The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-17

body o. low grade ore.
The gravel mines o. Montgomery are
attracting deserved attention h
Christian Mine is the best now ex-
ample of them only a small
ton has been made in the bank, but
even this. with an adequate supply OF
water. afforded large and gratifying
results.
In Moore county only a few mines
are in operation, the most important
being the Eagle Mine and the Chick
Mine tie latter also carries copper.
On the third belt, alluded TO AT the
beginning of this article, the most
noted mine is the Kings Mountain,
situated about 40 miles southwest OF
Charlotte. and near the Atlanta Rail
road. The country rock is limestone,
and the ore body is itself largely made
up of impure limestone, With D. D
Der cent of sulphurets, etc. The ore
body varies from 6 to 80 feet IN thick
ness. and is for the most part milling
ore the greatest depth reached Is
nearly 25H feet. The ore Is low grade.
but the large amount available. II
the facility with which 1t Is treated,
has enabled the mine TO make q nor
steady return for years than any other
in this section. The product Of the
mine is estimated at $780, OO.
The Crowder Mountain Mine, about
four miles distant, has also large bodies
of ore, but they have been too little
worked to justify any assertion OF their
value.
On the High Shoals property to the
northwest of the Kings Mountain
Minel are three mines-Long Greek,
Asbury and Dixon, or High Shoals.
From all of these, in past years, the
production has been large. Recently
they have been ~re-opened. N pre-
parations for re-working have been
vigorously pushed, and good bodies OF
milling ore have been uncovered.
The High Shoals property, on which
these mines are situated, is worthy of
a passing notice on other grounds.
1t is a tract of IA, 600 acres, is ira
versed by two railroads, and is quite
near a third. 1t comprises several iron
mines, and has upon it a blast furnace
and a rolling mill. Its chief value,
however, lies in its unrivalled water
power (that of the south fork of the
Catawba river the fall is 90 feet, and
the discharge 2OO, 900 gallons per min
ute. Rarely does n tract combine sc
many advantages.
Other mines in CASTOR county are the
Oliver, the Rhodes, the Rhyme, Dufiie
and the BurreI Wells.
The Cansler and Shuford Mines are
in Catawba county.
Vein mining in the mountains has
been little followed, the veins rarely
being of any size that would yield {
profitable return. The Baker Mine, or
Johns river, in Caldwell county, is al
exception. and the Nichary Mine. neal
by, has acquired some reputation.
Gravel and placer mines, however
have been worked more extensively
here than in any other part Of the State
The most noted localities are in Brin
dletown, B~rackettown, Whitesides an(
Jamestown, in Mcdowell and Ruther
ford counties Sandy Plains and Pace
- D;,-o~ Dali onunfr EairhnI1 Val
ley, jackson county ; Valleytown an'
Vengeance Creek, Cherokee county.
The Gap Creek Mine, in Ashe coun
ty, has given some remarkably beauti
full ores, rich in copper, gold an
silver. 1t has reached the depth of 4
feet.
1t is one of a group of mines, but tn
others have lever been explored.
Prior to the war the old fashione
Carolina gold mill was the chief ma
chinery relied on for milling, and wit
attention to the details of it's work di
well nothing equal to it has sine
been introduced. After the war til
California stamp battery was general
substituted, but with an exception hel
and there it has proved lamentably il
efficient. Hereafter the prosperity {
our mines will largely depend on meta
lurgical establishments whether thes
will employ mechanical, chemical
smelling methods, or a combination
them, is, as yet, matter Of c%onjectur
The three points of Charlotte, Sail
bury and Greensboro are convenient
situated to accommodate their respe
tive sections, and the railroad syste
Of the State is now sufficiently e
tended to afford fair facilities for shi
ping, etc.
Charlotte, Y. c., Dec. 81, 1877.
A Brief Review of the Education