Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-07-12
Large Lead Mine.

Young Ralph Mullet, the son of the
owner Of the mine; politely escorted us
through these caves of wealth, and acted
clcerone, much to our satisfaction and
gratitude. Just after leaving the entrance
we lit the candles with which be furnished
US, and picking our way carefully along,
penetrated the very hear, of the bluff On
either side of Us could be seen veins of
shining ore, which grew thicker and thick
er as we advanced, until the amount
seemed almost fabulous AT first we had
TO stoop over to avoid humping our heads
with the rocks which rooted the entrance,
but as we went further in the arch rose
higher, until we could stand perfectly
erect; then it opened into a vault, whose
gloomy apex was some TWENTY-FIVE feet
above the floor. OF to the right and left,
above and below, branched little caves
and holes, which had been dug in the
rocks IN prospecting to find out the height
and depth and width of this immense dis
covery, and we are happy to say the end
has not been found get We could see for
ourse'f that over thirty fee, in width had
been prospected in one place, and several
feet below the floor OF tho cave but big
mineral y was still found in all directions.
Thus it will be seen no proper conception
can be formed of its extent
Far In the distance. some three hundred
feet from the outside. we saw candle
teebly winding, and inner swinging
his pick and welding his shovel. APP
preaching this ochre stained gnou,e we
questioned him and found him communi.
catire, and even agreeable which is some,
times not the case with miners be it said
On being asked if there were any signs Of
the mineral giving out he informed US that
ON the contrary 1t was growing heavier
and larger as he advanced This one man
can dig more ore than ten men can con-
vcniehtiy transport to the. surface. 10
proof OF this were tons aud tons Of dirty
nuggets, piled aud corded up like ranks OF
iirewood along the sides of the wooden
track, which was built for the l,,le rars to
run on. When you know that u chunk
about the SIZE OF a peck measure i al
strong man cares TO lit at once, and it is
worth nearly four cents per pound, you
can then perhaps begin to form an estimate
of the value of such lead as this.
1t IS now only year since this vein
was opened, and with very small force.
never working over four or five men, Mr.
Mulet has taken out over 15J ,GOD pounds.
worth at the present prices nearly S29 600
And this be 1t remembered is but tut the
preface Of series Of such chapters II
the lead should cease where it has already
been opened there is enough Of lead ore
in sight to occupy the present force long.
lfpQ 81, / 4 ]
When miner SAYS he has struck cave
he does not always mean au empty SPACE
IN the rock, as we have all Of US usually
accepted the term, but often al in the pres.
en-. case, the cave is merely space in
he solid 70 k tiled with debris, dit and
loose irregular Jumps of galena. Oyca-
slonaiiy for few feet there viii be an
open crcvce, but the great body of the
cave Is occupied with rubbish intermixed
with mineral, which has apparently ,un
bed and broken off from the Siles Of
what was once a crvern. II his loose mat.
ter is what they are digging out now, Ieav
Ing the hrmer walls Mt atD-nal sro.o ~"til
the easier work is completed.
The finding of this lead is but an sx
ample Of the very ditfere Mt mutations at
teHdhnI u on me fortunes OF the miners.
For eight years Ralph Mullet dug and
toiIed among the bluffs Of the LitIe Ma
quokota river, barely getting enough min,
eral BY the severest labor to supper, him,
self and family He strikes this lead, AID
now suddenly he finds himself million
ARE. Doubtless there are hundreds, ave
thousands of such mines Of wealth lying
concealed within the bowels Of these rock
ribbed hills waiting only the toiling hand
OF industry to reward the lucky discover
ers with boundless po>Perity No mines
on the face Of the earth pay better consid.
ering the cost Of working them than do
the lead mines Of Dubuque - Dubuque
Times.
STATE NEWS.