The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-10-23
PLACER MINING FOR SHOT.
Two Men in Nebraska Who Are MAKE
ing Considerable Money In
Novel Way.

Probably the most unique mine in
the world is located within two miles
of Omaha, Neb. Others have dug and
washed for gold, silver, copper, iron,
etc. but the owners of the mine In
question, which is a placer, are min
ing for shot, and the finished product
Is turned out in quantities to earn a
neat income for the workers.
Across the Missouri is located the
Omaha Gun Club grounds, where fire.
quent Shoots" have been held for the
last - years. Some time ago A. II.
Cooley, formerly superintendent of the
Barton-Nash Stone company, and
Thomas Britton, formerly vice pres
ident of the Britton Engine company,
were walking over these grounds and
noticed that at certain place the
earth was covered with layer Of shot.
At once the idea came TO them that
there was a paying mine If they could
secure the right to work IL, and keep
ing their discovery secret they chilled
upon the officers Of the club and pro-
posed to lease that particular spot for
mining purposes.
They were laughed at but secured
the lease. Itincluded tract Of ground
extending from the shooting box dis
lance Of 400 feet on either side. II Is
over this tract that the shot intended
for clay and live pigeons fly, How
much OF IL has been buried in the
ground Is question still to be deter
mined. One thing, however, is GER
tain, there Is a great quantity Of it,
and the owners OF The unique mine
are taking out on an average Of 300
pounds a day in working a space not
exceeding IL by Is feet.
As soon as Cooley and Britton Sc
cured their lease they purchased
gasoline engine Of twO-borse power,
with pump combination. Then they
drove well, striking an abundant
flow OF water at a depth of 20 feet.
This done, they constructed their
Fluiceboxes and N're ready for work.
As the shot Is irlbedded in the ground
TO a depth Of two feet, all this earth
has TO be washed over. To do this It is
shoveled into a sluiceboK six feet long,
IL inches deep and IS inches wide,
standing on four legs about three feet
above the ground. Water from the
pump IS turned on and the dirt Is
loosened, allowing the shot to drop TO
the bottom. while the dirt is washed
out at the end of the box.
When the greater part Of the earth
has been washed away the deposit in
the bottom Of the sluIce, chnsiSting Of
shot stones and other foreign sub
stances, Is placed in a second box with
wire netting bottom. Here second
washing is given, after which the
stones are picked out and the shot
spread upon boards 10 dry. The shot
Is then placed in bags holding 20
pounds each and Is taken 30 the foun-
dry There It Is recaSt into perfect
shot or into lead bars.
Resurrected shot sells for 49, 80 n
100 pounds, a price a very little less
than virgin lead, This difference Of
price Is due TO the presence Of anti
mony, which must be removed before
casting Selling at this price, the two
men are clearing $40 a day. and some
days, by working extra hard, they net
as much as s15
So successful have Cooley and Brit
ton been, says the New York Times,
that they are now looking over the
country for the location Of other lead
mines Of similar nature. All over
the country there are abandoned
shooting grounds, and on several Of
these they have secured leases