The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-07-04
The Duckiown Coprer NIInes.

ted the DucktOwn copper mines, Is sit
uated in the extreme southeastern por-
ton Of the State OF Tennessee, In the
|. county of Polk, and about forty miles
east Of Cleveland, the nearest railroad
outlet. Copper was first discovered
here about the year 1919, it being
found upon or near the surface In urge
quantities, and Of a superior quality,
yielding on an average - per rent. OF
fine copper. Capitalists, hearing of this
valuable discovery, o o Hooked In and
invested heavily in mineral lands, con-
tanning the seemingly incXhaustible
deposits of black oxydizcd ores. The
result has btcn the building up Of an
industry among the mountains of Ten
nessee that Is crcditablc and worthy OF
the energy and capital expended on the
same. Immediately after the opening
of the old IIiwasscc Mine. the public
excitement became SO intense, that
quite a number Of mining companies
began TO open and develop the various
mineral lands in the locality, and in Il
majority of the mines rich ores were
found in abundance, often producing
as high rs 40 and 80 per cent. of cop
per. These ores were simply ''drcss-
ed then packed in boxes and trans
ported in wagons TO Gainesville, Ga, q
distance of some so miles, and thence
by railroad 10 Savannah. From there
they were taken by steamer, (yia. Cape
HatteraS) to the Baltimore Smelling
Works at Baltimore, Nd, where they
were carried through the various pro-
cesscs of Roasting, Smelling, Refining,
&C., before the copper was ready to put
upon the market. Although the mines
were exceedingly rich, for the want Of
the necessary smelling facilities, costly
and difficult transportation and other
drawbacks, the greater part of them
lost money, became discouraged, and
were finally obliged TO suspend opera
llDllSs tNDlitN llCtN dJthAl tlN 'ul l'''
Il nearer communication with railroad
was effected at Cleveland, Tenn, Uorty
miles Distant rendering itmuch more
easy and perceptible to ship the ores to
Baltimore by the F. T., V. Is G. r. r.,
Via. Lynchburg, Na.) In the year
1858 several mines consolidated and
were incorporated as the "UniOn Con-
solicited Mining Company, of Tenn"
The history of mining operations at
Ducktown has proved, without adOubt,
that it is one OF the most valuable cop
per mining regions in the United
States. At present Ducktown employs,
directly and indirectly, about one thou
sand men, and from the great activity
and life displayed throughout all the
various departments Of the business, as
more especially seen in the active OPP
GRAFTON Of the many furnaces, the large
amounts of ore, roasting on the yards,
trains of cars heavy laden with ore,
&C., constantly arriving from the
mines: one might easily be led to sup
pose that the price Of copper had really
advanced to its former market value.
The principal mines, owned BY the
Company, are the East Tennessee
and "Mury." The former is over 600
feet in depth, and the latter about 200
feet. Both mines are Furnished with
all the hosting and pumping machi-
merry of the very best description, and
are turning out hundreds Of tons Of ore
every month. As the mines are some
two or three miles from the Company's
smelling works, the ores have to be
TRANSPORTED this distance, which is ac-
complished by Il narrow-guage rail
road. the power being furnished by
two locomotives. all owned by the COM
pany. The quality and class of ores
are now mined differ as a general
from those taken out during the
mast. in that they are now most of the
"ycllow sulphurct" class. which are
nor nearly rs rich in conner rs the ,
nhlack oyvde,." The latter. being q
found upon or near the surface and
obovc the vain containing the former. |
have now been mostly worked out. The {
vein Of conner ore, now being mined J
imam. varins in width from Il 70 30 and
30 feet and seems 70 he ~incvboustobIn /
II overooes ahout six nor cont Of con- t
ncr. The "sbaftsn are constantly being
sunk and the "drifts" extended in !