Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-03-12
The Ma..achu.eu. M,ning Excitement.


Since the gold excitement a quarter Of
century ago, says the Boston Advertiser,
when the "forty- y-nlners" flocked TO the
Pacific coast, there has been no discovery
OF the precious metals 30 important and yet
exciting so little general interest, as the
developments made during the past three
months in the little town of Newbury, in
Essex county, Mass. Four months ago
the existence of any such ores was known
to but two persons, and they were hy no
means aware of the magnitude of their
discovery. When the matter got into the
local papers, one gentleman of this city
thought it worth while to investigate 1t,
aud the result has been, in brief, prepara-
tlons for mining on an extensive scale,
with prospects Of returns far more remu-
nerative than ever before known.
The discovery dates back only to 1865,
when Byfield man, named Rogers, said
TO be rather a dissolute character, 10 his
wanderings over Highfcld Pasture first
noticed the ore. Something in the weight
of the stones which he picked up, and oc-
oasional CLEANS as the sun glanced on
small, smooth surfaces, induced the belief
that there was metal In their composition
and If metal, then something OF value.
With this idea he collected a number of
the best specimens, and some time after
took them to Mr.. Albert Adams, quiet
bachelor farmer residing in Newbury.
| Mr.. Adams became greatly interested in
| the matter, believing that crest discovery
had been made. He began to study min
eralogy and geology. Becoming convinced
that metal was present in quantity, he was
soon confident that 1t was silver and lead.
He pursued his investigations very quietly;
and finally concluded 10 secure by pur-
chase the land on which the specimens
were found. For this purpose advances
| were made 10 an old farmer named Ja-
| quish, who had long owned the pasture,
and the lot, measuring twelve acres, was
transferred TO him for $3.50 early in April
of last year. lie then began digging. The
surface finds, or float ore, were naturally
more or less oxydized by the action of the
elements, but at the depth of six feet he
struck the true vein. Several tuns were
then taken to his barn aud further exam
inaion made. DR.. L. s. Kelley OF Boston
and Prof r. II. Richards, OF the Institute
of Technology, subsequently examined the
| premises and minerals. From their report
II seems that the rocks In the vicinity are
gneiss nodes, and quite hard. The strike
or line OF outcrop is about N. 7oo to 500 E.,
the dip about 800 to the NV. As he found
1t, the line OF the vein was about n. 72' E.
by the compass. Four specimens were as
sayed. The hrst, coarse grained galena,
ArA
assayed Tor silver, yielded S56.S1 and the
second, hne grained galena, T5.2' per ton.
Ihe third, Comparatively pure piece OF
gray "copper" containing also some quartz
anu gaiena' assayeu ior AilVer' "copper" ana
incidentally Tor gold, yielded OF silver
sl,z'O per ION goio, elzs per ION: ana
about q per cent OF copper. The fourth
specimen, weighing about three pounds,
tried FOR lead, was found 10 he nearly pure
and hammered quite readily. The lead
was hity-two per cent OF the whole matter.
After this large extent of the adjoining
properly was secured aud In september
la't systematic mining operations were
begun by the SINKING oi shat ten ieet
square, AS the sbait increased IN depth,
the veln-whlch Is what IL known as rs
sure vein, that is, metal between two walls
Of granite, where, in all probability, it was
thrown by volcanic action-broadened from
three feet at the surface to seven feet at
present working, twenty-five feet down.
As the men descend the vein grows richer
and purer, the proportion OF silver and
gold increasing, while that Of lead remains
about the same. The south wall has not
yet been reached. The men are therefore
t working on the pure metal, the north wall
being perfectly perpendicular. In conse-
D quence Of this fact, which is totally without
parallel in mining history, there Is bu
(; the smallest possible expense incurred il
= removing the ore-about one dollar pei
= ton. About ten tons are taken out, being
n hoisted up in baskets, every twenty-loul
hours. To work this quantity only foul
1 men are required by day, and relieving
o gang of equal number by night. This ore
- which is piled in storehouse, rs at pres
G ent mined, yielded 800 per ton Of silver
= $40 of lead, and s1l OF gold; a total OF sl71
The cost OF smelling aud separation is So
per ton, so the profit is about $50 per ton
Near this first shaft, on the forty acre lot
q they have sunk the second shaft, begun il
d October. This is Of about the same size a
!. the first and is down almost as deep, th
a vein working about four feet in width an
- the ore being of similar purity. This vein
4 like that first found, broadens as it is du
/, out Four men work in this shan at nigh
| and four during the Oay. Shan house
,r have been erected over the mines, ana
l. | large StOrehOuSe and boarding house 10