Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-02-09
HhEELIN6 AND ELM GROVE &. p
OUR ALLEGED TIN MINES.

Prof, w. II. Seamon Visits West Virginia's
Tin Mines and Makes Analyses Tin
Found Wanting.
The following is from an article in the
Industrial South by Major Jed Hotchkiss,
of Staunton, Va: Satisfied from the first
that the reported finding Of large deposits
Of tin ore in Csbell and Mason counties,
West Virginia, was d first class swindle |
have conunaed to warn the public that no
one might be deceived into investing in the
| stock OF the various Tin companies hat
we're being organized and, unwittingly, or
aiding and abetting the ~swindlers by state
mcuts and publications. Some needed my
counsels but others not only made light OF
them but even descended to personal abuse.
As the columns Of The Yrginiss show |
have not been content with the expression
Of my osn opinions, but have obtained and
published statements and analyses from
some OF the best experts in the country,
Who made special Investigations Tor this
purpose, ell of which agreed that not q
particle of tin could be found in these 90
called tin ores"
As stated in 8 recent number Of the
Industrial South / have just had q final
examination made that l hope will not
only settle this question but will teach a
lesson that will not soon be forgotten.
About the middle OF last month Mr.. W. ID
! Sssmon, the competent Instructor IN
Chemistry of the Miller Manual Labor
| school of Nbemsrle county, Virginia, Wis
ned this "tin" region; Under date Of Jan
nary q. 1886, he sends me the following
report: l..
your department Of The Industrial Soutn'
/ he lately much mooted ques ION OF the eT,
/ isteuce of tin ore in Mason and Caoeii
! counties. W. Va, the writer lately visited
,Ls localities from which those ores were
.|noyt,i u have come, examined the I'm
J,nn,;,s and collected specimens which
- o;rca been carefully tested IN the
LS,o or Ibis institution ~ith he re-
suits given below. OL;o
Milton, on the Chesapeake " Cn!o
! Ry, Csbell county, was the first point VISIT,
| I'd Il was there that the "un.ore "aS
| frat discovered, some time IN 1875, near
| The ton Of one of the small hills |! miles
northssst OF the village. There l made the
aCanaintapee Of DR.. Robinson and OF Hon
| Tbos. Cline, members OF one o. the TN
~comnsnies They informed me that 'ne
o.bsr members of their company Tere from
| cincinnati. At my request these gentier,
go cen, two men with me to the "tin-ore
I.doe. or quarry, these men nsd gotten
onf the ore that was shipped to Clncinnal
nj in which tin was reported. AFTER
corsgnIiy examining the ledge and It's Inn
mad;ats vicinity, | directed these men 10
brsaE off about 30 pounds Of the "tin-oTs'
- ,bat 7 could have q sample as near Dke
Re one thew sent 10 Cincinnati ss II "ss
ooss;ble for them to give me. Alter AT
~ssng;ng tho samples so that they could no
70 ,om1ered Without danger OF detection
/ left them in charge Of the 6otel PtoPs'e
t,r At Milton, and, with Mr.. Felix one Q
The "tin" men, who was Thoroughly az
"ns;nted with the country. l visited IN
HIotsd Glenwood "tin" deposit IN Msso'
county. o, vb;cb N
rs ohta;ned that gave such "eXcellen
SesnIts1 in the smelling trial at Chiffon, ]
On 4bo farm of Augustus Young, ABOUT on
- from Glenwood village, on the ohl
liver. An opening Of considerable eH,et
had been made there and seversi tous !
,bs ot;n-ore" we're lying about the oPenine
TSa "ora" here seemed TO be more sinclou
- a. Milton, otherwise there was no pc
oaDt;SIs difference. About 70 pounds {
ore we're taken from this point.
This "ore" is a conglomerate compose
s. mall nodules of limestones ana gralr
IS onartz: on close inspection some smS :
SnscEs of black and gray mica may J
SSsn OSing TO the large q1snuty
oUow that had drifted into the hoiio~s
JoDr5 Il impossible to make a geologic,
section of any value; but, from all ! Sou'
Sse and from what | learn Of Mr., REM,
Sc sat;s6ei that the two deposits are &c,
Io.;csiIv identical. The ledge reported ,
,sn>ors'besriug" oulcrops at many pom,
- Macon counIT and n the northeasieI
nart Of Cabell county; and, accoroing
IN sonor,, Il everywhere sbounds In th
Ons,hslf Of each sample coiiectea We
- ,oSnced osuniform powder ana suole' -
80 tests for tin. Que test WGs u
Uo.rIor Gre assay" fusion with SOFA an
Isu;5s NJ potsssium; the other was tusll
IN soSs and sulphur to detect very VI
uts smounts OF TIN metsl .osts ear
std in tbs ore. Decides these teS!s cav =
san ME was separately. cnsiyzeu' VIZ. - =
SoIIoV;n1 results, Milton 0eipS :ne =
- ,esr that village and "1ien"0o
- tto nine Of that name: