Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-27
Old EOgy Mining.

A Tribune correspondent writes as follows of
Virginia lead mine:
The most productive mine of lead ore east of
the Mississippi river is in this vicinity, the
Wythe lead mines being known everywhere to
men of science, while less known to the dealers
in Wall street, and spectators generally, than
any mines in America. They present the sinp1l.
lar feature Of profitable mine which has never
been brought up by northern men, and has not
yet passed out of the family of its original own
ers. The mines have been worked for 10 years,
and more than two-thirds of the present stock
holders are descendants of the first purchasers.
The same names are on the list now that might
have been found there one hundred years ago.
Out of beautiful valley on New river rises a
series of hills from $50 to 800 feet in hight. In
belt across these hills lie the deposit of lead
ore which have been worked so long; they are
100 feet or more wide, and are here, as else
where on this lead, accompanied at the surface
by brown hematite iron ore. The ore is found
in dirt formed from decomposed iron ore, states
and limestone. 1t is usually taken from pock-
cts between immense uplifts or powders of rock
limestone, partially decomposed on the surface.
These pockets were worked many years without
any serious attempt at exact mining, several
shafts which were sunk having been
abandoned, until about ten years before
the war when a system of shafts and
| tunnels was adopted Now the main works
consist of three shafts Of solid limestone, two in
dirt and stone, and two tunnels. Only one of
the latter and one shaft, however are in use
much work being still done in the surface or
pocket diggings. | explored one of the tunnels.
1t is ,552 feet long, cut through solid limestone,
and is ventilated by shaft, cut through the lat
ter, 242 feet in depth. entered the tunnel in a
little car propelled at a rapid rate by Messrs.
Wolfendine and Dent, the assistant superintend-
ent and mining engineer Of the works. stopping
at short intervals TO examine the curious twists
of the strata caused in the great upheaval, or
some fancy figure deposited from the water
trickling through and decomposing the stone.
At 800 feet we struck the vein, nearly solid
mass of argentiferous galena Is feet wide and
followed it for 81 feet. The vein dips southeast
at an angle of As degrees and runs nearly E. N E..
and W.S.W. shaft sunk, $50 feet in depth,
on this line, about 800 feet from the surface
point of the tunnel end, strikes this vein of ore,
and it is there Of the same size and similar in
all its other characteristics. These works prove
the existence of a vein and its continuity. Yet
the mine observation-disclosures of the owners
did not seem to have thought of this fact until
called his attention to it. The mines pay a
good dividend; the owners are never called on
for assessments, and hence they seem to care but
little for what may be proved of its future or in
regard to the vein theory of the country. Ithas
lasted for so many years that the prospect of its
giving out would be in their eyes preposterous.
The truth is, they have just touched the true
kernel.
Inc original cost OF the mine and land was
81, 800. The present stock is nominally $500 900.
but there never has been any assessment, or
money paid in except the first aud all the
money expended on the mine has been provided
out of its own proceeds. Some idea of this
cost may be inferred when say that the tunnel
| entered has cost S4S, 000 and it is only within
year past that any ore in it was reached.
The mill is owned entirely in the neighborhood
and the stock is looked upon as an heirloom;
one of the stockholders would about as soon
sell his fathers trusty rifle as his shares. The
works consist of dam across New river,
plain breast wheel, a crusher, water jigs, the
old style sludge.boxes, Scotch hearth, a re-
verberatory, and a Stag furnace The ore is
roasted in an open fire and the Vein-stone being
mixture of lime and baryta decomposes readi-
ly, so that but little power is required to crush
it, The reverberatOry furnace is seldom used
Lead is made chiefly in the winter, EMPLOYING
the great force of hands in summer in collecting
and washing zinc ore. The yield of lead is
about 25O tuns per year, and it has heretofore
contained about six dollars Of silver to the tun,
but the amount Of bullion is evidently greater
in the deep workings, and will probably in
crease to some extent. The fuel used is char
COAL asked how many bushels were required
to tnn of lead. They did not know, and said ::
eve only know the aggregate result of the
year; we pay out so much and there is so much
left; that is profit. We do not itemize the cost
of any particular branch of work but know
how much per pound the lead costs us by diyid-
ing all our expenses by the amount of lead
made"