Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-10-18

signal to stop work, which was near at
hand. After II short rest after coming
out of the shaft, the guide informed me
that eve had better get out before the
men started, rs when they came out, they
came with a rush, and just as we reached
the open air, they received the signal, and
they came out on the dead run, yelling
like so many demons, which they some
what .rcsembled, their faces and hands
being covered with smoke and dirt; soap
and water soon made complete transfor-
nation in their appearance and they came
out looking, as they are, fine, stalwart
set Of men. There is one shaft 200 feet
deep which Is now level full Of water.
$50 men are at work in the main shaft,
one set in the day time, and the other at
night. They take out % cor loads, or 90
tons per day. The orc is taken from the
mine to the Mushroom, Capt. Richard
Barrett, foreman, where 100 men and
boys are engaged in breaking, washing
and sorting it, Here worthless stone
called mundc is thrown out, and the cop
per ore sent down in cars to the roasting
beds. These are about 80 in number and
each contains 800 tons Of ore. The beds
are built by laying down a platform Of
wood and shavings, upon which the ore
is placed and covered with dirt The
wood is then ignited which in turn sets
fire to the ore, and the sulphur Is thereby
expelled, the surface Of the beds present.
a bright yellow appearance from the coat
ing of sulphur. Each bed contains the
product of the mine Tor one week. From
the roasting beds the ore is taken to the
smelling works. This contains at pres
ent SO kilus and 10 more will shortly be
added. This department is under the
supervision of Mr.. Patrick Coughlan. to
whom | am indebted for much valuable
information The smelling works are
3i2 feet long. An addition has been put
on the present season, and on the
roof laid in colorcd slate are the figures,
1876. A new engine has also been put in
this year, an So horse power, built by
Lewis, Osborne 4 Co., East Boston.
The copper, after coming from the
smelling furnaces, is run into moulds two
feet long, 10 inches wide, and 4 inches
thick. These are called pigs, and average
in weight 2l5 lbs. The average product
is 5000 lbs. per day The copper is ship
ped to New York and the price is govern
ed by the Market Quotations. 1t Is claim
ed to be superior in many respects to the
Lake Superior copper, especially in the
manufacturing of bronze and tubing
The amount Of copper in the ore average
from to 8 per cent. The whole number
of workmcn employed in and about the
mines is 400. The mine has been WORKED
about forty years The past twenty o!
which were under the present company
management, and in the whole time Onl
two fatal accidents have occured-on'
l man being killed each time, one from
premature blast, and the other from fall
ing rocks. AT night th
glare of the furnaces and the twinkling
lights from the dwellings scattered abou
, on the hill sides present a beautiful ap
pearancc. wish to express my thank
,, to Capt Long, Capt. Pascoe, and Mr.
Coughlan for their kindness, and also t.
} Mr.. NJ. ]. Coughlan andMr. John j. Bon
for their assistance, and assure any on
who wishes to visit the mines that the.
, will courteously received by the gent le
f manly officers. ii. w. S.