Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-11-21

Workmen sufficient TO occupy the nllfS
to advantage. sSa.ss
Names Of The Mines.
/. Mine Burton.
2. Mine Robuna. ~
p. Old Mines. EG
4. Mine Ranault. -
5. Mine Msneto. -
6. Mine = la Plate.
z. Mine q Joe.
g. Mine I.anye.
9. Mine a la Mott.
10. Mine Gerbore.
!. The Mine Burton, situated 50 miles
west north west of ST. Genevieve, wa. dis
covered by Francis Burton, about the year
lT63, on a fork of Grand river, 10 mics
from its FUNSTON with the main river, sG-
ter which It takes the name Of Rannut's
fork OF the Merimak. and uuites with
that river, about 25 miles above its juno
lion with the Mississippi. The Fauchc
Ranault is navigable in the spring season,
within ten miles of the mine a Burton.
In the year 1898, a concession of one
league in superb e, compromising abou,
one Third part OF the mine Ton condition
nc should erect smelling furnace ard
establish a lead manufacturer was grant
ed to NJ. Austin; ak Of which he has car
Pied into execution. Francis Burton, also,
obtained grant Of four acres, as COM
pensation Tor the discover.
There is small VILLAGE at this place,
OF twenty families, who cultivate little
land near the mines F.; but have no conces.
sIous. Two gr!ss mills, with Z saw mill.
furnish the inha aitants with grinding and
plank.
The greatest part of the workings at
the Mine Burton, are in ar open prairie
which rises nearly an hundred feet above
The level Of the crcclI.--The mines may
be said to extend over two thousand acres
OF land: but the principal workings are
within the limits Of one hundred and six.
tv acres; and perhaps no part ofthe world
furnishes lead ore in greater quantities
and purity. The mineral is found with
in two feet Of the surface Of the earth, and
it is seldom the miners dig deeper than
ten feet, not that the mineral discontinues,
but because they find it troublesome TO
raise out of the ground; The French mi
ners being unacquaiuted with the utility Of
machinery, and generally are able tc pro-
cure in plenty nearer the surface.
The manner in which The mines have
been wrought, renders il impossible to de.
termine whether the mineral terminates
in regular veins or not for whenthe mi
ner finds himself ten or twelve feet below
the surface, his inexperience obliges him
TO quit his digging and begin anew, not
withstaudlng the appearance Of mineral
may be good. Thus one half OF MS time
is taken up in sinking new holes or pits.
The mineral is of two qualities, gravel
ard fossil mineral The gravel mineral
| is found Immediately under the soil, IN
termixed with gravel, in pieces from to
so pounds weight of solid mineral. AZ
ter passing through the gravel, which is
commonly from three to four feet, is found
sand rock, which is easily broken up
with pick, and when exposed TO the air,
crumbles to fine sand. This rock con-
tinues five or six feet, and contains mine
raj nearly of the same quality OF the gra-
vel ~: but mineral &C the first quality is
found in bed Of red clay, under the sand
rock, in pieces from ten TO FIVE hundred
pounds weight, on the outside of which
is white, gold or silver colored spar or
fossil, Of bright, glittering appearance, as
solid az the mineral itself, and in weight
as three to two; this being taken of, the
mineral is solid and unconnc6sd with any
other substance Of broad grain, and
what minerslogists cell poiters orc.---
When it is smelted in a common smelling
furnace, it produces sixty per cent. and
when again smehed in slack furnace,
produces fifteen per cent. more, making
clearly smelted seventy five per cent
The gravel minerals in crustated in deud
gray substance, the eighth of an inch in
thickness---has small veins of sulphurthro'
It, and will not produce more than SIXTY
per cent. when cle2n'y smeltcd.
When first new The Mine a Burton,
in the year 1877, the French smeiled their
mineral in stone furnaces, somewhat ST.
milar to lime.kilns. Al he bottom they
put floor Of the largest logs to be found,
setting smaller onss around tie sides Of