Litchfield enquirer., 1867-10-31


distance. The longest and principal drift
is little farther up the hill It is now
about 100 feet in length, and has been driv-
en- within about an hundred feet of the
main shaft, which it will strike over fifty
feet below the surface. From this drift the
greater part of the ore now used is taken
in the same little cars that run the whole
distance to the roasting kiln. Descending
the main shaft we found a gang Of miners
working in the direction Of the drift by
which it is already drained through the
crevicss of the rock. The expense iRyolv-
ed in these numerous borings of the solid
rock must be very heavy, but the Company
have the satisfaction of knowing that when
they once get fairly started, they have an
immense advantage in mining from below,
instead of from above. Here as well as at
the works, one can see at q glance that
this remarkable mine is ataast certain of
being thoroughly developed.
The view to the south and east, as we
were returning, was almost worthy of a
journey to see. The valley below US, and
the hills opposite, beautiful at any time,
were strikingly so in their October color
ing; while, Immediately around us, i'm
mense lodges and heaps of rocks, and the
gnarled, neglected and decayed look of
the forest, so different from our usual
smart and thriving woods, gave grand
and venerable air to the whole scene.
We reached the works just in time for
the casting" at P. M. Quite number
of visitors were assembled to see the operas
ton which consists in drawing off the mel
ted metal into bed of sand, in which it is
cast into bars somewhat wider and thin
ner than the ordinary pigs of castlron. AS
the workmeD opened the aperture at the
bottom of the stack out came rush of gas
driving red hot cinders in fakes after
spectators did not seem to have expected
The metal followed in slow stream with
that unnatural brightness and that unen-
durable heat which, in molten iron, always
suggest those unpleasant regions described
in the opening of Paradise Lost. About
ten tons of pig steel are drawn from the
furnace, daily, the ore producing on an av-
erage little over fifty per cent of metal.
Five hundred tons of these pigs lie heap
ed up, waiting the completion of the re-
fning or "blooming" works, which are
expected to go into operation within few
weeks. The process is to be the same as
that employed in Prussia, where the Ger
man steel is manufactured. Large FORCES
and the heaviest machinery are already
erected on the extensive scale employed
throughout these works. We heard ru-
mors of some failures in previous attempts.
although there seems to be entire faith in
the ultimate success of the method adopt
ed. This confidence does not seem unrea-
sonable when we learn that the ore from
Mine Hill has been tested at Prussia, and
found to be the same used there, and that the
Prussian works have been carefully copied,
and Prussian workmen imported to ensure
q successful result.
The Company deserve the highest credit
for the energy and iberality with which
they have pushed their venture. Nearly
half million of dollars has been expend-
ed, while the returns have as yet to be re-
allied. When the works are in full opera
ton, We hope to pay them another visit,
and shall perhaps report to our readers
something of the processes by which the
crude steel can DO converted into the mer-
charitable article. Such of them, however,
as can conveniently visit Chalybes for
themselves, will find how inadequately we
have described one of the most wonderful
mining enterprises in this country.
Dickens new preface to his american
Notes. contains the following PASSAGE
" Prejudiced I am not, and never have
been otherwise than in favor of the Uni
ted States. [ have many friends in the
country, 1 feel grateful interest in the
country, hope and believe it will work
out problem of the highest importance
to the human race. To represent me as
viewing America with Immature, GOODNESS,
luminosity, is merely to do a very foolish
thing, which is always very easy one"
William Andrews, wag in England, hit
off the salvage mania there, few days
ago, by issuing a prospectus for joint
stock company to drain the Red Sea, to
recover the valuables the Egyptians lost,
when Pharaoh and his host were over
whelmed by the waters in their pursuit of
the children of Israel
That notorious copperhead, Henry Clay
Dean having asked Horace Greelay to dis