Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-02-28
rom Our Special Correspondent

WdSulHSlOH rep Zo.-lne census bureau has issued very interesting report on mines and quarries in the United States. It is an exhaustive summary of the various mines. and goes into details quite a little. There are in the United States 151.516 mines of all sorts. and 46,S5S operators. The value of the property is estimated al $796, ,S26,417. Pennsylvania ranks first
 and Nebraska last. Connecticut is fortieth in the list. with ninety mines and quarries. There are seventy-eighl Quarries in the state. and the value of the product is estimated at $1.425. .959 There are nineteen incorporated com panies doing business in the state and they are capitalized at $4,467 ,O00. The interest and dividends amount to $92,' 195 year. The average earnings of the workingmen is $50 per day.
 The sketch of the mining industry in the state is interesting. It shows that Connecticut in early years was a pioneer in mining enterprise. but later it's mines, never very productive. have fallen largely into disuse. The first Of the early colonists to turn his atten' ton in the direction of mining seems to have been Governor Winthrop, who, from 1850 to 1860, engaged at inter- vals in examining the metalliferous in' dications of the Connecticut valley, in the vicinity of Haddam and Middle town. There is no reason to suppose that any actual mining was ever exc, cuted by him.
 "The copper mines of Simsbury were discovered about 1105, ruined a number of successive proprietors, and were finally made into state prison, long since abandoned. In 1709 the first inning company organized in the United States was chartered to oper- ate these mines. The material for the "Grandy coppers," coined in 1737, and for other coins including the first United States coinage, was obtained from Simsbury. The finding of ore in this locality prompted the discovery of the Schuyler mine in New Jersey in 1719. A cobalt mine in Chatham was worked in 1762, and about the same time the Southampton lead mine was opened. but neither of these enter prises met with much success. In 1856 copper was extensively mined at Bris tol. the workings being at that time among the most important in the Enited States. The Ore Hill mine Of Salisbury in 1s49 supplied sixteen fur naces in Litchfield county with a fibrous and massive homatite, which furnished forge pig of the finest quail ity. The most important silver lead mine ID the state was near MiddletOwn. It was opened in 1852, although pre- viuusly operated to some extent proba- ply many years prior to the revolution ary war
 Minerals occurring in Connecticut, but not reported in commercial quan- titlcs during 1902, are numerous. Edrytos was mined in New Haven county as early as 1870, but none has since been reported. Bismuth is dis s"minated in small quantities through the quartz of Fairfield county. Bornite, green carbonate of copper, vitreOus copper, copper pyrates and native cop per are very chiefly in Hartford. Litch- field and New Haven counties. Emory ;nd corlnCum are found near Litch' field. graphite or plumbago is dissem- mated through rock in the same coun- ty. and glass sand occurs on the shore of Lake QIassapaug. Copper occurs in inany forMs throughout the state. X number Of contact deposits in sand stone at junctures with gnelss were were formerly worked. especially at Bristol. Large deposits of the in- f,isor.a! earth and t.poli occur. but no production was rrI.or ted for 1902. In di.ations Of gatna are abundant throughout the state. but there are few localities where lead mining has been carried on to any extent Manganese crt in small quantities is frequently found in connection with the iron ore of the Salisbury district. Efforts have been made to locate this ore in suf- fiIient quantities to pay for its sep a"at;on from iron. but they have thus far rroveG futile. Mica is found near Erancnville and New Milford. and molybdenum at Haddam in the gneiss quarries. Niccolite occurs in Middle sex and Fairfield counties. associated with smaltite or gray cobalt ore. which is disseminated in mica slate accom- panied by galenite and sphalerite.
 Precious stones. agate, beryl and topaz. have been reported as found in the state. Pyrites, pyrrhotite and chalsopyrite occur in various locall ties. Rutile occurs in Hartford. Litch- field and Fairfield counties. Some sil yer is generally found in the galeni of the eastern states. but the ores have never yet proved abundant enough to be important. Tals occurs with slate in gneiss near Bristol. Hartford eoun- ty, and silicate of zinc is found in Fairfield county. in white limestone with galena and blend.
 .The principal mineral production in Connecticut is from quarries. siliceouS crystalline rocks leading. although this industry has materially decreased since 1891. The production of sand stones and quartzites has also fallel of largely, but the production of lime stone and dolomites increased from sI31.6g1 in 1890 to SaD5.3I1 in 1902, or 55G9 per cent.
 "The production of siliceous crystal line rocks in 1902 was valued at SS12.. HI. Of this amount 43-2 per cent was sold in the rough or dressed for build ing purposes and 36-3 per cent was crushed rock for roads. railroad bal last and concrete: the remainder being dressed for monumental purposes. made into paving blocks or preir.re-! for use as curbing, Tagging, rip-fap- rumble. etc
 Extensive deposits of granite are found throughout the New England states. the Connecticut product being usually distinguished from other gran- lies by a fine grain and light gray rolor. The most important quarries in ~cuuecticut are found bordering on