Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-09-06
HYDE PARK, VERMONT, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1865

hundreds Of thousands for vain expecta-
tions; but still hold on, some of them
at least. in the firm belief that lower
lead will develop sure and pensing
wealth.
The success Of other companies has been
more marked even than these failures,
though they be fewer in number. The
Gould & Curry is the largest and most fa-
nous enterprise here. 1t has 1900 feet
in length on the surface of the ledge, has
dug down GOO to 500 feet in depth, and
back and forth on its line 20 or 80 times;
its whole excavations 5 100000 of cubic
feet, and affording some two miles of un-
derground travel, and consuming more
lumber to brace up the walls than the en-
tire city of Virginia above ground has
used for all its buildings, with the largest
and finest mill probably in the world,
costing nearly million of dollars and
running 80 stamps This mammoth en-
terprise has only drawn $l80,O0O from
its stockholders, and has paid them back
four millions in dividends. Altogether,it it
has produced twelve millions of bullion,
aud but for extravaganza in management
and the necessity for many blind and
expensive experiment, its profit share
would have have been at least So instead
of 33. per cent. In one year its yield
was four and onc-half millions, and its
profits one million; but with a railroad
to San Francisco it would have swollen
its net to the owners to three millions !!
This immense development was secured
under the energetic superintendance of
Mr.Cha l.. Strong, native of Easthamp-
ton in Hampshire county, Mass, brother
of the brave Gen. Strong who fell in lead.
ing the black troops upon the forts Of
Charleston, and the nephew and adopted
son of Mr.. A. L. Strong of that village. Mr..
Strong took charge of the Gould & Curry
mine in its infancy. and carried it on to
its perfection and triumph, when about a
year and half ago, his constitution gave
way under its great responsibility and
work, and he was forced to retire. AT
one time the mine sold at the rate Of
$4,000 foot, but now it is down to abou,
$500; for though it is making bullion
at the rate of two millions a year, and
pays handsome monthly dividedds unin
terruptedly. it has about exhausted al
the valuable ore in its mine at the pres
eut depth, and is working up mainly tn,
poorer ore that it rejected in its first pro
press through the mine. The company
is now making an important experiment
to find richer ore at lower depth and
by means of tunnel, started half a mile
off down the hill and a shaft 1000 feet
deep, will soon open the mine that distancs
down. The future fortunes of the compa
ny hang mainly upon the result Of this
enterprise. Not only, indeed, that Of thu
, Gould g. Curry, but of most Of the enter
prises upon the Comstock ledge Many
Of them have reached, or seem to be reach
ing. like point of exhaustion with th'
Gould g. Curry, and are either making I
similar experiment. or are awaiting thu
results of this. The promises Of a success
full finding are certainly quite encour
aging, and they are strengthened by th'
recent success of some small experiment.
in the same direction in distant parts o.
: the ledge, which seem to indicate improved
ore at the greater depths. The Ophi
company is another of the mammoth en-
, terprises That, too, has taken out twelv'
millions of bullion, but the stockholder
have not got much as their share in con
sequence Of extravagant and tickle man
agement, and experiments that proved ex
pensive failures. The Savage company
, owning another large and successful mine
, has taken out six millions bullion.
f That part of the ledge lying on Cole
hill is divided up into smaller properties
such as 100 and 200 feet, and one as low
as 10 feet, measuring on the surface ant
, these have heen worked generally to bette
s advantage than the sections in Virginia
3 The Empire company's claim has sold as
high as $4,000 per foot, the highest pric'
ever obtained by any mine here but i
has grown less profitable and interrupted
g its dividends since and has fallen to frou
, $4,000 to $4,000 a foot. This company
: never took any mony from its stockholders
and in only one month through its opera
! tions of some years has it failed to pay
, expenses. Another successful and nov
9 popular company in Gold Hill is The Yel
} low Jacket, which has taken out about tw'
millions Of bullion, and paid its stockhol
| ders $3.50, 700. or $4,000 more than al
, their assessments. But among its heavy
expenditures, which suggests the ruin o
8 many of these mining companies, is al
Q item Of $4,000 for illegal services ant
s quieting title"
: The Comstock ledge ore is, with smal
I exceptions, much more simple in its com
!, binations than that at Austin, and requr
es only to be crushed and amalgamate'
K to extract the bullion. These two process
: ses will produce from 60 to 80 per cent o
o all the precious metal. II is also less ric