seemingly into the
very bowels of the earth The trip
from start 10 finish is brim full of ex-
ctement. 1t is something to be thought
| over and looked forward to with a
| mixture of pleasure and fear.
When the crucial moment does ar
rive, and the cage, containing soft,
fur rug, placed there for your especial
benefit, stands at the entrance of the
shaft you wish with all your heart
that you could gracefully retreat, but
the smilingly eXpectant mine Superin-
tendent, who doesn't think anything of
which the cage runs when he is in a
hurry, stands at your elbow. With
many a nervous qualm, which you try
in vain to suppress, you accept the tall
low candle, which he hands you with
Chesterfieldian bow, and step into the
cage with as nonchalant an air as cir
cumStanceS will permit.
Since my return from Baker City and
come to the conclusion that after all
the new woman has her uses. She
doesn't scream and threaten to faint
when she finds herself in a tight place,
but shuts her teeth with a snap, and
extricates herself TO the best of her
ability, and if she does accept the as
sistance of man she has the air of
leading the general public to believe
that it is she who is helping him.
Another thing the short skirt of the
new woman in such places are things
to be openly envied. They are not in
the way, and they don't get draggled,
and no woman can look pretty in
draggled skirt
The cage in which 1 made the descent
was built, as nearly as can describe it,
on slight incline; low as to the front
and high as TO the back-'for all the
world like a woman's ball Dress muir
mered a man as he stepped in beside
me. Then the word was given to start,
and with bated breath 1 felt myself
being slowly carried down the long,
tunnel-like shaft.
High over our heads We're tier after
tier of rafters, dripping with moisture,
while up from below came the faint
r
just beginning to become accustomed
to the novel ride, and to rather enjoy
it, when, with bump, the cage stopped
at the first landing, 80 feet under
ground. AS we stepped from the cage
we found ourselves in a sort Of narrow
passage, from which labyrinth Of
other passages stretched forth in every
direction The air was heavy and hot.
and the sound of our voices, lowered
almost unconsciously, had an unfamil-
lar sound.
1t was so dark that at a distance we
could not distinguish the forms of the
miners, and the lights they wore in
| their hats looked like will O. the wisps,
and succeeded in giving me decidedly
uncanny feeling. After few minutes
| inspection of the first ledge, we again
d
boldest were taken to the very bot
tom of the mine On the way we pass
ed several platforms, all like the one
we had just left, and on each of the
platforms we passed groups of grimy.
sooty miners, who had left their work
to see US. / think the sight seeing that
day was reciprocal on both sides. AS
the cage made it's final stop, and we
firma, for few moments it seemed as
though We could not breathe so close
and oppressive had the air become,
while water drfpped from the rocky
sides Of the cave and formed in pools
at our feet.
Suddenly desire to mine-to use the
pick and shovel as did the big, red
shirted miners all around me, took pos
session Of my soul. Turning to the Su-
perintendent, I impaired to him my de-
sire. He only smiled indulgently, and
at once set about the qualification of
my desire. A. heavy waterproof
cloak, the property Of an obliging miner,
was put on me, pick and shovel was
placed in my hands. likely place was
pointed out to me, few necessary in
structions given, and 1 was told to
begin.
Mining isn't as easy as it looks-this
is for the benefit OF the uninitiated, and
the average woman is more apt TO
pound her fingers with the heavy ham,
mer than the elusive little automatic
drill, nevertheless, with determination
in my eye I made a bold attempt at
1t, and had the satisfaction of unearth-
ing some very satisfactory specimens.
The only unpleasantness experienced
was in making the ascent. when. in or
der to avoid coming in contact With
the rafters. one is obliged to hold ones
head in rather trying position. Both
the owners OF the Virtue and Flag
staff mines were untiring in their ef-
forts to make their guests feel that they |
We're welcome. and one and all left the |
mines with the peasantest recollec- |
tions Of their kindly hospitality.
BESELENA. |
A Dutiful Son.