Middletown transcript., 1872-07-20
Correspondence n he .Mdiistopn 7ran,cript
McConaughey's Mines, on Iron Noun
tain.

Armed and equipped with the parapher-
nala Of fisherman's outfit. even the
necessary bottle, few mornings since,
your correspondent wcnded his way to
christiann's waters, intending to spend
tie day ala Isaac Walton. Sauntcring
along the banks, looking for a shady spot,
We unexpectedly came upon an upright
stationery engine and boiler, gnder the
management of our whilom friend, Spud-
die" engaged in sucking water from the
Christiana, a height Of Is feet, and carrying
it horizontally 80 feet the engine reservoir,
and thence forcing i, through n two inch
iron pipe, E distance of fifteen hundred
feet up the side Of Iron Mountain. a, an
angle of 40 degrees, to a large tank hold
lug some 1000 gallons, where We found
Mcssrs Wm. 4 Thos. McConaughey,
busily engaged experimenting their works.
mining, washing, and shipping irou-orc.
Through the courtesy of Mr. Thomas
MeGonaughey. We were quietly shown
through the mines and over the worke. com.
mcncing first with the mines. one or two
Of which arc not running lie stated
that from the ou, cropping of orc il va.
rious spots. he had sunk shafts. with va
ryins success as to accessibility, richness
II ore, &c. The ono they are now work
ing is the best, They commenced near
the base Of the mountain, aud cut n hori-
zontal lane into her side. laying a rail
road track as they went; and almost from
the first obtaining ore. On this Il r.
track are lot Of dump ears. which are
run into the side Of the mine, and loaded
chiefly by the falling orc, looscned by the
miners pick. At the end of the r. r.
these cars dump their loads into horse
carts, which come under tressle bridge
for the purpose. and thence the ore is ta-
ken to the wash house, long rough slab
building. erected to the side of the tank
first spoken of In this building We found
a twenty horse power portable engine,
driving n machine the invention and pa
ten, of Thos b McGonaugllcy. called
washer This machine consists Of box
a feet long. feet wide and two feet
deep. from each end of which Is erected n
stout frame work. the support of a shaft
containing four upright levers. swinging
directly over the washer box, each has-
ing at the lower end an arm and hand
that works directly upon the bottom of the
wash box. The washer stands at, and
parallel with one side Of tie building, on
an angle Of 80 lesreea, and at the upper
or elevated end a pipe from the tank lets
on water in such quantities as the eond-
ton Of the ore requires. At this upper
end there is also revolving table some
ten feet long that receives the washed ore
When the carts arrive at the wash house
they are dumped on platform, and the
ore aud dir, shovelcd into the lower end of
the wash box, where the arms aud hands
steadily push 1t toward the upper end,
meeting tic descending water, which sew
ers the dit from the ore, the dirt and
water passing off from the lower end OF
the box. and the clean ore. passing ont Ut
tho upper end ON Ito revolving table. Is
carried by it into a side trough. thence to
a dump car, on an inclined X. r.. and
by the dump car carried to aud over an
other trcs,le bridge and dumped into
large Gae ton wagon to which six mules
arc ATTACKED. and tho ore carried one
mile to the Mc0onaughey siding, on the
p. w. 4 b. X. r., and shipped to va
rious points, according to orders received.
These mines are now yielding an av-
crage Of thirty tons per day, and netting
the Messrs. McCouanghey at least s2.0
per ton clear Of all possible expense. These
gentlemen are continually adding TO their
works, and hope to soon produce one
hundred tons daily average. The scene
Of their works il interesting. and many
times amusing, the incorrigablo Irish hu-
NOR breaks out in the mines, at the wash
house. or on tho track. while the shrek
Of the engine. the clank Of machinery. or
tho steady rattle Of the carts and wagons.
sll combined, render visit to Dclawars's