The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-10-02
MINE LONG ON FIRE
ALL EFFORTS TO QUENcH THE
FLAMES FRUITLEss.
Vein Of Coal In West Virginia VIII
Probably Be Left to Burn Itself
Out--Romantlc story 10
Attached.


Charleston, w. va.,-On Paint
Creek, about 20 miles above this city,
near the station at Standard, a coal
mine fire is raging-a fire about the
origin of which an interesting romance
is woven. At night the mountainsde
in which the mine is located is ablaze
with a weird play of light; by day
column of smoke ascends like monu.
ment. In truth. the mountain Is afire,
an unquenchable fire, as those who
have already lost $4,000 in vain at
tempt to smother 1t will testify.
In the late sos of the last century
the Kanawha Coal and Oil company
was organized for the purpose OF pro-
ducing oil from camel coal found in
the mountains divided by Paint
Creek. The vein located was com.
paratively thin one, lying In the heart
of thick seam of the bituminous
coal. The company was busy with its
operations when the civil war broke
out, but continued at work for some
time thereafter.
The superintend IN. was blunt old
Englishman named Gordon, who had a
handsome daughter, Rowena. who was
the delight of her fathers heart and
the despair of the young men OF the
neighborhood. There was the usual
counting and flirting. with the usual
final selection of one man and the
inevitable preparations for the we'd
hA
a native of the mountains, strappine
young fellow, who had won the faith
ers favor as a workman even before
he won the daughters esteem as q
lover. Thus the course of true love
seemed TO run smooth.
But the war came, and the Paint
Creek section was as badly torn by op
posing factions as any other small
part OF the entire country The natives
were of the south, while most Of those
who had come to work in the mines
we're union men. or the latter was OLE
man Gordon, while Adkins was regu
lar flre-eating son OF Dixie.
After several stormy interviews Ad
kins was forbidden to enter the Cor
con home, and Rowena was ordered
not to see him. He enlisted In thu
confederate army and marched on
with Wise on his famous retreat III
the valley. This was In the spring o
| 1861. In the autumn he returned hom'
on a furlough and sought to renew
| amicable relations with the Gordons
but was reprfsed by both father ant
daughter. 1t is said that in a spirit o
| at the mouth of the mine. The fire wa
| communicated to the rich vein OF can
mel coal inside, and, obtaining goo,
hold, has been burning ever since.
| Adkins returned to his regimen
and was killed in battle, The Gordon
subsequent history IL not known here
That Is the romantic version. TIL
prosaic one Is that the fire was con
inundated to the mine by forest fir
that ragged furiOusly In October, 1861
Certain 1t Is that the mine began t
burn at that time and has been burr
ing since.
In the late sos company was form
ed by Charleston men to eXtinguis
the fire and reopen the mine, bu
after spending $4,000 in vain a
tempt, the enterprise was abandoned
1t is probable that the fire will be u
lowed to burn until the entire vein {
coal is consumed.
Often, for years at time, the fir
(can not be seen; but there Is alway
something about the locality to bea
witness to its presence. Sometimes
Is smoke, sometimes steam. In We
weather there Is always vapor risin
from above the mine. In winter sno
melts as rapidly as 1t falls on the pa
ticular spot, while the ground aroun
is white. In the spring vegetation al
pears earlier where the earth Is warl
from this underlying heat. or late
has been burning visibly at night, tn
extent being perhaps 100 yards alon
the face of the mountain.