The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-25
A NORTH CAROLINA GOLD MINE
Primitive Methods Employed in it:
Operation.

Did you ever go where the gold was
and have the privilege of bringing
away all that you could find? / have,
and will tell you about it. A horse
back ride of a dozen or somiles brought
me to Gold Hill, which was as full of
holes as a tramp's coat. Some were
down only as far as the earth could be
thrown out with shovel, and others
were like unfinished wells, with rough
windlasses across the mouth; but there
was no sight or sound of workers, they
had all departed, leaving the holes to
tell story of misspent la
Dor. A few miles further in
the same region / found a
real operating gold mine. The promi-
nent sights were contriyance like an
old-style cider mill, whose long lever
was moved continually round and
round by a mule travelling in circle.
This primitive motor operated drum,
from which swung by ropes two large
barrels. These went down empty and
came up full of water alternately, from
a dark hole in the ground as the mule
circus went on. A man at the top was
kept busy punching the motor and
emptying the full barrels by valve in
the bottom. The hole or shaft was
square, curbed with timber, and looked
small to me. The only way down was a
perpendicular ladder attached to the
side of the shaft.
I felt little timorous about risk1ng
a descent, but j had come for the pur-
pose of doing gold mine, and it had
to be done. They gave me talloW
candle. which was carried, don't re-
member how, unless in my mouth, and
climbed carefully down that ladder
under q shower-bath from those as
cending barrels. 1T seemed like long
way down to the bottom, but was only
30 feet. There was a lower depth from
which the barrels were filled, and
stream of water ran along the lateral
tunnel into ii. Lighting my candle,
travelled slowly along the subterra-
mean passage, with rocks or timber
overhead and a brook ankle deep be-
low. / soon found a miner with an
Illuminated head pecking away at
soft brown rock, which looked filthy
but not lucer-ish. where is the goldY
I asked. The miner showed me some
bright points, Of rarity like the Chris
tian charity we read of, as the light
fell upon them. rs that ALP ! asked,
ia disappointed tone. Pears like
it." replied the miner. Was you
lookin' for coined eagles down here?.
Saying that gold dollars would satisfy
nv expectations, I asked for specimens
of the ore. Take all you want, said
he: and being only moderately ayarI-
cious. only filed my pocket.
After climbing out ! learned that the
mine product was valued at less that
$40 bushel, and was worked for its
owners by hired laborers. There We're
three gangs who worked eight hours
each. The mule or a substitute had 70
keep those barrels on the move contln-
uonsly. or the water would flood the
mine. Mounting my "critter' hasten
ed home with my wealth, and at first
leisure proceeded to realize, by pulyer-
ling the ore, washing out the dirt, and
adding quicksilver to the precious re-
sidium. This collected the gold, and
after squeezing out the mercury
through the buckskin, | secured gold
enough to fill tooth. The cash profit
of nv trip was nil, but the information
gained was of interest to met. II.
Gloves, in Springfield Republican.