Year: 1860

ladies from the city Of New York were


visiting at the residence of the Superin-
tendent of the great Forest Improvement
Comfany's mines in the Schuy.kill coal


region. The younger was but eighteen


years OF age, and both possessed that love


OF adventure which appear natural to


city belle when relieved from the cou-


tracing and influences Of metropolitan life


After sojourning some weeks amid the


wild and beautiful scenery of w oodside,
they became anxious for novel excite


ment, and determined to Ego down into


a mine" This idea once conceived, could


not be reasoned away; into a mine they
must go, and the deepest one must he Sc


lected for the excursion.


| An intelligent and brave Scotchman.


whose practical knowledge Of mining is


OF the most thorough character, was ap-
pealed to, and he decided that an old


drift-a drift, reader, is an opening lead
ing horizontally into the side Of a noun
tain--known as the "Otto mins," was
the most suitable for the proposed visit.
The drift extended into the mountain a


distance Of one mile and a half, and had


been worked for years. The dangers at


tending the excursion were not concealed,


but these only added zest to the undeltak-
! ing. Two young gentlemen, also from
New ork, volunteered az escorts, and


the company was formed. 1t was arran-
ged that drift car was to be taken to the
entrance of the mine, and that this, drawn
by mule and driven by miner, was to
convey the party into the earth's bosom,
while the Scotchman was to accompany
them as guide.


Having equipped themselves for the
journey, they departed at 5 o'clock in the
afternoon, and reached the end of the
mine in safety. Here an hour was spent
in examining the coal formations and the
subterranean chamber, and their curiosity
being thoroughly gratifed, they prepared
to return. Mounted on their novel con
veyance, they were proceeding merrily
along, when one Of the young ladies ex-


pressed desire to break off piece of coal
as memento of their visit. The car


was stopped, and armed with stone,
the lady commenced battering at the gra


bite-like coal. While thus employed, a
] nlIutl W uO lldu Dtcll sldNiOlltAl dl bllc Oub-


let Of the mine ente ed hastily and inform


ed the Scotch guide that the earth over


the passage way had commenced to crum
/ bic.


This, to miners, is an almost certain


indication that fall will take place-the


dropping pebbles being but the forerun
ner of the crushing rocks and earth. The
| car was Immediately put in motion, with
the hope that the exit might be gained be- |
fore the danger arrived, but their efforts |
were in vain. They had gone but a few
hundred yards, when rumbling like dis
tant thunder was heard-a rush of colder
air blew over them, and then all was still |
as the grave.


There could be no doubt as to the cause
of this phenomenon-th mine had caved
in. Their mule was brought to a stand
and the Scotchman, accompanied by the
miner who had served as the Jehu of the
party, proceeded onward to make an ex-
ploration. In short time they returned
and reported that the fall of the earth and
rock was so great that it would take at
least three days to dig passage way out;
and that there was great danger Of fur
ther falls, the earth being now loosened.
Here was a predicament. Buried beneath
mountain, beyond any possible help for
three days, with no water or food, and
the air so close that unaccustomed lungs
could hardly breathe 1.-THE heart might
well quail at the contemplation Of such
condition. But female heroism rose su
perior to the misfortune, and the ladies Of
the party "stood as those who champion
ed human fears One of them declared
that they conld "kill the mules and live
upon them for three days, or till they
could be dug ont"


After a consultation among the miners
the Scotch guide announced that there
was an air shaft ascending from the end
of the mine to the summit of the noun
tain, and that it was barely possible that
this might afford way Of egress. The
party therefore returned to the extremity
of the drift, and the miner who had ac-
companied them was sent up the shaft to
ascertain il it was open to the surface
For near two hours the company anxious
ly waited the return Of their messenger
At the end of that time he came back
with the report that he had reached the ,
surface with great difficulty, and that the
shaft was open, but in very dangerous ;
condition. Time had rottcd away the
timber which kept its sides from falling ,
together, and the stones hung loose in ..
many places, ready to fall at the slightest ;
touch But still there was hope of es-
cape and when humanity is reduced to
desperation, feats can be accomplished |
which in calmer moments, would be con-
sider ed impossible.


The air shaft was less than two feet in
diameter, and rose to hight of near 600 ,
feet. In some places it was perpendicu-
lar, and in others it was hurried up at an
angle. The dampness Of years had COW
cred the timbers around it with slime,
and where they had rotted away a soft
mud oozea out Of the earth. But not,
withstanding all these difficultirs, added
to the danger that a falling rock might
wedge them in beyond the power Of escape
and leave them to die the lingering death
of being buried alive, they determined to
attempt the ascent.


The party consisted Of the two ladies,
the two gentlemen who acted as their es-
cort, the Scotchman who acted as their