Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-11-26
FROM THE COPPER REGIONS.


FROM THE COPPER REGIONS.
In.ere sting Description Of a Mine.
HANCOCK, Mich, Nov. 20, rs.
DEAR BULLET1N:-Again I take
my pen for few moments talk with
your readers Take walk with me
to Quincy Mine, which we will ex-
anime specially this time. Leaving
my office on Hancock street, we pro-
coed north, ascending a slope of over
forty-five degrees, and after half
mile of this tedious climbing we ar
rive at the residence of Mr.. Jas.
McGinnis, son-in-law of Joseph D.
Smith, we'll known farmer in Byron
township, Buchanan county. Here
We find also the son of the latter.
VIM. Smith. Mr.. McGinnis has
charge of the copper that comes from
the Quincy Mine, and VIM. Smith is
assistant master mechanic, in the en-
ploy of the same corporation. With
these friends for partners and guides,
we first enter the crushing room,
where we find ponderous machine,
which strikes thirty-two hundred
pound stroke. This machine, which
resembles our plle-drivers, is used to
break up bonlders, sent up from the
mine, when too large to be carried
down the tramway cars to the lower
crushing mill. 1t is owned and run
by Mr.. McGinnis personally. In this
room we get all our specimens of
copper, some of which are very beau
tiful. Opening side door Mac
showed us his cabinet Of specimens,
and presented the writer with some
very beautiful ones, one of silver,
from Silver Island. Macs cabinet is
worth at least $3.50; but the clerk of
the mine has one, gathered from the
adjoining counties, which he values
at $4,000. Passing from this room
we enter the shatt-house, and are at
once brought to the necessity of using
camphorated handkerchiets. This is
owing to the fumes arising from the
mine when not worked. Our visit
was on Sunday, and the air compress
sor, which supplies fresh air to the
mine, and expels the poisonous va
pors, was not in motion. On one side
we see wound on drum 1900 feet Of
three inch wire rope, one end being
attached to huge bucket. called the
skip" which slides upand down that
black-looking hole to the lett of us,
out Of which rise those offensive
fumes. This is the mouth of the
nine. At one side OF the shaft we
see an iron ladder. Where does that
go? we asked. Down to the bottom
of the mine, is the answer; for the
benefit Of the miners, though they
can ride down on the man engine,
which / will describe soon. The
skip is hauled up far above our heads,
and turned bottom upward, dischare-
ing its contents into small car,
which carries them to the upper
crushing room, which we have seen.
Some of these huge stones weigh
from 8 to 10 tons. But we pass on
INTO the engine-house. Here we see
nothing but complicated machinery;
and this room is the home of our
friend Smith from week to week.
We will lake note of two or three
things Eere. First, is the air COM
pressor, said to be the finest piece of
machinery of the kind in the State.
Our friend Smith starts the steam,
and we hear the heavy breathing of
the wonderful machine. Drawing in
its breath through water to purify 1t,
it is then forced down to the bottom
Of the pit, there to cheer and sustain
the five hundred miners delving in
the bowels of the earth. The cost
OF the machine is $4,000. Let me
remark right here that this mine
alone pays out each month $4,000
for operating expenses. Look here
at the left is the man engine, a most
contrivance. Miners when
they descend stand in ngle file, and
each side Of the dark looking hole
designated as the right and left double
shafts. On the right heavy beam
comes up. horizontally, with small
platform on the end, to the level of
the floor. A single miner steps on
this platform, which is perhaps Is
inches wide, when it Immediately
sinks ten feet, and the man steps to
The left on to another platform, which
mas just risen ten feet, and it III turn
goes down, when he steps to the right
again, and SO on alternately until the
bottom is reached. While one is go
ng up the other is going down, like
IN old-fashioned we'll with two buck
ITS. The men step on to the plat
orns, as they come to the surface,
alternately. 1t is curious sight to
zee them going down, every one with
candle in his cap, and stepping
rom left to right, or right to left, at
he same instant. My description of
his mine may be taken as general
description of all, though they vary
n magnitude. In nv last letter I