The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-05
SOUTH CAROLINA GOLD MINES.
An Attempt on n Large Scale to Mine In
the Upper Part of the State.
GREENvILLE, S. c., May 10.

N'N'sH-' 'b'SIJ ~ S't NA'y 1S'
The much disputed question whether
the deposits of gold known to exist in
the upper portion of the State will re-
compense the working of the mines is
about to be settled by John Cochran,
late chairman of the State Senate inves-
eating committee. Gold has been discov-
cred in some of the branches" (stream-
lets) in the Southern portion of Oconee
County, near the Anderson line, several
years ago, but only within six months
have steps been taken to utilize this
knowledge to any extent. A recent visit
to the mine opened by Mr.. Cochran on a
wooded eminence on his plantation, sit
uated about five miles from Seneca City,
disclosed considerable activity in the
line of drifting" and hauling quartz and
"pay dirt" to the surface. Workmen
were also busily engaged in tho erection
of mill, wherein the quartz will be
pounded and ground.
The mouth of the mine on the north
side of the hill is reached by circuitous
path, and through it one enters q we'll
ventilated tunnel or "level," about eight
feet in height and ten feet wide. From
it, in almost every direction, lead sever
al drifts connected with shafts, ranging
from twenty to fifty feet in depth. The
veins of o"'rts being found to run in
different directions and at different dis
tances from starting point, different
drifts are necessary. The shafts are
sunk 10 search for a continuation of the
gold-bearing quartz, which from Some
natural cause, has been interrupted.
Huge timbers, supported by substantial
props, line the tops and walls of these
passages. The veins of gold quartz run
mostly east and west, and are claimed to
be very rich. The material is ,brought
to the mouth of the mines in wheelbar-
rows; here the quartz and dirt are sepa-
rated, the former is stored and the latter
is conveyed in carts to the washing
troughs," which extends for about two
hundred yards along the foot of the hill.
Altof the miners, twenty-eight in num-
ber are colored men. They seem to en-
JOY the labor they are engaged in, and
their voices can be heard all day chant
ing plantation hymns. Messrs. Hubbard
and Mordecai, both practical miners,
superintend the work. One great draw
back to Mr.. Cochran's enterprise is
scarcity of water. The branch" used
for washing purposes, except in rainy
seasons, does not furnish enough water
to conduct operations on q desirable
scale, and there seems to be no possibili-
ty, except at an enormous expense, to
remedy this defect.
Coneross Greek, about FIVE miles from
the mine, could be made available only
through very expensive machinery, as
the water would have to be lifted fully
200 feet to bring it on level with the
mine. 1t is claimed by the inhabitants
that pan of dirt taken from the beds
of the branches" in this region will
yield from fifty to seventy-fye cents
worth of gold. There are unmistakable
signs of rich deposits, but until Mr..
Cochran has thoroughly tested the ma
terial, about 600 tons now on hand, it
will be impossible to form a correct es-
mate of their extent and value.-Cor.
~ Y. Times.