The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-21

NSiSu doou( tne year 1898. ard bears the TII;lS
OF Its Gifcoverer. The mine has not been muct
wrought, and from what ! can learn, never pro
dnced any large quantity of mineral It i,
not in much repute, aud al pTefent is unoccup;-
ed.
9. Mine Ia Mott, is fituatcd on the waters
OF the river st. Francis, fix miles from the main
river, and thirty fouth iouth welt of 81. Gene
we've was ditcoyered by Mr.. Rannauit, about
the year 1873 or 81, who made an exploration,
but finding no iilver ore, he abandoned il. H.
bout the year 1923, man 10y the name of A
Z Mott, opened and wrought the mine, after
whom it is called.
Mine a la Mott differs in every rcfped from
the mines on Grand river and its vicinity. The
Gtuation is Eat, low, the water bad and unheal-
thy. The mineral is fourd in regular veins,
from two TO four feet fold. Five OF thefe veins
have been opened and wrought.-They are
found within four five feet of the iurfacc !;
with decnation of about fory-iiye degrees,
but cannot be mined deeper ION account OF va
ter) than twenty-five feet, and to that depth on
u in the dry fcaion. The mineral is ola fine
feel grain, iaid to contain fifty ounces of ilver
to ton oflead, and is highly charged with full
phur. Notwithstanding, the French inhabitants
OF this country have followed the mining buff
ness upwards of eighty years, YET they have
not advanced in the art OF iinelting a ntp be-
yond their anceftors. The methods they puriue
beipeals their furpriing ignorance. As the
Mine "a Mott, differs from thoie already de-
ici1bed, 10 does their mode of finelting. The
hrit proceiS is, by depoGting tie mineral in a
pile OF logs, after the manner fea !hells are
burnt to lime the piles being iet on fire and
continued, the quantity OF lead produced, is
i've per cent. 1t is then put into furnace of
hone, iuch as before detcribed from this
proceis, If well attended, is produced fifteen
per cent. more. After this fecond burning,
they contider the mineral in proper fate for
fmelting. Therefore, collecting it from the am
es, they again put it into the furnace, arranged
with logs at bottom and fdes, and make al end
OF tmsiting. From the lar procefs, they COM
monty obtain about fifteen per cent. making
thirty-Eive per cent. the grcstef quantity OBJ
tanned.
at the Mine la Mott, is alCo found, in beds,
what the miners call gravel mineral, becaufe it
is found intermixeG with the foil, like fine gra-
vel, in particles from the iize of pins head to
that ofahickory nut. This mineral, after in i'm
perfect waiting, is put into a furnace, where it
is fufiered to melt into Rug, no attempt
being made TO create a huxuiIity OF the metal
from the drefs. 1t is then out into furnace.
not unlike a mer'S hopper, with CRATE at
bottom, underneath a fire is lighted, and CONT
nucd unit! The flags are all melted, and parti-
al iiuctiou effected. This mode of fnelting pro-
duces about two hundred and fifty pounds Of
's7--- - i .~'.u,i.;.ld p3ur:aa oe u6ncEl. Not
withdrawing the immcnfe lofS in fneltng, the
richie!a IF the mines, and the fnall expenfe in
obtaining the mineral, leaves an afoniihing pro-
fit to the proprietors. i found by experiments,
that the mineral in the hands of fkiIful fnelters,
will produce fxty and tome OF the veins feyen-
~ pC. ent. About the year l73s-4o, the
Fine ia Mott, was conidered as public pro.
psrty, and the people, in general, were allow 4
20 work at it AT that time it furniihed almoft
a.! the lead exported from the Illinois. But
foon after the dhcovery and opening of the
Mine Burton, the Mine la Mott was in a
great meafure abandoned the mineral at the
Mine Burton being much eafier melted The
Mine ia Mott, is at this time claimed as pri-
vate property, in confequence of which the in
habtantS in general, are denied the privilege of
working therefore the annual quantity of lead
Is greatly reduced. For the years 1902 and
1905, the quantity of lead made at the Mine
Ia Mott, did not exceed two hundred thoulaud
pounds weight, although about thirty men
were employed from four to fix months in each
year. It's evident, that fifty men, under a pro-
per manager, with good fmetinE furnace,
might produce or 100000 pounds weight of
lead per annum.
It's difficult to fay what part of the mine is
private property, bat from the beft information
about fifty or iixty acres have been granted az
different times. The mine although not 70 ex-
tenhve, as the Mine a Burton, is fuppofed 70
comprehend a much larger boundary than what
is granted to individuals, and may be of COME
quence to the public. The river ST. Francis
will not admit of navigation for an hundred
miles below the mines, therefore the produce
OF the mines nun be transported by land to St.
Geneyieve, which is the neareit to water car1f-
age.
10. Mine Gerbore, on the waters of the RI
yer ST. Francis, eighteen miles north Of the
Mine Ia Mott, is alfo diCcovery of Rannault,
who made An eXplorement in l745. but not An
ding lilveY ore, the principal obeG of his re-
iearches, he abandoned it After which it was
wrought by Mr. Aura and others, until the
Mine Burton was diicovered when it was A.
gain abandoned. The old diggings are extern
1--WE, but the quantity of lead produced, have
not been able to- afcertan. 1t is faid to BIZ equal
to any Of the minesin the coutry. The com
mandant of New Bourbon, has conce(Tion of
"a league in fuperlice, compromising the
mines.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
Within twelve months paf, feveral discoveries
have been made near the Mine a Burton. Va
liable lead mines have been likeVVifc difcovered,
about two hundred miles up the river Merimak
tome of the mineral have leen, which is of
good quality. In Mort, The country fortwelve
or fifteen miles round the Mine Barton, cxhi-
bits ilrong appearances of mineral. In all the