Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1922-07-05
Preston Point Mining Company

The Preston Point Mining Co. was or
gained through the activities of P. ].
Blindert of British Hollow, who, as
promoter, induced capitalists to take
stock in the enterprise. He secured a
lease on the mining grounds that had
previously been worked by Frank Ire
go. The Preston Point Mining Co. was
then organized and work begun. A
large number of men were employed
to clean up the open shafts and sink
new ones. A concentrating mill was
erected and equipped with the neces-
sary machinery to separate the lead
and zinc ore from the rock. The mill
was not as large as the Trego mill but
large enough to answer the purpose.
This company operated the mine off
and on for about two years and not
finding the untold wealth in the mine
that was expected, ceased work and
an exodus of miners to other fields
was the outcome. The mill lay idle
for several years but the company
held their mining rights, paying
bonus therefore.
New Firm Takes Hold of Mine
William Tiffany, a mining promoter,
with others, purchased the mill and
and a new company composed of Mil
waukee and Platteville capitalists be-
gan developing the mine. This COM
pany became known as the Wilson
Mining Co. with A. L. UT of Platte
vile as president. The company op-
Grated the mine with varying success
for year or more and then ceased
on account of the low price of ore and
sold the small buildings and other
property at the mine at auction, and
a short time afterwards dismantled
the mill and removed the more valu
able parts of the machinery.
Mill Building MysteriOusly Burned
While at work dismantling one day,
the men left the mill at six o'clock in
the evening. At about eight o'clock
the mill building was mysteriously
destroyed by fire. This ended mining
activities of the Wilson company.
Tiffany Opens up New Prospect
VIM. Tiffany had previously severed
his connection with the Wilson COM
pany and leased ground across the
hollow from the Wilson and began
prospecting by driving tunnel into
the hill He found fine zinc ore going
into the hill. Being man of bust
ness turn of mind, he went to Chicago
with specimens of ore and induced
capital in that city to take stock in
the mine. He sold several thousand
dollars worth of stock and company
was organized that became known as
the Tiffany Mining Co., and active
work was started. A shaft was started
about midway up the hill with hoist
ing machinery installed. The prospect
began looking better as the shaft was
blasted down and the indications of a
rich mine were such that an expensive
mill was erected near the mouth of
the tunnel. An office and other
buildings were built and everything
seemed favorable for a long working
mine. In due course Of time milling
began and the ore boxes began filling
up, but it wasn't long before the pros
pect for long, continuous work, that
the ore in the ground began to show
signs of weakening. The company
kept on driving ahead with the expect
alton of striking better paying ore,
but in vain, and finally the mine shut
down. The mill stood idle for a few
years and then was dismantled, all of
the machinery removed to other
points and the buildings sold at auc-
ton. With the Wilson closing down
shortly after, ended all mining activ-
ity in this field as well as in the en-
tire district.
The Last Days of the Mining Room
M. D. Hoff, railroad man, and the
son-in-law of Theodore Blindert, who
with P. j. Blindert promoted the
Preston Point mine, afterward leased
mining lands east Of Dutch Hollow.
He was a man who commanded much
influence in railroad official circles,
and had little trouble in organizing a
company to develop the once famous
Chalder and Stuer mines that yielded
hundreds of thousands of pounds of
lead ore. A pump and hoist were put
on and men employed to blast down
an open shaft to greater depth than
before worked. No paying ore being
found, much cross cutting was done,
but to no avail, there was no paying
ore to be found and the mine was
abandoned. There were other pros
poets on a minor scale that proved to
be no good. Looking back to about