Three Days Underground

Tire fun on Friday, April 2, had ráen Wightly on the mining-village of Carbor6ir, and the dull and dismal Mimii days, with their raw, rainy, in-lement weather, looked a long way yack since the genial sunshine had brightened our dispositions and dried ,our roads. The rniners had " struck " the previous day for Bome fancied annoyanoe, and the inside workmgs and breakers weie deserted, except by the engineers and flremen. We - that is, the superintendent, the "inside boss," and mine engineer or surveyor - had decided to take advantage oí the cessation of work and make a trip insfde, in order partieularly to look at one of the "breasts," in wliich a " roll " had been met, and in general to view the appearance of the mine to see that none oí the doors had been left open by which the inside air would be yitiated, for our mines were not frt;e from firedamp ; to observe the timbers, for in parts of the mine there had been mdications of a " squeeze ;" and also to notice the workings of our two ten-inoh steam-pumps, which were strained to their utmost - working as they were under the high pressure of ninety pounds of steam - to keep the mines clear of water. On the day before, out of ouriosity, I had measured the stream they were throwing, and found to my astonishment that their combined outputs amounted to 3,000 gallons per minute. I had not mentioned this to the surveyor, the amount being so large as to make me feel uncertain in my calculations ; yct there were those calculations in black and white according to the latest formula of American engineers, so that I carne to the conclusión that they were right, but that I would not speak of it to any one. As our tramp was to be an extended one, over the whole of the mine, which in one direction was driven for more than a mile, and had labyrinthine passages that would have sadly puzzled any one not acqnaintea witn tne worKings, we took our dinners along in the little buokets that miners oarry, and also a bottle of oil for the supply of our lamps. The day previous had been somewhat an idle ne, and, knowing the course onr trip was to take, I amused myself by making a little sketch from the large mip of the vicinity of the particular " breast " we in tended visiting. I thought nothing of it at the time ; but afterward, as will be seen, it became of the greatest impertanoe. We took a -walk through the breaker and the outside workings before we went inside. There were the eight boilers working at a pressure of ninety pounds of steam, and trembiing with the mighty force witliin them ; but of their gaf ety we feit no fear, as they had a few day s before been examined by the inspector and pronounced safe to a pressuie of 140 pounds to a square inch. A loud hissing sound, like the rush o: waters, caused us to turn suddenly, bu it was only the steam blowing through the safety-valve. At last, our examina tion being completed, we ligbted our lampa, climbed into the cage, and gave the engineer the sigiial to lower ub down the shaft slowly. The descent in a shaft is a very peculiar feeling to those who have never experienced it. We have all feit the odd eensation in the back and breast when nsing a forty-foot pole swing. The feeling there is difflcult to describe, but may be said to be as though ,he breath in your body, instead of making its natural exit, was going rom the back of the lungs to the front, and thcnce out through the breastjone. So with the sensation ín descending a shaft. Here it is not only the breath that appears to be leaving you, but the blood, bones, and brain all seem to be tryinar to escape through the roots of the hair ; a capillary sensation which is anything but pleasant. We made the desoent of 357 feet in two and one-half minutes, and arrived safely at the bottom of the shaft. The working of our mine had been begun on the most scientiflc principies, but several layere of hard rock had made the Bhaf t extremely costly ; and the circumstances of the company wpre somewhat straitened wheu we had reached the coal vein of whioti we were in searcb. lt is generally customarv to have a " Rump, or ohambfr for holding water at the bottom of the shaft, so that in case anything should happen to the pumps tuere will be a reservoir for th mine water to flow into, and which wil require some time to flll before the tracks are overflowed and work stoppcd ; but just below the coal, when the "suinp was begun, a bed of iron pyrites was met, on which the best cast steel drills made no itupression ; and, after a week of utterlyfutile work, the design of making a sump was abandoned, and a slight roll occurring at pome little distance froni the bottom of the shsft, the coal was mined therefrom, and the cavity thus made was nsed as a sump, although it only held a few thousand gallons of wator. We started on oiir tramp, after examining the two steam-pumps and noting the number of strokes per minute they were niakirig. The mines were yery wet, and little drippers falling from the roof triokled down our backs, cansing very unpleasant sensations. We did not find much to complain about in the workings till we came to the point where the squeeze had manifested itself. Hero stout timbers of one foot and a half in diameter hnd been bent into a bow-like f orm by the pressure of thousands of tons of superincumbent rock, and fche eru?li was only beginning to mako itself manifest. The practiced eye of the superintendent, aided by his unerring judgment, soon noted the points whero extra strength was required, and he gave his orders to the "mine boss," who carefullymarked them. , We now retraced our footsteps, and, turning into another gangway, reached the "breast" in which the roll had occurred. The pitch, or slope, of the ooal-vein was here steep, nearly 45 degrees, whioh may be compared to the slant of the roof of an old-fashioned house, and we made our way with difficulty up the narrow man-way, on which steps had been cut in the rock. The lower part of the "breast" was filled with ooal which had nof been drawn out for ssveral days, being left for the miners to obtain a foothold while "bearing in" on the solid coal above thew. The man-way was a tortuous passage, with barely room for one to crawl through ; but, after a little trouble, we reached the face of the " breast," and began our observations on the rol!. There was no mistaking the fact of its being a " roll ;" the top rock had descended and the bottom raised till but three inches of conl were left, and that was so shelly that it coulcl easily be crumbled between the fingers. The superintendent took out his little pocket-compass from its velvet lined case, and, after poiaing it delicately between his fiugers and noting the course of the roll, stated his opinión that it would be met with in thensxt "breast," about five feet higher up the pitch than it was in this. We now prepared to descend, when he suggested that we might as well eat onr lunch here, where it was dry, instead of going into the gangway, where we woijjd find a difficulty in getting a convenient seat. In this we acquiescdd, making ourselvos as comfortable as we could upon lumps of coul. We opened our cans and - but just then a sharp, cracking noise was heard, which brougM us all to our feet ; and, following it almost instantly, the roof was seen at a little distance to sway ' and then to fall, making a draft of air whiiVh instantlv extinsuished our lamps and left us standing, for the moment, bereft of speech in the darkness, while the dull, heavy echo reverberated till it was lost in the recess of the mine. We were, as I said, stupefied for the moment, but soon recovered or speech and senses and anxiously inquired Of eaoh other if any one had been hurt. I answered that ï was all right, and asked whero the " inside boss " was, for I had not heard his vo.ice. The superintendent said he was standing by him wben thé fall carne ; so we pioduced matches, lihted our lamps, and looked around us. A glance to the leffc showed us his form, lying insensible, with a cut in his forehead, the dark blotchss of coal-dirt on his face contrasting terribly with the waxy color of the skin, rendered far more ghastly and deathlike by the yellow gleam of the lamps. It was evident that we were fastened in by the fall of coal; but tuat did not concern ns greatly, as it was well known that we were inside, and men would soon be sent in search of us. But what were we to do with the stunned man, or by this time we had ascertained aat he breathed faintly. Though either of us had the advantage of a medical eduoation, we knew -what to do n a case of this sort, and danipening our handkerchiefs from a little dripper, we laved his temples and eoon had the atisfaction of observing the return of lis faculties. After we had explained the sifcuation o him, which he slowiy comprehended, we took counsel as to what were the est means of escaping from our underground prison. Though we feit certain that it could not be long before parties would be in search of us, yet it was greed that we should not remain idle, but endeavor to cut our way out into some other chamber of the mine. Picks and shovels were lying around, where the miners the preceding evening had left them, and each taking one of these in hand, we proceeded to tap lightly the coal in order to determine, if possible, by the ssund where the thinnest pillar stood, and, therefore, where we would have the least cuttincr to do. Whilo we were cngaged ín thus sounding the wal's of our prison, a distant rumble was lieard which caused us to stop short in our labor and look at each other with blanohcd f aces. Our thoughts ran on but one thing - the timbera in another part of the mine must have given way and blocked us out completely. We now waited motionless for the gust of air which always follows a fall, bnt as our lamps gave not the slightesr flicker, we were eatirely at a loss to account for it. So puzzled by this collection of mishaps, and wondering how soon Ihey would come in search of us, we continued our tapping on the sides of the "breast;" but it always gave back the same ringing sound, and that was no guide whatever. Just thea the wiek of my lamp needng trimming, I searched in my iockets 'or a knifc, and, teeling a piece of paper, :ook it out and fuund that it was the sketch of tliafc portion of the mine. We feit that this little drawing was our salvation, for without it we would have been working blindly. After a close examination of it we deterniined just where to start in order to cut into an air-hole, which was thirty f eet away, through solid coal. After having decided upon the spot, we began work imruediately. Only oue j could work at a time, and as we were eaoh to work lifteen minutea, in order to teil when the time wonld be up, the superintendent looktd at nis watch. The hands pointed to a little after twclve. He said, "I thouglit it -was latter, as it must have been almostthat when we began our dinner." The boss responded. "Is it noon, or night 1" "Noon, ofcourae;" answered the superintendent. We thought for a time by way of determiniug, when the boss said : " Have you a watch-key ?" " Yes. " " Then wind up your watch and you can teil. The superintendent did so, and found that his watch was almost run down. We looked at each other in silenee. Could it be that we had been there twelve hours, and no help come to us ? It must be. It seemed strange that we had not yet feit th pangs of hunger ; but now, our attention being called to the fact that we had eaten nothing all day, we turned toward our dinner-cans with a good appetite. We ate sparingly, however, for the reason that the period cf our immurement seemed very uncertain. No thirst was feit because of the dampness of the air in the mine. Thus reinvigorated, we started again at our woik, and ere long had the satisfaction of seeing that we had made abont ten feet of progress. While I was resting and awaiting my turn with the piek, I heard a confused squealing in the lower part of the " breast." We stopped work and looked in that direction, and saw, to our astonishment, rats in great numbers making their way through the interstices of the loose coal. We thought at first that they had in fiome way ascertained our condition, and intended making a raid on us en masse, but a moment's observation dispelled this idea, for they appeared cowed and frightened, and, instead of showing fight, eought seclusion under lumps of coal. Our lamps liad been burning brighter for some time and were now flaming violently. Por a moment the superintendent looked thoughtful, then grave, then, in an utter agony, he muttered: "By !" (and I believe the oath was left unregistered) " the water is rising - we're lost !" We stared at each other in mute despair. What the thoughts of the rest were I cannot teil, but my own life and actioDS went like a panorama before my mental visión. Sins of omission and commission passed by in a torrent, and my offenses magnifled themselves, and their blackness and size overshadowed the good acts I had done, blotting them out completely. The superintendent, thinking audibly, murmured, " My wife, my child ! " and we heard a deep sigh from the boss. We turned to look at the latter, and as we did so he feil on his face, the blood gushing from under the band age in a stream. Hurriedly lifting him we tried to staunch the wound, but in vain : tie it no matter how tightly the blood cozed through the handkerchief. The condensed air of the chamber forced it, from his body, and his face, wliich had been livid, became pallid and wax-like, and his pulse ceased to beat. He was ead ! The superintendent looked at his watch. It liad stopped. He shook it and found that it had run down. Had another tventy-four hours passed ? It was insupportsblo, tliis doath in life. Was there no hope for us ? Wo refilled our lamps, exhausting the oil in tho bottle, aud, -with braius reeling and blood gushing from our finger ends, again attacked the coal. Hark ! Was not that a sonnd ? We listened and heard it again, and I rapped back vigorously. It had ohaaced that, for some time previously, Ihad been trying to laarn telegrapliy on the Morse instrument, of the perator at our office, and I suppose that, unknowingly, I, in my tapping, had made use oí' tlieir signal of " attention." The same familiar tai?- tap - tap - tap - tap was returned, and I saw at once that my instructor must be among those outsi.le. I rapped : " Is there any hope for us?" He answered : "We'll try to save yoij ; a raÏEcloud burst over the shaft deluging it -with water, and one of tho boilers fihortly afterwards ploded, blowing up the t ngino house. " How did you get in T' I asked. " We are in an air hole which comrnunicates with the surface. " ' ' What time is it ?" " ïhree o'clock, Sunday mormog." We had beea inside over two days ! Would we ever escape ? A í-borl. silecce, and he rapped : " Hsw ïar abovo the water are you working?" I turned to look. It was within flve f eet of us, The condensed &ir was exhausting our strength ; our latnps gave a final flicker and burnt out ; I reaehed down for water to bathe my throbbing temples and feit something soft resisting. It was the body of the boss. I drew baek with a shudder. A rat crawled up my leg; it made my blood curdle. I put my hand toward the water again and feit several rats floating ; the air, with a presBiire of at least thioe atmosplieres, had kilied them. And now we heard the sound of picks and bars on the other side. They had sent outside for them. It reinapirited us aud we worked for life. Tle water was withia three i'eet of na. They soon signaled froin the other sido that they were going to blast. Wo awaited the shock and could almost hear the fizzing of the fase. " Cra - Bh !" - the thunders nearly deafened me. I cali' d the superintendent by name. No answer. I put out my hand to feel him ; he was breathicg faintly. I reached dawn a foot to the watar and sprinkled it on his face. He heaved a sigh which. light thcugh it was, sounded like a deep groan in the thick, heavy atmosphere. I heard the tap - tap - tap - tap - tap of "attention," and tried to answer, but had not enongh strength. My face feit suffused with blood and I conid hear the pulsations of my heart. They seemed to become more rapid, faster - fastor - faster, and I couDted no more. I can itidistinctly remember, however, a more violant crash, and being violently í'orced through a narra w aperture. When I racovered my senses and recollection I waa in bed, with my gray-hairod mother bendiug over me and aeking how I íelt? I tricd to move, but shooting pains went throngh my whole body. I looked at my kanda ; they wero covered wifch strips of plaftter. j I was abont to interrógate my mother when tbe telegrjph operator stepped in, and, peeing that I waa valesoent, beg.in, without qttestioning j (bo always was rather garrnlous), to I acqnaint me with the particnlars. "Yon see," he eaid, "we did not miss 3 ou till aíter the hurr.v and con I fusión incident to the explosión- by which the fireman was Killed and the engineer baclly hurt - were over. Then, in the eveninc, when all three of you were missedthey started in search of you. I was away and did not return till the evening of Saturday, when I at once ordered a search as f ar as we ware able, for the water was not over all the gangways. We supposed that you must have taken refuge in the farther end of the mine, and we went as far as the water would allow us, and were just giving up the search when I recollected the air-way, where we found you and afterward heard your picks. You remeraber the conversation by telegraph ? " I nodded, though I could but indatinctly recall it. "Well, then," he continuod, " we got as large a forcé as we could to work, made a blast, and afterward heard nothing from you whatever. Then we worked on vigorously, and when we thought we had gone far enough put in a slight blast, which broke a hole, throngh whioh a gust of air and water came, shooting you and the superintendent violently into the water in the air-way and extinguishing all onr lamps. We brought you to the surface as soon as possible, carried you with trouble through the crowd - for there must have been nearly flve thousand people on the ground, as the news had spread, and our conversation through the coal had been in every paper in the Union. Intense interest had been exeited, and hourly telegrams were sent away from here. " I asked about the superintendent. " He is able to walk around, but ha9 no remembrance of anything which occurred in those three days." "And the mining-boss ? " "Poor fellow ! "- here he poiuted to the graveyard, which was in " view of my window. "He weighed but 125 pounds when we found him - he must have lost 70 pounds of blood." I am now ten years older than when this happened, bnt should I live fifty more the remembrance would be asdistinct as it ia now of my Three Days Underground.