University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER V.

DESCRIPTION OF MAUCH CHUNK AND ITS COAL MINES—JOURNEY THROUGH THE LEHIGH VALLEY TO
BETHLEHEM, AND LAST RESIDENCE IN THAT TOWN, FROM AUGUST 31ST TO SEPTEMBER 16TH.

Mauch Chunk is a village of about 200 houses, in the deep and narrow Lehigh Valley.
The houses form almost one row only, and a small street in the lateral valley of the Mauch
Chunk stream. This place has sprung up since the discovery of the very rich coal mines in the
vicinity. The Lehigh Company employs from 800 to 1000 workmen, and supplies the whole
surrounding country with the very fine coals obtained here. Several iron railroads, leading to the
works, have already been made, canals dug to export the coals in numerous barges, great works
erected, a large and capital inn established in the valley of the Lehigh, and mills of various kinds
built; and travellers ought by no means to neglect this highly interesting spot. This deep
and wild valley, which is enclosed on every side by wooded mountains from 800 to 1000 feet
high, has become, within a few years, a scene of action and profitable industry, which will soon
render this spot one of the most remarkable in Pennsylvania. The principal work, to which an
iron railroad has been made, lies on a considerable eminence, nine miles from Mauch Chunk. On
the 31st of August, we visited this interesting spot.

As the railroad runs up along the declivity, it has been necessary to cut it obliquely; it is,
therefore, narrow, with only one line; and places, at certain intervals, to allow two carriages to
pass. For the convenience of travellers who wish to see the works, a stage-coach has been
established, which is drawn up by two horses. Our company assembled at the inn, and ascended,
by a steep path, from the town, to the iron railroad, which runs a little above the village. The

railroad stages are light carriages, with four low wheels, and seats for eight persons; they are
covered at top, and open at the sides. The wheels are of iron, and have a groove, which fits into
the rail, and runs upon it. The driver sits in front, and has a long tin horn, which he blows, to
announce his approach to such as may be coming in the opposite direction; in the other hand
he holds, in the descent, the machine with which the carriage is stopped when necessary. This
contrivance consists of a pole, at the lower end of which there is a stuffed leather cushion, which,
by moving the pole, is brought close to the wheels, and by its friction checks the rapidity of the
motion. As a train of coal-wagons was expected, we slackened our pace. The two stages were
fastened together, and though both were quite full of passengers, a couple of horses drew them up
with great ease. We had not proceeded far, when we heard the rolling of a train of coal-wagons.
It was interesting to see the black train advance, and dart by us with the rapidity of an arrow.
These are built of strong beams and planks; each contains two tons of coals, and forty-five
wagons go at the same time, which carry 90 tons; they run five times a day, thus 450 tons, or
25,200 bushels, are brought down to Mauch Chunk daily. Every fifteen wagons are fastened
together by strong iron bands, and in the middle of this train is a man who holds a chain in his
hand, by means of which he can check the rapidity of the motion, or even stop it entirely. Four
or five hundred paces behind the first column comes the second, and then, at an equal distance,
the third, and after these, seven wagons, in each of which there are four mules, with provender,
and a bridge for them to get in and out. Their heads are turned to the front, and they eat
quietly, as they descend. These mules are to draw up the empty coal wagons.

It was interesting to see the thundering column approach us, and then hasten by. As soon
as it had passed, our horses trotted up the mountain, which could not be attempted, except
on an iron railroad. The road runs along the rocky wall, always through a forest, where single
settlers have here and there built their little wooden dwellings. Cattle were feeding in the neighbourhood,
whose bells we heard in the woods. The valley at our left hand was very wild and
romantic. Both the high mountain and the valley below, in which the Mauch Chunk flows, are
clothed with a forest of fir and other timber, and wild vines twine about the bushes by the
road-side. The number of miles is marked on white boards nailed to the trees. When we reached
the top we came to an inn, which had a small park with Virginian deer. The fawns of these deer
were still spotted a little at the end of August.

As soon as our company had rested a little, and taken some refreshment, as it was very hot,
we got again into our carriage, and proceeded, this time without horses, to the coal mines, about
ten minutes from our inn, to which the railroad declines a little. You reach these interesting
works by a deep section of the upper stratum of sandstone, and then enter the pits, which may
be 300 paces long, 150 wide, and 30 feet deep; quite open at top, having been gradually sunk
to that depth. 112 men were at work in and about these mines, and 130 mules were employed

in conveying the coals, which stand out, shining, and with a beautiful play of colours; in some
places they are of better quality than in others. They are detached partly with iron crows,
partly by gunpowder, broken into pieces with pickaxes, and loaded in the wagons. From one
part of the mine to another there are little railroads, on which boxes with four wheels run
like what is called the dog (hund), in our German mines, in which refuse and rubbish are
removed. In this manner high heaps of rubbish have arisen about the pits, which extend further
and further into the valley. In some parts of the works there are impressions of antediluvian
plants, of which we found some interesting specimens. The labour of seeking, in a stooping
attitude, was particularly disagreeable on this day, which was hotter than any that preceded it.
When we returned from the works to our inn, the thermometer, at twelve o'clock, and in
the house, was at 96°; to which we must add that the mine is 1,460 feet above the level
of the sea. There was not a breath of air stirring, and everybody found the heat extremely
oppressive.

To return to Mauch Chunk we again got into our carriage, but had now no need of horses;
the driver shoved the carriage a few steps, leaped into his seat, and we immediately proceeded
faster than a horse could gallop. We had travelled the greater part of the way in seventeen
minutes, when we were obliged to halt, in order to let a train of wagons, returning, pass us, which
detained us about twenty minutes; we then proceeded with the rapidity of an arrow, and travelled
the whole distance of eight miles in thirty-two minutes. When we had reached the bottom we
hastened to see the place where the wagons are unloaded.

At the end of the iron railroad is a building on the eminence, in which there is a large
windlass, with an endless rope, which with one part lowers a loaded coal wagon, on an obliquely
inclined iron railroad, down the mountain, while the other part draws up an empty wagon from
below. The distance from the windlass to the place on the iron railway, where the wagons deposit
the coals in a large shed, is above 700 feet. (Vignette V.) The mechanism of all these works is
well worth seeing, and the whole establishment extremely interesting. Mr. White, one of the
principal members of the Lehigh Company, is a man of much and varied knowledge, and particularly
well acquainted with machinery. He has erected a saw-mill on the Lehigh, the construction
of which is very ingenious. A single workman is able to saw 4,000 square feet of deal in twelve
hours. The Company requires six such saw-mills in the Mauch Chunk, to saw the wood that it
wants, because the coal barges are sent down the canal and the Delaware, and sold at Philadelphia
as planks.

The road from Mauch Chunk through the Lehigh Valley, which we took, on the 31st of
August, in the evening, is agreeable and diversified. A violent thunder-storm had passed over
the valley, and had poured down torrents of rain, the traces of which were everywhere visible.
We proceeded along the right bank of the river, in a rather sandy road, shaded by old trees. On

our right hand we had at first the steep wooded mountain, where Rubus odoratus and other
beautiful plants grew amongst rude rocks. The mountains then recede, and fields, meadows, and
detached dwellings, succeed.

We came to Lehighton, where the sign of the inn was conspicuous afar off. Lehighton
is situated at no great distance from the opening of the Mahoning Valley, from which the
Mahoning stream flows. This valley is wooded, has many settlements, and is well known
from the destruction of Gnadenhütten, a small establishment, founded there by the Moravian
Brethren. Some Delaware Indians, instigated, it is said, by neighbouring colonists, who were
hostile to the Brethren, attacked the settlement, which they burnt, and killed eleven persons.
Only four of the fifteen who composed the little colony escaped.[1] Mr. Bodmer, who followed
us from Wilkesbarre, visited the spot. He found among the bushes the tomb-stone which
covers the remains of the victims, and made a drawing of it. The following is the inscription:—

On the lands at Gnadenhütten, which still belong to the Brethren, several farmers reside,
among whom there is a singular female of no ordinary education, and, as it is said, of high rank,

whose real name is not known. She is said to have come from Germany, it is supposed from the
principality of Lippe. Her sole employment is agriculture; she performs all manual labour
herself, milks her cows, to which she has given names, and which she has tamed. She has
rented a piece of land from the Brethren, which Mr. Von Schweinitz, as director of the council,
let to her.

Near the issue of the Mahoning, or Mahony Valley, a wooden bridge has been built, in a
picturesque situation, over the Lehigh. It is surrounded on all sides by fine lofty trees, and on
the right hand the wooded eminences of the Mahony Valley overlook it. From this place we
came to a level, open part of the valley, where a few scattered dwellings bear the name of Weissport.
A man named Weiss proposed to build a town here, and had collected the names of many
subscribers, but the town consists, at present, of only four detached houses.

Night set in, and the moon showed us, in the Blue Mountains before us, a deep cleft, called
the Lehigh, or Lecha Gap, where that river passes through the mountain chain. At the Gap
we halted at an isolated, but very good inn, kept by a man named Craig, son of the General
of that name. He spoke both English and German, and we were very well accommodated in his
house.

On the 1st of September we visited the Lehigh Gap, the mountains on the north side of
which are low, rocky, and wooded. A projecting portion is called the Devil's Rock. Near the
buildings there are great heaps of limestone thrown up, which is obtained from a mountain in the
Mahony Valley. The lime is of bad quality, but serves very well for mortar. It contains a
number of small bivalve shells. About eight o'clock we left the Lehigh Gap, and took the road
to Bethlehem, where we arrived at noon, having passed through Berlin, Cryterville, Howard
Town, and Schoner's Town.

Our baggage, which we had so long expected from Boston, arrived at length on the 4th of
September, and as Mr. Bodmer rejoined us on the 10th, I should have thought of proceeding on
our journey, did not the traveller often depend on accidents, which render it impossible to fix anything
for certain. Mr. Bodmer, desiring to finish a drawing that he had begun, undertook a
second visit to the Delaware Gap, and on this occasion was severely wounded by the bursting of
his fowling-piece, which compelled us again to defer our departure. On our hunting excursions,
we now saw the country in its autumnal dress. Night frosts had already set in, and the mornings
were foggy, till the sun had risen pretty high, when a hot day followed. Most of the birds of
passage were gone; no swallows were to be seen, and the wild pigeons passed by in large flocks.
On a walk to Allentown, the capital of Lehigh County, which has 1,700 inhabitants, three
churches, and a court-house, six miles from Bethlehem, we found, in the Lehigh Valley, several
flocks of birds ready to depart. The blue birds (Sylvia sialis) were assembled, twenty together.
The yellow woodpecker and the nuthatch were hovering about the gardens and fields, where

numbers were collected together. The plants that were in blossom in the fields and hedges were
chiefly of the class Syngenesia.

The accounts of the progress of the cholera, which we daily received, were not favourable.
In New York and Philadelphia, and more especially at Baltimore, the disorder was extremely
dangerous; it had also spread in the country about the great lakes, and on Hudson's River, and
had extended from Detroit to the Mississippi and Ohio. It seemed impossible to avoid it; I
therefore chose the route down the Ohio, intending to make the Mississippi, in the following spring,
the basis of our excursions into the Western wilds, or the Indian country. We took leave of our
friends at Bethlehem, and set out in the first instance for Pittsburg.