Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-07-30
THE BRlDeEWATER MINES
Recent Investigations by the U. S,
Geological Survey.

1
Geological Survey.
During the past field season TIT
Bridgewater and Plymouth districts
were visited by a member of thu
United States Geological Survey, anc
the results of his observations ART
given in a recent bulletin, "Contri
buttons to Economic Geology, 1908
issued by the Survey. From this re,
port the following paragraphs are
taken:
"The ridges and foothills of this
region are deeply trenched by the
narrow valleys Of the swift mountain
streams, and the rocks are well ex-
posed everywhere. Schistose rocks
predominant, which were mapped
by the earlier Vermont SURVEYS us
talcose schist and slate. Steaite and
serpentine, as well as some granular
quartz, also occur.
In the town of Bridgewater gold
was discovered over fifty years ago,
and within ten years of this discov,
cry at least two quartz mills were
built to treat the ore from the quartz
veins in the vicinity of Bridgewater
Center. The early work was char
acterized by extravagant expenditure
and the lack of reliable statements.
1t can safely be stated, however. that
more money was expended in mill
building than was secured from the
ore treated. This kind of work has
continued systematically, and even
today r--,''-'.----:-.--tt~~r'io
work in progress appears ont OF pro-
portion to the ore in sight.
The veins in Bridgewater have a
north-south trend, and apparently
all belong to one general system
which extends across the western
part of the town. The southernmost
productive locality is OH Ottauque-
chez river, Immediately west of
Bridgewater Corners. On the OF
tauquechee property small bunch
Of very rich ore was uncovered nine
years ago, which is reported to have
yielded between eight and nine hun
bred dollars in gold. Since the dis
covery of this pocket the property
has produced very little and is not
worked at the present time. This
locality was not examined.
Next north on this veined zone is
the Taggart vein, on which work has
been done at various times, begin
ming with 1859. Ten tons of the ore
crushed and amalgamated are re-
ported at one time to have yielded
374 pennyweights of p l-2 carat
gold. The Taggart vein is located
on the old Thompson farm, one mile
west of Bridgewater Center. 1t has
been opened at several points, chiefly
in the gulch of small stream. These
openings were visited at the upper
exposure in the stream bed itself,
where the quartz vein has a width
varying from s to Is inches. The
strike of the vein is 5 deg. to 10 deg.
east of north, and it dips to the east
at an angle of about 70 deg, being
apparently parallel with the schis-
tosity of the country rock. The
quartz of this vein is white and COM
pact, and barren in general appear
ance except from the small stringers
of galena which it contains. The
quartz is well cemented to the wall
rock and there is no evidence of
fraeturing of the vein. Below me
stream level at this point the vein
thicKens to nearly 3 feet, and here
the ore was taken out that was re-
ported to yield $32 in gold to the
ton. This opening extended to a
depth of 6 feet, but is now filled in.
From a small pile of quartz and ga
lena remaining at the edge of this
opening sample was taken which
was assayed by Doctor Allen in the
Survey laboratory, with the follow
ing result:
Gold. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. None
Silver. ..................'. ouh'es
Copper. ...................6.i 9 per cent
Taad ............,62 &c per cent
This indicates a value of over SCI,
but the sample represents the richer
part of a small ore body,
Further north in the same town is
the Chatauguay group OF claims.
Little could be learned concerning
this property, except that develop
ment activity at the time of the visit
was being confined to mill construc-
ton and road making. A well
equipped quartz mill is being built
but the openings that will furnish
the ore were not shown by the man.
ager of the property. Two small
prospects were examined in the vi
entity, where small amounts of sui.
phides are found scattered in the
country rock, which here is soft
white, sand rock, locally termed
"porphyry.' 1t seems reasonable tC
consider the Chatauguay veins as
forming the continuation to the nortl
of the same zone as that containing
the Taggart and Ottauquechee veins
In Plymouth, the next town soutf
of Bridgewater, mining interest ex
tends back over forty-five years. .
Some recent prospecting for quart;
veins has been done, and reports o
success have been given out. At TIT
locality itself, however, there is littl'
faith in these reported discoveries.
In southern Vermont the only golt