Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-11-02

tables and Two men with hose-pioe wash
the dirt OFF and then throw away the waste
rock, and divide the ore as nearly as posi-
BILE by values. Next to this sorting.room
Is the boiler and the charcoal furnace,
where the tools are made red-hot and then
hammered sharp. Each taking candle
we entered the nicely timbered tunnel,
where sixfooter had to stoop occasionally.
1t was little muddy, the drips from the
candle were little warm on our fingers
and considerable water splattered on us,
but these were additional pleasures After
gong l65 feet we entered large cave
formed by taking out pocket of mineral,
and there was the engine quietly working
away in the dimly lit cavern, looking odd
enough. The steam is conducted through
the tunnel in large Pipe. terrific roar
ing noise as of a mountain of rocks falling,
startled US, but in looking at the shaft we
saw that it was bucketful of ore that had
silently risen from the depth being dumped
into the car.
Descending Into a Tunnel.
The lady of the party being anxious to
descend in the bucket she and her husband
and oblging foreman stepped on the edge
of the big barrel and grasped the cable
Being sure that it balanced the word was
given and we slowly dropped Between
the timbers of the shaft we could see mineral
glistening and caught hasty glimpses of
miners working in two stations before we
got off. 1t is as yet simply a cave, this
third level, l20 feet down. Candles are
stuck in the rocky walls and by their light
six miners were working in groups of two.
One held and kept turning an iron rod from
zone to three feet long, while the other swung
heavy hammer with all his might, and
gave grunt at every blow. When deep
enough, sixinch caps Of powder are inserted
in these holes, and Just before dinner and
supper the fuse is lighted, and by the time
the men return to work the smoke has all
cleared away The reports are like very
heavy but short thunder-claps and are
heard mile. We piched out little pieces
of the mineral that glistened around, and
the foreman told us to take a good look,
for you'll not see the like of this AGAR" and
we tried to realize that every ton (about
three cubic feet of ore contained $4,000
in silver.
Then the bucket gently hoisted us to the
engine room again. Ny companions went
down perpendicular ladder forty feet to
the second level and climed around and
pushed through small places, coming up
through another shaft, that gave them ten
feet OF rope climbing.
1t was wonderful to look down the main
shaft and see the candle a miner carried
become o smaller and smaller speck of
light IN the great well till it seemed
stationary, and only the running cable
showed that he was dropping to the very
lowest level
A Curious Geological Formation.
All the mineral does not run $4,000 to
the ton, but an immense quantity does.
The first ore was shipped Nov. 6, 1882, and
the net profits since are over 100000, the
expenses of labor, machinery, buildings
and shipping the ore amounting to under
100000. One twelve.month the mems
wages amounted to just S27O
Another wonderful mine in this vicinity
is the National Belle. Being only year
old it is little developed yet having merely
the tunnel and commenced shaft. A
visit shows curious formation. The
mineral seems to come in immense caves,
and from these shoots Of mineral extend
many feet. Much of the ore is fine
pulveri2ed dirt that has merely to be
shovelled out. In this mine are found great
quantities of tale, or kaolin, the material OF
which fine chinaware is made. 1t is SOFT
sticky white stuff, which is thrown away.
So far much of the ore is galena and this
sometimes forms coating of crystals on
the country rock" No distant vein has
yet been found and it will be Of great inter.
est to watch the further developments Of
these two mines, both so rich and contain
ing such quantities Of mineral, and there
are a good many anxious prospectcrs wait
ing to see their boast come true of their
properties for they all say: "Why, sir,
Just look at it AID see if it amt second
Yankee Girl" EDITH FRECELEs.