The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-05-17
MASSACHUSETTS LEAD
ONLY MINE DESCRIBED
EMERSON VISITED THE GLOOMY
CAVERN AND RECORDS HIS
OBSERVATIONS.

Donald M. Liddell, or New York,
writes the following to the Engineer
ing and Mining Journal:
/ / was recently interested in finding
the following passage in Emerson's
Journal bearing on early mining in
Massachusetts. 1t appears that in
1928 he was taking vacation tour
across that state and spent some time
at Northampton. from which he
made several excursions.
In the afternoon i went on horse
back (Oh, HerculesD with ALLEN
Strong to Round Hill, the beautiful
site of the gymnasium, and the Shop
herds factory, about four miles from
the center OF the town. Saturday
morning, we went in a chaise In pur-
suit of lead mine said to lie about
five miles off, which we found after
great and indefatigable search. We
tied our horse and descended, by di-
rection, into somewhat steep glen,
at the bottom of which we found the
covered entrance of a little canal
about five feet wide. Into this artifi-
ciai cavern we fired gun to call out
the miner from within. The report
was long and loudly echoed, and after
a weary interval we discerned boat
with lamps lighted in it's side issuing
from this dreary abode. We welcomed
the miner to the light of the sun, and
leaving our hats without, and binding
our heads, we lay down in the boat
and were Immediately introduced to
cave varying in height from four to
six and eight feet, followed in q pretty
soft sandstone through which the wa
ter continually drops. When we lost
sight of the entrance and saw only
this gloomy passage by the light Of
lamps, it required no effort of the
Imagination to believe we were leav.
man was a true Charon. After sail
Ing few hundred feet, the vault grew
higher and wider overhead, and there
was a considerable trickling of water
the mine and reaches UP to the sur
face of the earth We continued to
advance in this manner for 900 feet
and then got out of the boat and walk
ed on planks little way to- the end
of this excavation. Here we expected
to find the lead vein, and the opera
tions of the subterranean man. but
were sadly disappointed. He has
been digging through this stone for IL
years, and has not yet discovered any
lead at all. Indications of lead at the
surface led some Boston gentlemen to
set this man at work, in the expecta-
ton that after cutting his dark canal
for 1000 feet he would reach the vein
and the canal would then draw off the
water which prevented them from
digging from above. AS yet he had
found no lead, but, as he gravely OBJ
served, has reached some excellent
granite In this part of the work he
has $40 for every foot he advances
and it occupies him 10 days to earn
this.
He has advanced S75 feet and he
spends his days, winter and summer,
alone in this damp and silent tomb.
He says the place is excellent for med
iation; and that he sees no gobblins.
Many visitors come to his dark resi-
dence and pay him a shilling apiece
for the sight. A young man, he said
came the day before us, who, after |
going in a little way, was taken with |
terrors and said he felt faint and re-
turned Said miner is O. brawny per-
son, and discreet withal; has wife
and lives near the hole. All his ex-
cavations are performed by successive
1t is evident that at the time of the
authors visit this discreet miner
was advancing at less than his usual
rate, for had he gone one foot per ten
days for 975 feet 1t would have re-
CURED over 80 years instead Of 10 to
make the stated advance By the way
Is 1t typical of the philosopher to re-
mark upon the great and ifdefatig,
able search" yet give his reader no
possible clue to the direction in which
he mine" lay from Northampton?
And can any reader Of the Journal
give any of the further history of this
'orerunner Of the Roosevelt tunnel?
Was anything ever struck besides s
granite, and is the situation of the !
unnel known? :