New-York daily tribune., 1865-09-30

Ing It. is the Iron Mountain IN oval bill about 23o feet
high and having base Of 500 acres. Six miles SOUTH
ward ia Pilot Knob only distinguished from the sur
rounding mountains by few huge masses OF Porphyry
that form the summit. A mile westward OF this Is
Mountain. an oval torestcovered ridge.
These three mountains contain all the specular ore Oh
the immediate district far as at present KNOWN put
there are rumors of other deposits in the negbborhood
and II the rules established in other mineral districts
apply here and the experience Of Lake Superior may
be taken as guide many rich mines are still awaiting
the intelligent explorer while toward the west there ae
several localities where large quantities OF specuiar ore
are known to exist
In view Of the growing interest which 10 being ieit
among many classes of business in this especla
central mineral deposit, by manufacturers OF rop'
who are glad to compare their districts with those
at a distance and who recognize in Missouri State
which must soon compete largely with them in the e1'
panding markets Of the West; by railroad men OF the
Mississippi valley who are looking with anxiety for
source Of supply which shall give them frstca's iron
from mills and furnaces at home; by capitalists who
seek district destined by nature to an unlimited ana
rapid growth; by intelligent mechanics and manGfacu
rcrs who desire to invest their labor and ther Skin III
localities where circumstances favor large returns and
in view OF the possible development OF tho region
tho following somew hat detailed description Wiii
think De acceptable.
Iron Mountain IL an oval hili owned By the American
Iron Mountniu Company IL hns been usual 10 assume
that consists entirely of iron ore "a solid cone OF
oxide of iron" or "a conica hill consisting OF iron
boulders and many elaborate calculations have shown
that with base Of 800 acres and hight OF S2s feet
II contained according to engineers of the first sur
metallic iron or 900 tuns OF ore whe according
to Dr. Litton's geological survey OF th' State peo'h
n the total weight OF ore above the s, ice Is 2O
lei 315 tuns.
Since the Investigations were made, upon v nich the
above estimates we're founded, q number of cuts have
been driven upon the sides Of the supposed solid ore
hill and think no doubt can now exist that the ore
occupies in an almost sold body all the north side OF
the hill for distance OF 900 or 1000 feet. and for
thick ness OF several hundred feet while the sonth side
4, composed of porphyrtic rock which dips northward
beneath the ore. The ore is hence vast entieu!ar
mass. pitching northvard extending to en- unknown
depth beneath the surface and side, and proba
bly on both. bounded by porpbyritc rock In whien
crystals of iedspar are distinctly visible. The excaVa
tons made for for shipping ard smelling are as yet
bat scratches upon the sufaee One opening If at the
nit whore the iron ore crops out in huge boudeTs but
the work OF cutting roadway entirely through TIE
mountain has been commenced. and is being carried
forward with yror. This excavation, when finished.
will reveal the anatomy OF the mountain, and determine
the limits Of its beds. 1t and tho other cuts show
enough to render tie locality OF absorbing interest
to the chemist and gellogst.
Beside the bed Of rich solid ore on the north known
IN Bad ~ allt Piah nra
consisting OF pebbles. producing VIII t is knownas sur
face ORE" that the entiTe mountain as with
coat OF mail This bed without admKture Of other
solid material extends to depth oil from 10" ino"e'
on the north aide to fifteen feet more on the south
side Of tho mountain aud is cemented with ana under
laid by reddish clay. The ore fragments are as Sody
packed though beaten down Tor railroad ballast.
They are from the size of pea 100 pounds more
In weight but the greatest number weigh from two to
five pounds. How was this coating Of mail formed
and laid tins evenly above the sab-stratum OF cey
The forces itself upon the mind that the iron
pebbles have been aud polished by attriton under
water this action have been local. since the pebble
bed. only extend short distance from the base Of the
mountain and the mass aud not the result Of cur
rent which would have srewn the material 1t modified
for long distance in tho direction of its course. 1t
re are there looking Ike pebbles LETT by the breakers
the shore oil softer material has been dsused
in the form Of suspended mud The action must have
taken place chemical (ani probably hcae'D So
luton because many Of the pebbles found hexagonnl
holes several inches deep, marked with peculiar sriie.
and ending with pyramida faces proving the existence
therein at time OF solid qumz crystals. which had
BE- out by powerful mcnsiruum that was
.'tu., i,la anfi I
know OF nothing besile subaqueous volcanic action
thst can explain all these phenoue a.
Pilot Knoo the other large iron deposit Of this neigh
borhood and the property Of the Pilot Knob Iron Com
rany has also been described n solid mountain Of
iron nearly 500 feet high and 500 base, capable Of
producing many thousand uns per perpendicular foot
Tbs is however shown to DO mis,pprehension; the
mountain consists of lels of limestone. porphyric
rock and iron ore. oil probably meamorphic in thor
origin ike tho Lake Superior beds. The bed Of ore.
cropping out about 100 feet below the rugged porphy
rite summit cuts the mountain like huge plate dip
ping southwark toward the Arcadian Valley. Some
distance below 1t are beds OF a druzy limestone. The
openings made here upon this ontcrop. and two in
cned planes LOO feet long reached down TO the valley
the rnroad and tho furnaces. Shepherds Mountain.
also belonging to the Pilot Knob Iron Company mile
south west of riot hhop Is an oval ruge hited ABOUT
GOO feet above the valley through which between
porphyro walls run several apparently nearly perpen
dcular veins OF specular ore two Of which have been
worked one is le, the other feet in thickness. Tho
road these deposits has been destroyed by the
Rebel soldiers, whose bones l saw whitening in the
bush and has been taken out for several years
singular prevails regarding the nature of this
orc 1t is generally believed to be magnetic. careful
search for magnetic failed to detect single frag
mcnt Every opening and waste plo was searched,