The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-13
HR BHLETES IT is GOLD.
Mr.. Smiths Verdict on the Ohio
County Quartz.
HE BROCHURES SPECIMENS
or the Two Different Kinds of Rock,
One of Which He Considers
rromisins-He Win HIVE
Assays Made.

Mr.. A. b. Smith, the Mexican gold
miner who went out TO the White farm,
in this county near the Pennsylvania
State line, yesterday, to inspect the sup
posed vein Of gold-bearing rock being
worked there by company of pros
pectors, returned to the city last even
ing, bringing with him several specimens
Of rock. One OF these is from the vein
OF blush stone, n cross between slate
and soapstone. in which the gentlemen
interested in the prospecting operations
now in progress, believe gold to exist;
another is from n vein near it Of a some
what similar, but softer and more por-
Gus stone; and third is from vein Of
limestone Of blush cast, containing
fiecks OF quartz or mica and bright, tiny
sparkles Of a yellow metallic substance.
A piece OF pure gold rubbed on the
freshly broken surface OF this stone,
leaves tiny particles which cannot be
detected from the particles in the stone.
This stone looks very much like the
typical California gold-bearing quartz.
Mr.. Smith told an lNTELLIGINCER re-
porter that he found a newly started
tunnel, like an ordinary coal bank, sunk
into the vein OF soapstone. This has been
opened from narrow ravine, and the
recent rains filled this ravine SO that the
workings are flooded. He was shown
the mine by Mr.. White, the owner OF
the farm on which it is located, and
allowed to take pieces OF the stone out,
As to whether this stone contains
gold Mr.. Smith will express no opinion.
He says it may, but he never saw any
gold-bearing rock that looked like this.
1t resembles some OF the silver bearing
rocks Of the West; especially does the
porous, soft stone look as if it might
contain silver.
The other rock Mr.. Smith is pretty
sure has gold in it, though what per-
centagc, OF course he cannot tell. He
will take his specimens TO q competent
assayer and have an analysis made. The
company which is now working the
vein talks Of putting up small pros
pecting mill to test the ore. They have
already melted small quantities OF it
down in a cruCible, and there was each
time n small bead of gold in the
residuum.
That gold exists in Ohio county there
is no reason to doubt. A considerable
quantity OF ore was taken out OF farm
on Middle Wheeling creek some time
ago which was assayed by different
chemists, the reports all agreeing that
the rock bore gold, and stating the pro-
portion in varying figures from SIS to Sl7
q ton. Where the original idea came
from cannot now be ascertained. Pros
peCting has been carried on at intervals
in one section for eight or nine years,
but never with any tangible result.
Whether it is from an old legend or
from recent indications. the idea seems
well disseminated that precious metals
exist in Ohio county. There are great
veins OF iron pyrites, not very valuable,
but closely resembling gold in its crude
state. This may have given rise to the
impression. There are also in several
localities signs OF what is known in the
mining region as fools gold" n metal
OF no special value, but so closely resem-
bling the real article us to require care
full chemical tests to tell il from the
original. The belief is common among
miners that FOOLS gold never exists
very widely separated from genuine
gold.
1t is to be hoped that decisive and
final test will be made in the near future.
Mr.. Smith promises to have competent
chemists report on the stone he takes
with him, and il the result is a report
that there is gold in it, he will return
and spend several days prospectingabout
the place.