The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-04

is difficult 10 pick the way through the
mines owing Co the low and steep con-
ditlon of the galleries.
A short distance from the main cavern
the visitor comes To q Well Of water
eighteen feet deep but SO clear that the
bottom is easily seen. The sunlight peeps
in al the TOD of the wei hole fifty feet
10 the surface below. There used 70 Do
O rope and bucket I'm the well, the top
OF which was secured by q trap-doOr
To- prevent any prisoner escaping. HOW
ever one inmate did make the attempt
one night. having bribed the guard TO
unlock the hatch. but after the prisoner
had climbed the rope nearly TO the top
he was struck on the head by the des-
ccndlng bucket. and his body was found
tho next day at the bottom of the Wei.
Most grews0me Of all is a dungeon
known as the Sounding Room II IS
deep within the mines and was used Tor
the solitary confinement Of the prison.
ers. Here the echoes are remarkably IN
tense, and even whisper Is repeated,
vl.lc a grOan will resOund as II made
by the whole mountain. The refractory
prisoner was shackled 70 the stone wall,
his only refreshment being spring,
which IS so near ne could reach It by
STOPPING over. Near n shaft where me
copper ore was raised to the surface
is a hole. hardly large enough for man
to crawl through, which was uSed as
a drain
ONE TORY ESCAPED.
Yet a Tory named Wooster made his
escape by this difficult way. IL was
closed by iron bars, which Wooster
loosened by picking the mortar with
nail rods he had brought undaected into
the prison He stayed many nights
within tho drain. enlarging II by chr
ping the rocks. one night he was thus
at work trying 20 bore MS way cut FAR
within the drain. when a large stone
fen behind him. making him prisoner
in this tomb He thought he must die
a terrible death OF starvation, when, to
his delight. he found that he could KICK
back the rock "a little ways lie strus-
eled desperately. fearing every moment
that the stone would reach a place
where he could not move it. Finally he
showed II 20 q hollow place and was able
10 crawl by Torn and bleodlnS,'.he was
ablo 10 repor. 10 the guard next day
and escape detection. a few days later
be. with several others, escaped through
the drain. but an were captured except
Wooster who made his way 10 the sea-
coast and entered his malestys service.
Another desperate attempt 10 escape
was Joined IN by the men who gave their
account OF their entrance TO the prison.
with several others they overpowered
the guards, fatally wOunding one, ana
took the rest prisoners. They then re-
leased their companions and. although
some were wounded In the scuiile, many
escaped. 4 committee OF the COnnecu-
cut Assembly Investigated their escape
and I'm its report made very sarcastic
comments on the ineiiiclency OK the
guards.
Jacob southwell was awakened by the
tumult," says the report; took a gun
and ran back for fear they would hurt
him. y. B--A young man more TT 10
carry fish 10 market than to keep guard
al Newgate Nathan Phelps was also
asleep. but could no nothing. the phi
soners having possession OF the guard
house "a small lad just tit 10 drive plow
with a very gentle team. lie went 20
Mr.. Vets and stayed till morning tpoor
boy)." The blockhOuse was burned three
times while the English prisoners were
kept IN the mines.
COPPER TRACES SEEN.
Bright green and dark steel gray col
ors will be noticed in the rock. This Is
the copper which at one time gave a
fabulous reputrt ton for richness TO the
mines, Many attempts have been made
to extract thu ore, but always have
ended in financial failure. The first at
tempt was made in 1907 by company
formed Of the land owners OF Simsbury
The company made contract with three
clergymen 10 smelt the ore bur the
British restrictions on smelling we're too
severe 10 leave any profit. Another at
tempt was made Just before the Revo-
luton. but IN lis the works for mining
purposes were abandoned for many
years. In 1890 the Phoenix Mining Com
pany was formed OF New York men. but
the company went under during the
panic The last attempt was made IN
1850 by the Connecticut Copper Mining
Company, which built a stable plant
and for two years carried on the und<r-
taking While the ore yields 10 per cent.
and In some specimens as high IS 40 per
cent the difficulty Is In extraorins the
metal.
r. u. Viets. Of Springfield, Mass, a
great-grsndson OF the irst keeper OF tn@