10 Running Azotes, Agricultural and P^ily' 



The general superintendent of the company in Carbondale, its 

 financier, &c., is James Archibald, Esq., who is de facto, by com- 

 mon consent, mayor, common council, and police of Carbondale! 

 The vigor and sagacity of this man — the perfect confidence which 

 all entertain of his strict justice and extraordinary ability, give 

 him an unbounded influence — and it is an influence, if the public 

 voice may be credited, wielded only for good. James Clarkson 

 Esq., superintendent of the mines is emphatically of the same 

 practical vigorous stamp — a man oi great strong muscles oi mind 

 and body! The assistant superintendents are Alexander Bryden, 

 Mr. Hossie, and Mr. Harris. All the oflricers are Scotchmen, ex- 

 cept the last named, who is a Welshman. Hossie is the indivi- 

 dual who was so long imprisoned in the mine at the time of the 

 great " fall," a few months since, and the narrative of whose perils 

 and final escape, seems more like the creations of a disturbed dream 

 than sober verities. Alexander Bryden it was who performed 

 such prodigies of heroism in rescuing the men shut in at the same 

 time. As few seem to have any very distinct impression of the 

 nature of the accident, or of the character of this most daring 

 achievement, I will repeat some of the principal incidents as I 

 learned them from the mouths of Mr. Bryden himself, Mr. Clark- 

 son and Mr. Hossie. 



A point in the mines had begun to " work," in miners' phrase, 

 that is, to crack and give indications of an approaching " fall," 

 some days prior to the catastrophe. But it ultimately came sooner 

 and extended over a much large space, than was anticipated. 

 Bryden was at the pump house, and observing an unusual com- 

 motion at the mouth of the mines, proceeded to ascertain the cause 

 of it. Men " whispered with white lips" of some terrible disaster, 

 but no one could give him any intelligible account of it. He en- 

 tered one of the galleries, and soon met three men who informed 

 him that a portion of the mines had fallen in, and that they had 

 left behind sixteen or eighteen men, who were already crushed, or 

 shut out forever from the light of day. They besought him to re- 

 tire, as there was no hope or possibility of rescuing their com- 

 rades. The gallant Scotchman hesitated not one instant. He 



