Year: 1859

In company with q friend, We recently paid
a visit 10 that great curiosity of the Anthracite
coal region, the burning mine 1t is located In
what is known as the jugular vein" Of the
Broad Mountain, near the village of Coal
Castle. The scenery around this mining Will
age is strikingy grand and beautiful. Wher-
ever the eye may turn, the smoke of steam
engines can be seen ascending while their deep
pulSations break the stiffness of the giant
mountains. A hundred little brooks and riyu-
let's make music in the deep gorgea and over
the shining pebbles. Immense structures built
of timber and blackened by the coal dust tell
of the enterprise of the operators while the
dusky countenances of the tol-Wo orn miners
bear witness 10 their industry


Leaving the high road which passes through
the village, we wended our way up along the
mountain gorge to the burning mine A we'll
worn path indicated the locality of the curiosity
We were in search of, and following this We
soon came within range of the sickening ordors
which rise from the hidden fire. After climb.


ing with some difficulty from the gorge to the
summit of the mountain spur, beneath which
which the devouring element RACES, we came
to the direct evidences of the magnitude of
this subterraneau fire. Immense holes were
formed in the mountain, funnel shaped aud
about twenty feet in depth, where the surface
of the earth had caved in upon the cavity form
ed by the fire. Those extend in line from
the entrance to the mine distance of several
hundred yards, and preseu: most singular ap-
pearance. Around them the trees ore killed
by tue vapors which continually arise 10 the
form of steam from the hidden laboratory
The rocks and pebbles are coIored with sui
phurous coating of yelIowiSh-red hue. The
earth over the mine is loose and porous, being
apparently dsintegrated by the continual action
of :he hot air and steam which arises from the
fire below and by thrusting q stick into it the
vap0r will at once burst out.


We cannot describe the SickeDing odOr of
this yapor. 1t is sulphurous, and there is
damp, sitting efhuyia about it which is very
nauseat;ng. The steam which rises through
the earth is only moderately warm, owing 10
the great depth of the fire. We fingered
around the external evidences Of this wonder
ful subterrauean combustion until we were
sickened by its breath, aud the odor Of it hung
about US for hours after We had reached q
purer atmosphere


This burning mine was first ignited in the
winter of 1883. One of the watchmen placed
light near prop, which caught fire, and
soon tue fire communicated to the coal,
and since then has been burning necessarily.
How much coal has been consumed in this
score OF years can only be coDjGctured, but
certainly many thousands of tons have been
necessary TO feed the devouring element A
vein undcrueath that which is burning is now
worked. Several times the fire has cOmmuni-
Gated 10 this vein, but 1t has always been ex-
tugushed by filing the mine with water. At
present there are 10 signs of fire in the lower
vein, and the miners work without any diff
Guilty or appa at fear We could not but
think, however, that the labor OF digging coal
near six hundred feet below the earth's surface,
with u fire of twenty years standing, covering
acres OF ground, above their heads. was not
the most agreeable occupation in the world
Mining Record