Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-11-17
MINING TN AUGUSTA
The Good Work Going On at
Various Points in County.
4 BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD.
Northern Capital Coming Our Way.
C. P. Hartman Working the Cri-
mora Mines--The South River
: Section Especially Prosperous.

Work is now progressing at the Crl
mora Manganese Mines looking to lal
ger operations at that valuable prop
erty. 1t will be remembered that tn
Carnagie Company on the expiration
of their lease some years ago practical
| ly wrecked the plant, and from tina
time until now nothing has been dom
there. All the old shafts and tunnels fel
in and water inundated the entir'
ground, where about 50, zoo, COO of man
ganese ore had been taken out, and 6
distressing condition of ruin prevailed
G. P. Hartman, the principal owner
of the property. some months ago de
termined to re-organize the company
and resume mining operations. He
has now about so hands at work.
Drainage drifts and tunnels have been
constructed to take out the accumu-
lated water; stripping is going on and
arrangements being perfected for hy-
draulic mining on large scale. The
drainage drifts are about 10 feet below
the surface, and it is the purpose to
run tunnel about 100 feet below these
drifts to attack and expose the Gre,
which is known to exist in large guam
titles. By the hydraulic process an
immense. amount of ore can be saved
which, under the old system of mining,
was lost. 1t is estimated that not
more than one-third of the ore was
gotten out by the Carnagies', and much
of that was left in the dumps which
will now be washed and prepared for
market. The plant now being put in
will be as near perfect for hydraulic
mining as skill and capital can make
it, as the new organization is backed
by abundant means and under effci
emit, expert management. AS soon as
the plant is completed, which will be
in short time, working force of
about 100 hands will be employed and
with economies that are being INTRO
duced, will be run much more profit
ably than it has been heretofore.
We learn that J. W. Rhinehart, of
New York, who now owns the old
Kennedy Furnace property, near
Stuart's Draft, and within the man
ganese belt, is prospecting for minerals
with dozen men. There are ample
surface indications of manganese on
the property, but whether it will be
found in commercial quantities, we
do not know. 1t is to learn this that
Mr.. Rhinehart has commenced opera
tions.
The Carter Syndicate have effected
lease on the Black Rock and Merry
Creek properties. near Vesuvius. owned
by the estates of the late Major H. Nj.
Bell and Capt. R. H. Catlett. and are
at work with large force to put the
mines in condition for shipping ore to
the furnaces at Roanoke and other
points on the Norfolk and Western
railway.
The contention over the title to the
Bare Bank ore property, which has
clouded it for 30 long time, has been
adjusted and final decree entered
which settles the ownership. By it the
Basic City Company is ousted from the
property, and the claim of the Smiley's
and Burwell's established to it. This
is said to be valuable iron ore body
and parties are now making inquiry
with view to purchasing. The
Basic City Company, We understand,
had paid the full purchase price for it
and under the recent determination
of the contention over the title the
vendors to that company will have to
refund.
The complications as to the Mine
Bank property-a splendid body of
manganiferous ore--lying near the Nor
folk and Western, south of Basic City,
and in Augusta county, will soon be
solved by sale decreed by the court
to take place on the 9th of this
month.
Steps are being taken looking to a
revival of operations on the Blue
Ridge Manganese and Iron Mining
Co., whose properties are located not
far from Sherando, in this county.
These mines have been idle for some
time, growing out of conflict of inter-
ests or claims between parties interest
ed in them. We are informed that
there is fair prospect to have these
differences adjusted and new organ
ization effected that will renew the
work of development.