Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-01-16
From the Lewiston Journal.
4 NetC Silver Mine.
A big BONANZA OF Local Interest-A New
Company and Prospectus OF Its Mine.

Company and Prospectus of It's mime.
Since the success of silver mining at
Newburyport the seeker after bonanzas
has been knocking around with his ham,
mer among quartz formations of this part
Of the globe, and he has discovered in
Milton Plantation, Oxford county, silver
mine in which he feels much confidence.
A company has been organized which will
at once proceed to develop the mine and
work it. John T. Tibbetts of Lisbon is
President of the company, which is called
the Oxford Mining Company; +. b. Wheel
oek of Lewiston is Treasurer. The mine
is fifty or sixty miles north Of Lewiston
and was discovered last fall. n company
with 100000 capital has been formed.
The property was purchased by Messrs.
Tibbctts of Lisbon and Rand Of Lockes
Mills. Quite 4 number Of Lewiston peo-
pie are interested in it and it will be an
Androscoggin county enterprise. Mr., j.
p. Chamberlain, mining engineer has
given tho mine a careful inspection and
reports as follows -
Ia the present condition of the Oxford
mine it is impossible to make an accurate
estimate of Its extent and value, as the
shaft has been sunk only few feet; and
may say up to this time no systematic
mining has been done, the work accomp-
Iished being principally prospecting. The
wall rocks are as yet undetermined. The
gauge is very wide, and has been traced
upwards of one-half mile, in westerly di-
rection from the shaft, and which runs d.
rectly up and into the side of the mount
ain, giving the consequent advantage OF a
natural drainage, and cannot be over
looked. The lsde, which appears to be
a true assure deposit, runs easterly and
westerly, and its dip in nearly vertical.
The filing is principally gneiss and quartz.
The main vein, which is argentiterous
galena, increases in breadth from the sur
face downward, one-half inch to the foot.
The vein is also accompanied by several
smaller ones of like character running
parallel with it, and which may reasona-
bly, be expected to also increase in breadth
aud become united in the main vein. The
ore is very free from iron and other OBJ
jectionable sulphurcts. The ore seems to
be somewhat distributed, being in pockets
and small spurs running in different di-
rections from the main vein. 1t is re-
markable fact, and one which is substan-
tiated by the best authorities, also by the
recognition Of expert practical miners that
silver occurs more abundantly where min
eral veins cross or meet each other than
in other places, or in the finer ramihca-
lions of the vein. There can be no doubt
as to the richness Of the ore taken from
this mine, as the following assays show
From the .utcropping. fair sample Of
average ore yielded 80 per cent. lead and
81 silver per ton. From n selected sam
pie taken seven feet from the surface, the
yield was : > per cent. lead, and about IS
silver per ton. The average yield from
all assays made has been 54.l6 per cent.
lead, and about .03 per cent. silver, cqual
III value, to, say, SS6.3S Per ton Of 1000
lbs. of ore. five compare this with any
Of the Pacific mines that are now pro6ta-
bly, worked, including the Spanish, Gould
X Curry, Hale Y Norcross, Virginia con-
soldatcd mines on the Comstock lode, and
the Raymond n EIsy in the Eastern Ne
vada, the average product which is only
about $50 per ton We believe it will be
apparent to all who take the least interest
in the welfare Of New England, that min
ing when properly pursued may with US
become far more profitable than many
other kinds of business.