Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-03-28
A Visit to the Ely Mines.

a sIAtF tOACH fNFERlENCF-DOWN INTO THE
EARTH-A MEMORABLE sLIDE-How THE ORE
is PREPARED FOR MARKET-THE PRESENT STATE
OF AFFAIRs-AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT BY A
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
Although copper ore in considerable quantities
was discovered within the borders of Vermont
nearly fifty years ago, 1t Is only within the last
quarter of century that the plant containing this
valuable mineral has been developed to any ex-
tent, under the auspices of the Vermont Copper
Mining Company. During this period the COM
ptny has passed through many vicissitudes an d
its affairs, or portion Of them. have from time
to time been promulgated to the public through
the medium of the press, which have perhaps In
some Instances led many to doubt the validity of
the plant, and its ultimate successful develop
ment. For the purpose of probing the matter to
the bottom, and securing such information as
might be OF general interest, the writer a few
afternoons since, boarded the. Passumpsic train
with view Of making personal inspection of
the plant and its business aspects. short ride
up the line of the Passumpsic lands us in front Of
somewhat dilapidated looking structure, which
answers the purposes OF railroad station and
freight house combined, and designated as Ely.
The name, however, Is a misnomer, not only from
the fact that the name by an act of the last gen.
eral assembly was changed back to Vershire
about which we shall call attention to farther on
but the station is in the town Of Fairee. The
latter fact matters but little, inasmuch as the in
habitants of Fairlee provided with railroad ia.
cilities nearer the center. To alight from a COM
Portable railway carriage, and be unceremonously
ushered into one OF those painted sugar boxes,
yclept stage, your movements somewhat accel-
Grated by that most genial OF companions Jack
Frost, who manipulates the atmospheric pressure
down among the units, assisted by Old Boreas,
who whites an unpleasant solo about your ears,
accompanied by interminable variations il not a
very fruitful theme to moralize upon. Ensconced
within n comfortable buffalo robe our misery Is
somewhat relieved by the addition OF fellow
traveller from distant section of the country, and
young mother accompanied By an infant barely
"a tn la nina 20 har h.,s-
band. SaDdwiched in are several suspicious look
ing boxes, which at times send forth an ominous
jingle, together with couple of mail bags of
Large proportions. This accomplished, the door Is
closed and we proceed on
OUR JOURNEY
over the hills and through the valley to the
mines, some nine miles distant. For the first
half mile everything went along as smooth as a
marriage bell, but suddenly the monotony of the
occasion is broken by lurch of the stage, which
brings us into closer communion, as 1t were. We
perform a difficult acrobatic feat which at once
threatens the dislocation of our spinal column,
while one of the aforesaid suspicious looking
boxes seems bent upon exchanging positions with
one OF the mail bags. The infant, true to its ma
tere, utters howl, which is a medium between
the screech OF jackall and an Indian war whoop.
Recovering our equilibrium, we settle back into
our original position, only to have our internal
organs appear to have desire to entangle them
selves up, the effects OF vigorous dig between
low-traveler. A repetition OF these gymnastlc
exercises occurs frequently, the only variation be-
ing in an occasional change Of directions and at
tempts on the part OF the boxes to assume a rest
ing-place upon our feet, which threatens q frac-
ture Of some OF the ligameuts thereof, until we
attain our sea legs, as 1t WERE Then we braced
ourselves for any additional emergency, but oh,
horrors! our blood apparently ceased to circulate
and great beads OF cold pers piration oozed out
upon our brow as we were kindly informed by
our obliging lady passenger, that We were mid
way OF lake three miles across, with nothing be-
tween us and eternity or, more properly speak
Ing, watery grave, but an icy crust Our refec.
tons were still farther disturbed by the very
consoliDg information that the stage had actually
broken through once, and that only few months
before, two physicians had met with watery
death In this same lake. We endeavored to re-
call some pleasant "Reminiscences in our past life;
but no, our memory had suddenly become
dimmed, and we were reluctantly compelled to
accept the inevitable But thank fortune all
things come TO an end, and suffice 1t to say that
we succeeded In reaching terra frma safely, and
finally our ultimate destination, without any Sc
rinus inconvenience, save a fnmished condition
We at once u-hered ourselves into the presence
OF the officials OF the mining company, and were
so kindly received that we Immediately forgot
the hardships we had so recently encountered
Alas for human expectations, that phantom De-
spair bobbed up serenely, as we ascertained that
the nearest hotel was two miles distant. The
suspense was OF but momentary duration, how
ever, rs that genial and most sympathetic of all
individuals In the town, DR.. Simpson, babe us
welcome to his board, and we gladly accepted the
Invitation, and found supplementary welcome
from Mrs. Simpson upon our arrival at the man
sion.
IN THE MINES
The next morning we repaired TO the office,
where we renewed oura qualnlauce with Messrs
Long and Sargent. manager aud treasurer. re-
spectivoy and were provided with the neces
sary documents for our safe passage to aud
from the mines. Accompanied by Mr.. McCarty,
the confidential secretary to Mir Smith Ely, presi
dent OF the company, we proceeded To the scene
OF action. Before entering we exchanged our
wearing apparel and donned habiliments suitable
for the occasion, although we doubt II even our
own kin could have identified us ~ we emerged
from the dressing-room, for what with taking a
reef here and there, and corresp ondng letting
out in other parts we must have resembled an
Egyptian mummy. Provided with stan and
tin lamp, which IN the mine Is about as useful to
novice In the mines rs white bean In dark
room, we enter drift, as miners would say, bur
which in reality Is nothing but a subterranean
passage, a tritle over five feet In the cear and
the same In width extending several feet TO the
landing or head OF the main sh Aft, and here Is
where the fun, or rather trouble, begins. This
shaft, or, to be more explicit continuation OF the
subterTanean passage alluded to- extends verti-
caly distance Of about twenty-seyen hundred
feet into the bowels OF the earth, ON an incline Of
about twenty-six degrees, or trifis over twenty
three hundred feet 10 the mile. Down this shaft
runs narrow gauge railway, over which dump
cars capable OF carry ing three or four tons, are
run, descending and ascending by means Of an
Inch and quarter steel cable attached to the car
and connected with hOisting engine Of two hun.
dred and fifty horse power, located ON an emnence
"a couple Of hundred feet or more from the land
ing, This engine is connected with drum six
teen feet In diameter, around which the cable
coils itself Midway between this and the landing
Is another engine which, though not at present in
use, can be utilized In case Of emergency. There
Is also located In the building hrst mentioned a
Burleigh air compressor which forces pure air for
the ventilation Of the mine through pipe ex-
tending TO the bottom Of the shaft Again, there
10 a signal wire attached ~ gong within the en-
Dina hnuaa which allan axtanda n the hottn,., -