Morning journal and courier., 1890-10-04
4 CoNNECTICUr ELnoRADo.

A CONNECTICUT ELDORADO.
Renewed Interest Being Taken In
Vein OF Galena Ore Discovered Up
In Bethlehem Eighty Years Ago
A Party Pays 1t a Visit of Inspec-
ton.
The mining fever still seems to cling to
Connecticut with persistence and deter
mination that is hard to shake off. FIRE.
quently, of late, stories have been started
and spread abroad with ssdame rumor"
velocity Of remarkable discoveries in this
or that locality, which created some excite
ment for the time being, but generally re-
lapsed into state of quiet again, and SO
New England enterprises, Connecticut in
particular, have not gained greatly in pop
ular favor. About two years ago there
started considerable interest in Hotchkiss-
vile and thereabouts over valu-
able. deposit of galena ore upon
what is known as Carmel Hill. The
story was then told in oil the papers
but brief resume is a follows: A farmer,
Gideon Allen, who lived up just on the
line between Bethlehem and Woodbury.,
built him house and dug well close by
some eighty odd years ago and at the time
noticed rich deposit of galena ore, a speci-
men of which he sent to old Professor Ben
jamin Silliman, but from which he received
no satisfactory returns, the professor being
busy at the time, but later became inter-
ested and sent for second specimen But
nothing was done, and Mr.. Allen, dissuad-
ed by his wife, stoned up the well and
matter until many years had passed.
They were offered at that time
100000 by New York parties for the
ridge alone, but Mrs. Allen being very
unwilling to have any of the land sold, no
bargain could be effected. These stories
of hidden treasure become food for town
gossip and were handed down as a sort of
tradition from father to son. Mr.. William
Allen, the present owner and son Of Gid
con Allen, remembers many story told
him when boy and the expression in
particular, eyes, know it's there" About
two years ago when two friends were Wis
iting him on hunting visit the subject
was preached casually. These gentlemen
were Messrs. Barrows, the well known
Middletown jeweler, sand F. A. Isben of
the same place, who has spent some eigh-
teen years in the western mines.
A specimen was shown them which Mrs.
Allen had received from her father-n-law
before he died with the words, 'tKeep this,
time" Mr.. Isbell at once recognized
something valuable in the specimens and
inquired further, and after much persua-
sion began taking the well up and making
a search for the vein Of ore It was dis
covered, and several assays were made,
which proved the ore to be very rich in
lead, with a paying percentage of silver.
A government assay made in 1882 of the
specimens above mentioned, which Mrs.
Aliens father-in-law gave her on her we'd
ding day forty-fou years ago, showed 25
ounces Of silver to the ton, SO per cent.
lead, and traces of gold.
Then arrangements were made with a
New York assayer, who agreed to put in
the capital necessary to push on the work,
but he was soon after taken down with the
grip and after some eight months illness
died. This blocked the work for the time
being and nothing more was done until
about two weeks ago, when a new lease
was taken by Messrs. Burrows, Isbell and
r. G. Loveridge of this city, and on this
lease company is being formed for the
purpose of prospecting and determining
the richness of the deposit and extent OF
the vein. This company will be known as
the Carmel Hill Prospecting company. II
the results prove satisfactory a new stock
company is to be formed for working the
mine.
A party went up to pay visit of in
spection Thursday composed of number
who have taken stock in the company and
the above named lessees. They went and
gave everything a thorough examination
leaving this city at an early hour and ar
irving at Southbury about $50 o'clock
Then long trip of eight or nine miles by
stage was necessary before the party ar
rived at the soon-expected-to-be mining
camp. The day was pretty nearly all spent
looking about and whenethe party return
| ed they were in spirits most enthusiastic
and probably dreamed of untold wealth
| awaiting their labors
The mine is yet in an embryonic state
consisting of the old wall, which has beer
| only dug out little at the bottom since
| the days when Mr.. Aliens father first dug
| it. The depth of the well at present il
| about eighteen feet, and from nine fee
| below the surface for a distance of som.
| three or four feet down traces of galen,
are frequent, and few feet below this ii
where the big vein runs. This vein is 10
Gated about sixteen feet below the surface
and runs northwest by southeast ant
inches, varying somewhat in thickness, o
solid galena ore and three feet or more il
breadth. The rich veins in the wester,
| silver mines run more perpendicular ant
with greater pitch to the westward.
Though this vein is the richest ye
found, and that with comparative little la
Dor, guided by an old miners experience
it is thought on good authority from ex
perts that still rich deposits lie bidder
further down and along in the same direc
ton. Indications do not point ..towar.
pocket deposits, but from the geological
| character of the rock formation, CORE
l cno,,1irn hat nf ;.1, i,
silver and lead, and the peculiar running
about of the veins of ore, becoming NOR
and more interviewer into u network
leading to the big vein, all indicate that tn
deposits are not likely to be ex
hausted readily OF course that is tn
question-what will the yield be! Their,
have been mines started and doomed il
many New England town. and all hav
shared the same fate, whether iron, cop
per. silver or gold was the object sought
But for anyone to Chamber dow n that oil
we'll by the rickety old ladder, and with
tallow candle explore for himself the crew
ces underneath the overhanging rock roo
and see the rich-looking streaks of meta
before him sparkling with the CLEANS o
that precious metal of which the "dollar
of our dad6ies," are made, and lie
him take a chisel and break off
solid chunk of galena ore witt
it's paying proportion of silver ant
the rest nearly all solid lead
why it begins to look inviting and thel
one begins to realize what that awful in
centive is that leads men to all quarters O
the world and into every danger in tn
mad search for the precious metals. TIL,
topography Of Carmel hill is most favor
able for a mine from the very reason tina
there will be little or no trouble will
water, which is always one of the great diff
fculties with mining enterprises. Tn
well, or what will be the main shaft, prob
ably, stands just at the corner of the OLE
farm house and on the very top of tn,
ridge. From that point westerly there i
a steep fall of $50 feet down to
ravine where flows q good sized creek
This makes drainage comparative easy
matter. The ridge is something like thre
miles long and looks something like
whales back stuck up out of water. Wheth
er it will prove the bonanza that it's friend
hope, or whether it VIII be found that tn,
fair indications of profusion are only prac
tically near the surface and below there il
not enough to pay the working remains tx
be seen. The prospecting company pro
pose soon to put a steam drill at work ant
find out what there is hid away.
MILFORD's CHURCH COUNCIL.
The Various Churches who VIII
Compose 1T.
The dissatisfied faction of the FRS
church of Christ Congregational, in Mil
ford have chosen the following churches
and delegates to attend the council called
to take action on the recent trouhles In