Gilpin observer., 1906-02-15
The Oldest Copper Mine.

The oldest copper mine in America
Is the Schuyler of Arlington. New
Jersey, which was opened 100 years
ago. Great men had part in the early
days of this mine, say the New YORK
Sun. BENJAMIN Franklin was here in
1749. when he advised the owner to in
stall a steam engine to pump the shafts
free from water. In letter to Jared
Eliot. under date of February 13. 1850.
Franklin describes his visit to the mine
and states that the ore therefrom had
made several persons rich and that he
had advised the owned to spend c 1000
sterling for an engine of type he had
seen in the mines of Cornwall.
The working of this mine began in
I714 when six tons of ore was sent to
Bristol, England. for smelling. The
returns were large and Immediately
project was set on foot to establish
smelling plant near the mine. in which
English coal would be used and the
product used for the copper coins
needed for the colonies. Soon after
ward 40 casks of ore were shipped to
Holland.
Governor Hunter of New York and
New Jersey in the meantime advanced
the interests of the mine. but was
snubbed by The lords of trade. who
held the letter of the law that manu-
facturers of metals should not be per
mitted in the colonies: they held that
ali ores mined hereabout should be
selt to England for smelling. That ac-
ton ruined the smelling and colning
project. Thereafter the ore was sent
to England
AS the enterprise became profitable.
the attorney general for the colony set
forth that the mine was a part of the
kings manor of East Greenwich and
that therefore the King was entitled to
a certain share of the profits from the
mine. This matter involved litigation,
which was finally settled about the
outbreak of the revolution. The
kings side won, but the judgment was
never paid.
Soon after Franklin visited the mine
the owners placed an order In England
for the pump The order was in hand
three years by several members of the
Hornblower family, then prominent as
designing engineers for the mining
trades. AS English law forbade the
export of most kinds of machinery to
the colonies. the pump parts were
shipped as old metal.
With the engine came John Horn
blower, VINO DeCdIut tne great nsut III
the engineering world of the colonies
as well as patriot in and out of Con-
gress.
year was spent in building the en-
gine plant George Washington was
was among the famous men who jour
neyed to the mines to see Hornblower
and the wonderful engine. AS soon as
the shafts were pumped clear mining
began on II profitable basis. From 1775
utnil 1888 the troublous times caused
the shutting down of the works. In
1893 Nicholas j. Roosevelt, great
grand-uncle of President Roosevelt
acquired an interest in the mine. and
he and Hornblower and some Others
organized the New Jersey Copper Min
ing Association to work the mine and
operate smeter and copper and
brass rolling mill.
At times from the formation of the
Federal Union until sixty years ago
the product OF this old mine was used
for coinage into the big copper cents of
our grandrathers and for trade tokens,
then used by retail merchants as small
coin. For number Of years John
Hewitt, father of Abram s. Hewitt
was in charge of the Schuyler mine
and there as boy Abram Hewitt ac-
uuired his liking for metal working