Connecticut western news., 1872-06-28
Among the Diggers.

ering and never to be forgotten.
 Among the Diggers.
 We don't mean the Digger Indians, but the diggers of iron ore here in our town, among whom we have been semi-occasion- ally for the past few days; and inasmuch as the interests of Salisbury and the inter- ests of the iron miners and manufacturers are so closely connected, we have thought that few details concerning the business of mining might not prove uninteresting to the public. It may not be known to all of our readers that two distinct organizations are concerned in each of the three great mines of the town, to whom the manufac- turers of pig iron are obliged to pay tribute. There are the proprietors and the diggers.
 Beginning then at the Chatfield Bed, we find it owned by corporation known as the Adam Chatfield Ore Bed. There are number of owners, or stockholders whose rights and interests would puzzle a Phila- delphia lawyer to disentangle. In later years even a small owner in this concern has received very comfortable dividends. but when the bed was first opened indica- tions of ore were not very abundant. The miners at this bed are the Chatfield Mining Co.,, who have been operating here for sev- eral years. M. B. Richardson is the Gen. eral Agent of the Company, and also of the Davis Digging Company, the Amenia Mining Company, and the Mt. Riga Mining Company. The Chatfield miners are doing large business this season, H. P. Harris overseeing the same and keeping matters straight when his legislative duties permit.
 We are indebted to him for the informa a. ton that the company are employing this season about 50 men and 20 horses, that they are raising about 50 tons of ore daily, and the present indications lead them to think that gross amount of ore dug by them this year will not fall much short of 15, 900 tons. We will now pass over to the "Old Hill proper, which is owned by the Salisbury Ore Bed proprietors," happy lot of fellows whose yearly dividends on the stock average from 75 to 100 per cent. Two companies of miners are operating here,- ,-the Brook Pit" and the Mann moth Pit" The Brook Pit Go. is doing a rushing business this summer, employing about 50 men and 20 horses, raising 150 tons of ore daily, and expecting to bring the figures up to about 25,0OO tons this year. Charley Everts is Treasurer of the Brock and Mammoth Pit companies. The latter concern has not yet developed much ore this season, but are engaged in remov- ing dirt preparatory to so doing. They employ about sixteen men and eight horses. Coming now to Lakeville we call first at the '' Porter Ore Bed ,. now owned by the Hartford & Salisbury Ore Co.,, which has leased it's interest for term of years to Mir. P. w. Lippitt of Providence. This concern has had almost everything to contend with from it's first organization, but MT. Lippett has been fortunate in securing the indefati- gable Dodge so supervise the work for him, and Dodge really doesn't know when he Ss beat. He tells us that prospects of ulti.
 mate success were never so flattering as al present. Abundant indications of ore have
 been found at several different points, and
 Messrs. Lippitt and Dodge are determined
 this season to either "make or break.
 Going on to the Davis Ore Bed, which is
 owned by the Forbes Ore Bed Co.,, if wt
 are correctly informed, we ind the Davis | Digging Go. operating as miners, with MT
 John Drummond as overseer of the work
 men, and J. l.. Perkins as book-keeper
 For two or three seasons this company ha
 been obliged to expend money largely, il
 removing dirt, draining, &c.,, but this year
 they are bound to dig ore instead of dirt
 They have force of 52 men, 31 horses
 are raising 100 tons of ore daily, and hop to bring up the grand total this year to a least 15,oOO tons. Quite change in min ing at this bed within 40 years! Less tha , 40 years since the " "mine" consisted of on 3 or two small holes in the ground, and th 3 force employed embraced two or three me B and basket. A gentleman told us th D other day that he had mown many swat f beneath the huge "dump bank'' whic t runs like small mountain in the rear ( e the old Sage house! One notices quite n difference in the manner of transportatic it too when one sees the State Line" wh a along drawing hundred tons of ore, ar " then thinks of the leather bags on hors h back in which ore was first carried fro !. the Salisbury mines to the nearest furnac l. Side by side with the Davis, we find
 , ho Gfop Ho nh SnRn D. we can learn is composed of s. s. Robbir Id This company has been engaged in explt Id ations for nearly two years, have remov
 large amount of dirt, and are now findi 7il sufficient indications of ore to encoura lv them to continue their labor. Our readt Ia can now form some conception of the m. n. nitude of the iron interest in this tow he We would like to conduct you in imagil on tion along the several paths, over whi .ar must go 60, 900 tons of ore which will pr' ,;s ably be raised this year, but our space ' oh not permit. In thinking of the imme hi amount of transportation involved. bv are sure that all of you will unite with ,rv in feeling thankful that the iron road ost iron horse have so greatly releived our O,
 worked teams and deeply rutted roads. ]
 The committee on military affairs W '. s,. to Hartford Friday, and paid their anr " visit of inspection to the State Arsenal.
 to One hundred and seventy four of the !, ,ar- victs in the Weathersield State prison inc forwarded petition to the Legislature, ted ling for a more rigid law to suppress lsly rum traffic" It represents that more ain- ithree-fourths of the inmates owe thei