The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-04-11
Graphite of Essex County, N. Y.

Graphite, more generally called plum
bago or black lead in this region, seems
to pervadc Essex County pretty generally.
During the time have passed in different
parts Of the county, l have seen specimens
from various localities, and have been in
formed Of its existence in many others.
There are large quantities in the town Of
Minerva. A valuable mine was opened
in the latter part Of 1869 in Willsboro
mountain, and some deposits have been
discovered and examined at Port Henry.
Here, however, the mineral does not ap.
pear in masses or veins, but is incorporat-
cd In the soil in minute particles. 1t is
detected by its glittering appearance, and
can be easily separated from all other
matter, by means of a separator in the
Graphite Works at Ticonderoga. The
earth yields about one seventh part of
the mineral. In many other parts Of
the county small quantities are found.
Ticonderoga is the place of an extraordin-
ary development of the graphite. Much
romantic legend invests the discovery of
this great deposit. 1t is the firm belief
Of the old settlers of Ticonderoga that it
was discovered as follows One after.
noon over fifty years ago, Mrs. Luba
Peal was driving home cows from pasture
on Grassy Hill, as Lead Mountain was
then called. One of them slipped and
the moss broke revealing the glittering
ore.
Another account is, that it was discov-
cred by Mr.. Stewart and sons. An
other, still, that it was discovered by
Mr.. Charles Wood about 1916. Each of
these has eulogists who endeavor to prove
them the first, t,discoverers,b but it is probable
that they all discovered it at different
places.
The circumstance, that an Indian arrow
was found in an old opening in one of the
veins, several feet in length, renders the
supposition probable, that it was known
and worked by the aborigines at an early
period, probably for the purpose of tat
tooing.
The graphite constitutes a considerable
part of Lead Mountain, in the north west
part of the town.
1t is disclosed in seams throughout an
area of several acres. 1t is supposed that
there are injections of it in the whole
ridge that extends west into the town Of
Schroon. Several openings in that town
have been examined and there are indica'
tions oflarge deposits ofexcellent quality.
At first this valuable metal was manu-
factured very rudcly by different men
who claimed the right to do SO. About
twenty years ago Messrs. Ives and Arthur
began a more systematic manufacture,
turning out many thousand lead.pencils
and great quantity of stove-polish. Sew
eral others tried to make fortune by
manufacturing it,but their modes of work.
ing it were still too imperfect In 1866.
the American Graphite Company, pur-
chased the mines and built the extensive
works that are now in successful opera.
ton. The veins Of the ore in Lead
Mountain, are from six inches to foot
in thickness Some of them have been
followed five hundred feet, ,inclining down.
ward three hundred feet, the ore still in
creasing in value and quantity but the
deepest pits have been abandoned on &C.
count of the waters running in and caus-
ing too much difficulty.
Large specimens of the ore, nearly pure,
ninety-6ve per cent being graphite, are
found in the Office of the works. One of
these specimens weighs over seven hun.
1red pounds and is considered one of the
purest.
worGs Fl sBoaths th Hsse Hs 4Re 4es ths and nRes twenty
or twenty-five men in the works. They
raise and manufacture five hundred tons
of ore annually. The walls of the mines
are quartz or trap-rocks. The veins are
often severed by partitions Of feldspar.
Chemistry teaches us that graphite has
been formed from vegetable deposits, by
undergoing heat and great pressure. 1t
is extensively used in the manufacture of
crusibles and as a lubricator to lesson
friction in machinery, for both of which
purposes it is very valuable.
LEWIS L. LAWRENCE.
Ticonderoga, N. Y.