Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-08-06
A Day in the Mines.

81
week, we accepted the kind invitation to
makea visit to the lead mines Of John
Rowe & Co. We have often heard Of the
wonders of the interior world, but never
had the pleasure of a visit to it before. In
with Mr. Martin Phelan, an old
and experienced miner, we started for the
mine, where we found Mr. Rowe busy
sorting large pieces of mineral out of a
heap that had just been hauled out of the
shaft He welcomed US by hearty shake
of the hand { Mr.. Rowe is large man, and
has grip like a vIce). He showed US the
different qualities of ore, lead ore, or as it
is generally called, mineral, black jack dry
1one, white and brown rocks, tiff, &c. He
then conducted us to what he called the
dog house," where we we're Invested Of
our usual attire, and clothed in miners
suit. We were then given candle, and
proceeded to the mouth of the shaft. Our
escort, Mr.. Rowe, being equipped in the
same approved manner, we proceeded like
Virgil and Dante to explore the lower re-
gions, but before starting we were warned
of the danger, and cautioned to follow di-
rections, and not get frightened or dizzy.
Mr.. Rowe proceeded US down the Shaft, as
he said to show us how. We then adjust
ed our foot in Moose in the rope, and in
an instant found ourself swinging in open
space. The sensation to one not accus-
toned to ascending to the clouds or de-
scentling into the caserns of the earth, is
to say the: least fearful, and we confess to
feeling rather pale, bat we resolved not to
show the white feather, and so proceeded.
After being jostled against The rocks, and
descending one hundred feet, We finally
found osrsolf once more on solid ground
We then lighted our candle. and proceed.
ed along drift for about $50 feet. We
then with the much needed assistance of
our guide and protector, climbed through
a ragged opening about 80 feet. Here we
met sight which fully repaid us for the
pefils of the journey. Mineral glistened
and sparkled on.all sides, and could be
traced in sheets, varying in thickness from
'ne to three inches, running horizontally,
only few inches spsrt, at 9TH
,r places several feet. These mines have
been worked great many years, have been
pronounced worked out, times without
number, and Is years ago. when Mr.. Rowe
commenced working them, they were tho't
but the persevering energy o f
is present owners has continued to work
t, invariably receiving ample returns and
'ich rewards. Four openings have at pres
INT been developed and 9rked. The first,
md second goes through brown rock, the
bird through a white limestone, and the
fourth through sand rock. Each opening
runs from IS to 100 feet in width it is so
eet from the top of the first opening, 4
eet to the second, 2 feet to the third, and
u feet to the fourth. There is one drift
over one quarter of a mile long, and the
mineral range has been proved full half
nile east and west. Mr.. Rowe is a scien,
inc; and practical miner, having carried on
mines ~ the old cou.try that had bcens
worked 500 years, and his discourse or
inning operations is very ,instructihg and
profitable. He has a theory thatJninerai
grows and decays; that it grows from tbe
bottom, and is fed from beneath, and no
from above;l chat there is greater body
of mineral below than has ever vet been
We have only Clipped the
branches Of the great mineral tree which
les buried deep, deep 10 the bowels Of the
earth. He does not believe in the idea
that mines give out; it is the men and not
the mines that mining is a trade, and
there is no such thing as luck. d 5'sa
q After going down another shaft where
the air was 50 poor that our, candles were
~
going out, we began to retrace
Dur steps. 81 On nearing the main shaft our
candles frightened up, and We could
breathe much easier. We finally reached
the foot of the shaft, where adjusting our
feet in the rope, we proceeded up, up
Lighter and lighter it became, until at last
we saw above us the clear. blue, cloudless
sky; and half dazzlcd with the glaring
light, and blinking like an old owl, we ar
rived safe and sound on terra .11rma. We
then proceeded to the hotel feeling hig ally
pleased with our visit. EFT. w.dl
az 1t is stated that the mining com
pany that operated on Stephen Marsden's
ground at Gaena, few years ago, exhum
ing many thousand dollars worth of lead.
also Turned ont n larUa G hI,ol,