The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-05-12
Corinth Copper Mines Sold.

plHC6 LIE DOOM III copper COLlIl0uCCu
there has been several rumors that the
mines in this county had been sold.
The first sale to take place was con-
Guided last week Thursday when ex-
Gov. Farnham, as president OF the
Eureka Mining Co., and J: E. Water
man of Norwich and G. I'll. Hutchinson
of Manchester N. H., owners of the
Union mines, sold the property to DIR.
T. Cushman of Bennington. The new
owners of these mines expect to begin
operations at once, first clearing up
the property and pumping out the
mines. They have intimated an in
tention of putting in smelling works
to cost $4,000 and of giving employ
ment to $50 men. 1t is sincerely hop
ed that their intentions will material
iZe, that their venture will prove prof
table and that the Corinth mines may
soon be hive of industry. Bradford
will be benefited if things turn out as
appearances now indicate. This is the
station where all the railroad business
will have to be transacted and that
means considerable. 1t will be neces-
sary for people to be continually driv-
ing back and forth from the mines.
The merchants will catch some of their
trade and that is what is wanted. The
new owners of the mines have even
limited at the possibility of an electric
road from here to their property.
That may seem bit visionary but its
a good thing to think about. At the
rate electric roads are at present being
built in Vermont the idea may not be
so imaginary as it looks. There is said
to be money back of the new firm and
capital with good business Judgment
has habit these days of accomplishing
seemingly impossible things. We all
wish the new owners of the COrlnth
copper mines every possible success.
At meeting of the state board OF
agriculture, manufactures and mining
held in Burlington, Jan. "a and 20,
1872, a paper was read by ex-Gov.
Farnham on Copper Mining IN Yer
mont" From this paper are taken
few statements concerning the Eureka
and Union mines in Corinth that will
be of especial interest at this time.
The Eureka mine was opened In about
1861 and worked during the war with
great hopes of profit and dividends.
In 1867 the price Of copper was so low
and wages so high that the company
became financially embarrassed and had
to reduce the number of men employ
ed. In 1868 operations ceased, the
personal property was sold on execu-
ton at small part of its value, por-
ton of the real estate went TO pay an
attorney and a stakeholder sued the
company for $4,000 damages. There
is copper enough in the mine and
money and brain will probably get it
out at a good profit.
The Union mine was opened in 1868
with great explosion of gunpowder.
Holes were driven into solid ledge
and about ton of gun-powder placed
therein and exploded with tremendous
effect. Tons of rich ore were thrown
out. The mine was prosperous for
several years and more than paid eX-
penses from the start. 1t produced
200 tons of ore month, which was all
carted to Bradford for shipment, CIV
ing farmers an opportunity to make
profitable use of their teams when
work was slack on the farm. Old resi-
dents remember of seeing as many as
| so horses go through here in single
| day in teams of from one to six horses
and drawing from one to i've tons OF
ore. The ore was sent to smelling
works in different places. In days of
! their greatest prosperity these mines
employed over 200 men. The high
wages and low price of copper destroy
ed this prosperity and in 1872 the mine
was almost deserted. Hopes of a divi-
dend were only pleasant memories of
the past. When it costs $50 ton to
raise ore it is depressing to have to sell
it for S35. The Union mine tried this
for short time hoping that change
for the better would come but finally
had to cease work. Copper was then
worth from 26 to 50 cents pound.
To-day it is worth about 20, but it also
costs much less to mine it with the i'm
proved methods,
The first report of the Corinth Min
ing Co., owners of the Eureka mine,
issued in April, 1864. says that 50
men and boys were employed. The
total amount of ore mined from August
1863, to April, 1864, was 800 tons,
(abOut 10 per cent. of this was ore)
which sold at S.749.13. Ore brought
S53. Is a ton but it cost more to get It,
The report of the directors for the
year ending Jan. 20, 1867, says that
100 tons of ore were mined. They
had large amount of ore on hand
that year and sold 1914 tons for $66,583
at prices ranging from $3.50 to $4,000
per ton. The debt of the company
was $4,000 besides salaries of the Off
GERS which had not been paid for three
years. But they reasoned that with
$4,000 worth of ore on hand and as
rich a copper vein as could be found
anywhere they were confident of fu:.
ture success. The mine was closed
shortly after this report was issued.