The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-10-19
Remarkable History
Of the Dorm Mines.
The Mines are Again Being
Well Worked.
Augusta Herald.


ard, of the Great Eastern Shoe Com
pany, to tell the story to them. He
was interviewed by the Herald mau
and here is his story of the Old Dcrn
gold mine
TIE OLD DORM MINE.
Lighting cigar, Mr. Howard be-
"Wsy back yonder in the early
6fties old Billy Dorm owned much
land near Mccormick He discover
ed that gold was in the soil. That
was after he had returned from q
fruitlees search for the yellow metal
in California. having gone out there
with the many in the daye of '49.
when the mad rush of the gold seek
ers took place. Among those who
went was Mr. Joseph Bell, who Wis
tied Mr. Dorm shortly after the latter
had started mining near Mccormick
in crude way, using such imple
ments as he could find to get out the
gold from The sand of Persimmon
Branch. nearby. Mr.. Bell tried to
persuade Mr.. Dorm to put in min
ing plant, but the old man decided to
toll on in his crude way taking out
more gold than one would suppose.
Bell had learned scientific mining
in California and saw that not only
was there gold in the creek, bot that
there was gold plenty in the many
rocks that lay about In fact, they
were literally filed with the precious
metal. 1t was what miners called in
visible gold To get the gold out a
crusher was needed The rocks had
10 be ground up finely aud the par,
.icles washed and put through GER
tain other processes before any pure
gold could be obtained
PERSUADED At LAST.
Finally Bell did persuade old man
Dorm to go in with him and procure
pounding mill 9be mill vas erect
I'd ON the branch and the rocks haul
ed to 1t by means of steer teams The
dea was good one, the gold in the
rocks was obtained in large quanti
ties. The two men got ont from $500
70 81, 900 worth of gold per day
.:Dozn got enormously rich He
had discovered that he had verlta-
BILE Klondike, or that is what he
would have called it had he lived in
this day.
He was most generous with his
new found wealth. None asked aid
but what were given freely. He
helped build many churches, gave
funds towards all kinds of missionary
work, paid ali the debts of his rela
tives and lived in simple way with
all his wealth.
"When all the rock near about had
been used, it was found that the
foundation stones Of several negro
cabins on Persimmon Branch were
the stones that contained gold Dorm
came to the cabins and the rock was
ground up One chimney composed
Of the stones panned out 81 900 worth
of gold.
.sThe idea of sinking shaft and
mining under ground then was sug.
gested and Mr. Dorn and his partner
sunk a shaft and worked towards the
south of the creek They did not
discover SO much gold in this way as
he had otherwise, aud it never oc
Cured to them to work north OF the
creek
DIED a BANKRUPT.
.eMr. Dorm finally sold the mining
laod to Mr. Mccormick. the inventor
of the Mccormick reaper. The 1900
acres brought s25 600 small price
considering the gold there. bus Dom
was of the belief that the land had
been worked out The ways Of fate
are strange and Dorm died bank
rupt, having paid TOO many debts OF
other people He may be said to
have given his immense wealth away
broadcast. Sevesal efforts were made
TO work the land for gold by others
after Dorn's dea,h but none seemed
to understand getting at the precious
ore
Bruce & Go worked it bit. but
gave up They said it did not pay
They had been miners in California.
but had not learned like Messrs
Dorm and Bell to find gold in the
earth about Persimmon Branch
PLANT IN OPERATION
Recently new firm has taken
hold of the mining lands and are
meeting with great success They
work where Mr.. Dorm never thought
ton the north side of the creek.
They have struck rich ore, have put
10 improved machinery, formed