The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-04-05
6eneral Mistellany.
Letter from Northern Illinois.

6eneral aalisttllany.
Letter from Northern Illinois.
GALENA, March IS, 1861.
To the Editor of the Caledonian
Galena means sui phuret of lead, that being
the kind of ore which is raised here. The
lead mines of Missouri produce carbonate OF
lead, of greatly inferior richness to the gale
ma. The galena, or sui phuret, when smeited
produces from 20 to so per cent. pure lead
the carbonate only about 40 or 10, as am
informed by smelters. The sulphuret frac-
lures like rock salt, generally at right angles
and with bright, metallic lustre, similar to
pure lead when first cut with knife, with
this difference-it will not tarnish as quickly
The carbonate, piece of which is occasional
" found in these mines, breaks more like a
stone, and is of dull white, not quite as
dark as putty, and is of course very heavy.
In this letter shall endeayor to give an ac-
count of smelling the lead from the ore, and
leave the description of the mines for anoth-
er letter And for starting point will
commence with the ore as we find it at the
mouth of the shaft. The ore is invariably
termed by the miners mineral" and | shall
use that tenn in speaking of lead ore hcreaf-
ter.
The mineral comes out of the "shaft" as
"cog mineral" "sheet" and wash dirt" The
first Of these may be known, by its appear
ance of cubes stuck together, from one to
four or five inches face. Or the "cogs" may
be so large that they have to be broken be-
fore they can be raised The second is dug
out of seams in the rock, from of an inch
TO Is inches in thickness, which it fills tight.
OF course this comes out of the shaft in
small pieces. The third is the "cleaninss' OF
"clcvce," or the small Jumps of mineral
which appear partially corroded, and are al
ways found i'll the vicinity of crev!ces, mixed
with a fine yellow dirt, A miner is always
known by the yellowness Of his clothing as
though he had rolled in bed Of yellow ochre.
THIS wash dirt" is hauled to the ncares,
stream of water, which is damned up a
plank spout, about T. inches wide and 5inch-
cs deep, and feet long, is placed below this
.ow dam. \ stream of water is then mad,
to fall about SIX inches in the upper end o!
thrown in at a time, pokcJ, tossed. punched
and sLoyeled about until all the yellow dir,
is washed out, coloring the water for long
way below. The mineral is then taken out
more wash dirt thrown in, and the process
repeated The cog mineral and sheet are ia
ken directly to the furnace, from the shaft
ard dumped into the receiving room, or hug,
box Of the furnace, as the building is called
\ similar spout TO that above described, will
IL heavier fail of water, is here. The chunk
of mineral are broken into pieces about th'
size Of walnuts, washed in the spout in tn
same manner as wash dirt. and is then read
to be put in the furnace. The furnaces il
most general use here are the blast furnaces
a huge stone chimney, with an enormou
; throat is first built, and then the building
proper is put up around it. In this throat
raised about . feet from the ground, is
e sort of heavy cast iron pan or box, about
inches square and 6 deep. In this fire
: started, mineral is put in, a strong blast
/ kept up from the bellows, and the smeltln
goes on \ water wheel in an adjoinn
room keeps tie bellows in motion. Durin
the smeting it is continually stirred wit
3 long ION bars, and little stream Of mel.e
I lead trickles down into a receiver placed
y front Under this receiver slow fire
kept to prevent it from cooling. When
becomes full the melted lead is bailed int
J.; the mouldS, and is Eenceforth known as pi!
!. Two of these big chimney furnaces are ger
n orally built together, and the two kept rul
+ ming night and day will turn out about 80
pigs per week. Six men are required to ru
=, the two, and work eight hours, and when II
. furnaces are run night and day, three sets
l. men are required. The Stag is thrown o,
y doors III pile, there to remain until winte
- when it will be re-smelted. About - p,
h cent. is pretty fair average product of NIL
eyal, though some will 60 as high as 90
is Owners of furnaces generally pay $50 $;
4 per thousand pounds for mineral, though tn
Al winter they are paying only $2S. In my ne
-, will attempt a sketch of mineral und
N ground.
IL F. S.-A singular case of suicide has r
+ Gently occurred here. Last winter all Iris
.. man named McCarty murdered his wife, al
~ to conceal the deed, set fire to his house al
is burned her. The charred remains we
III found in the ruins next morning, and at t
~, ~ coroner's inquest evidence was elected viii
H. pointed at McCarty as a murderer. He W
OF arrested and thrown in Jail. Three wee
ago last Sunday morning he was permit
bv his TAILOR tc take razor with which
n shave. He shaved himself, and shortly af,
h.. was Leard by the prisoners in the next C
lie to fall and groan. An alarm was given, t
We door CT his cell opened, and there lay McC;