Shullsburg Town (part 2 of 2)

Oxide of Manganese. - A substance consisting of manganese with a little oxide of iron, zinc, and traces of magnesia, according to an analysis of Dr. Bode, of Milwaukee, is found in crevices in the Trenton limestone, in some diggings situated on Section 11, Town 4, Range 1 east. The mineral is as light as cork ; color brownish-black, sub-metallic luster and streaks ; soils readily, and is infusable. It is very soft, and does not occur crystallized. It has a structure in thin parallel layers, resembling wood.

Calamine. - Composition - Silica, 25.0; oxide of zinc, 67.5; water, 7.5. This mineral is of very rare occurrence in the lead region. It is found in small, drusy crystals ; coating, Smithsonite. The crystals are very brittle, colorless, and have a vitrious luster. It is found near Mineral Point.

Barite. - Composition - Sulphuric acid, 34.33 ; baryta, 65.67. It occurs usually white and massive, but sometimes in lamellar and crested forms. The only place where it was found in distinct crystals, was in the railroad cut at Scales Mound, where it occurs in small cavities, as small but very perfect transparent crystals, associated with dolomite and pyrite. It is not a very abundant mineral, but is found in several of the mining districts, especially Dodgeville and Mineral Point.

The following is an analysis by Mr. E. T. Sweet, of a specimen from the southwest quarter of Section 6, Township 5, Range 3 east, in Van Matre's survey :

Anglesite. - Composition - Sulphuric acid, 26.4 ; oxide of lead, 73.6. Traces of this mineral are reported as occurring in some of the mining districts, but no specimens have as yet been obtained. It probably originates from the decomposition of galenite.

Calcite. - Composition - Carbonic acid, 44 ; lime, 56. This is a vein-mineral, common to all the deposits of ore, whether in crevices or openings. It occurs crystallized in modified rhombohedrons and scalinohedrons. The variety known as Dog-tooth-spar is a very frequent form, especially in the Shullsburg and Linden districts, which affords very handsome cabinet specimens. The Mineral Point district affords handsome rhombohedrons, and the Linden mine affords handsome twin crystals of calcite set in sphalerite (blende). It also occurs there, rarely, as a pseudomorph, after marcasite, and has then a radiate or divergent form.

Dolomite. - Bitter spar or brown spar. Composition - Carbonate of lime and carbonate of magnesia, in slightly varying, but nearly equal, proportions. It occurs oce:isionally in small rhombohedral crystals in cavities of the Galena limestone. The best locality for obtaining cabinet specimens is in the railroad cut at Scales Mound.

Smithsonite. - Often improperly called calimine. Composition - Carbonic acid, 35.18 ; oxide of zinc, 64.81. This mineral, commonly known as drybone, is one of the two ores of zinc found in the lead region. It is found most extensively in the central and northern parts, and , usually in connection with blende. It crystallizes in rhombohedral forms ; such specimens are, however, rare. It usually occurs massive, having a structure similar to partially decayed bone, from which it derives its common name.

Pseudomorphs, of Smithsonite, after calcite, are sometimes formed. They occur as rhombohedrons, and in the various irregular shapes in which calcite occurs in the lead region. Perfect crystals, in which the transformation from calcite to Smithsonite is complete, are very rare. It IS much more common to find skeleton crystals, or those which have been formed by tlie deposition of a smooth, light-colored shell of Smithsonite, about a sixteenth of an inch thick, over all the exposed surface of the calcite, followed by a gradual removal of the crystal contained within the shell. The space within the shell is sometimes partially filled with Smithsonite, and frequently planes of the original crystal. Pseudomorphs are also found in which the imperfect crystallization of sphalerite is very evident. Smithsonite is also found covering crystals of galenite, which are undecomposed.

Cerussite. - Composition - Carbonic acid, 16.5 ; oxide of lead, 83.5. Cerussite is occasionally found in small pieces, but never in sufficient quantities to form an object of mining. It occurs in irregular rounded pieces of a yellowish color, exhibiting no crystalline structure. It has been found near Mineral Point, and in former years quite frequently at the diggings near Blue Mounds. Cerussite is found in small irregular translucent crystals of a white or light yellow color, in the mine of Messrs. Poad, Barrack & Tredinnick, near Linden. The specimens were large, cubic crystals of galenite, coated with pyrite, the crystals of cerussite being formed in both of these minerals. The specimens indicate that the crystals of pyrite had been formed, and many of them broken before the formation of the cerussite.

Hydrozincite. - Composition - Carbonic acid, 13.6; oxide of zinc, 75.3 ; water, 11.1. This is a mineral of rare occurrence in the lead region. It is found at Linden and Mineral Point as a white, finely crystalline, fibrous incrustation on Smithsonite.

Malachite. - Composition - Carbonic acid, 19.9 ; protoxide of copper, 71.9 ; water, 8.2. It is occasionally found in small seams, mixed with other ores of copper in the Mineral Point copper mines. Crystals or good cabinet specimens do not occur.

Azurite. - Composition - Carbonic acid, 25.6; protoxide of copper, 69.2 ; water, 5.2. It occurs similar to malachite, massive and in seams, associated with chalcopyrite. The Mineral Point mines afford very beautiful cabinet specimens of small rhombohedral crystals of dark-blue color.

Visitors in the lead region will constantly hear the terms "brown rock," "glass rock," "pipe-clay opening," etc., used by the miners to designate the different strata in which they work. This would be an advantageous system were it not that the several names are applied to widely different strata by persons in the several districts. The term "glass rock," for instance, is indiscriminately applied to all the strata in the buff, blue and Galena limestones. The following section is given as a general guide in understanding the relative position and thickness of the strata and openings, to which reference will occasionally be made in the subsequent pages. The section, however, will not be found of universal application, but merely shows the strata as their position is now understood by the most intelligent and systematic miners.

In practice, the most reliable plan for determining the geological position of an ore bed or mine, is to find the out-crop of some well-defined horizon in the vicinity, and ascertain the distance of the bed or mine above or below it, after making due allowance for the dip.

There are numerous openings occurring in all upper and middle beds of the Galena limestone, none of which appear to be found regularly in all the districts. The section is, therefore, confined to the more persistent openings of the lower beds :

History And Character Of The Mines

The history of the mining interest of this region is essentially a history of the region itself The following reliable and detailed report of mines was made by Mr. Strong in 1877. Such new mines as have since then been opened are named further on in this work :

Beetown District

This is the most westerly district in which any productive mines have been worked. In former years they were very productive, but have gradually become less so. There are several sub-districts, of which the principal ones are Beetown, Nip-and-Tuck, Muscalunge and Hackett's. The diggings in the immediate vicinity of Beetown are situated north and east of the village, chiefly in Sections 20 and 29, of Township 4, Range 4 west. There are here, on the ridge, about a dozen principal old ranges, all nearly parallel, and bearing a few degrees north of west. They vary from half a mile to a mile and a half in length, some of them extending easterly to the Grant Diggings. There are no large organized companies at work in them, the principal product being by individual parties in small lots.

Lead ore is usually found in this district in two principal openings, known as the " Twelvefoot Opening" and the " Sixty-five-foot Opening." The first is named from the height of the opening, which usually averages about twelve feet. The second derives its name from sixtyfive feet of unproductive rock which separates it from the first. The following parties are now, or have recently been, mining near Beetown :

Broivn Bros. §' Birch. - These diggings are situated in the Hull Hollow, about threequarters of a mile south of the village. They were discovered in 18G0, by Walters and Roberts, and were first worked in the twelve-foot opening. There are three parallel east-andwest ranges, situated about nine feet apart. They produced lead ore, which is found in flat openings, four and one-half feet high and four and one-half feet wide, lying about seventy feet above the sixty-five-foot opening. The ore has been traced by a level three hundred feet west from the discovery shaft. The depth at the working-shaft is sixty feet ; the greatest depth in the ridge will be one hundred and sixty feet. Work was commenced in the winter of 1875-76, since which time the product has been 35,000 pounds. The prospects are considered good.

Wilcox Diggings. - North half of the southeast quarter of Section 32, Township 4, Range 4 west. This ground has been recently bought by Messrs. Henry, Ross, Gundry and Toay, of Mineral Point, by whom it is now operated, under the name of the Beetown Mine. Work was commenced here by Mr. Wilcox in 1868. A level has been run in the ground 500 feet, underlying a flat sheet of blende or Smithsonite, which is, in places, 36 inches thick. The sheet has been found to extend eighty feet north and south, and one hundred and thirty feet east and west ; its extreme limits are not yet known. On its south side, some copper ore has been found. The sheet lies in the upper pipe-clay opening. About twenty-two feet above the sheet of zinc ores, is one of Smithsonite and lead ore, one hundred and fifty feet wide, whose length is unknown. It lies in flat and pitching sheets, in the green-rock opening. The ground has produced lead ore to the value of $3,500 ; also, forty-five tons of Smithsonite and one hundred and seventy-five tons of blende.

Crossly ^ Bass. - Situated south of the preceding. Work was carried on for six months, and stopped by the owner of the land. Twenty thousand pounds of lead ore were produced.

Pigeon Diggings. - They are situated in the north half of Section 20, Township 4, Range 3 west, and consist of several east-and-west ranges, in which the ore is found in flat openings in the "Brown Rock" division of the Galena limestone. The ground is owned by Messrs. Barber, Dewey & Cox. There are about fifty men employed here, mining chiefly in the old workings at a depth of from thirty to fifty feet below the surface. The annual product of the Pigeon Diggings is about two hundred and fifty thousand pounds of lead ore. Mining is chiefly confined to the winter season. During the last year a sheet of Smithsonite was discovered on the southeast quarter of Section 19, which has produced sixty tons.

ITackett's Diggings. - These mines are situated on Section 17, Township 4, Range 4 west. They have been idle for several years. Work has recently been resumed on them by the following parties : Hutchcroft & Pigg, and Whitehead & Co. They have now good paying mines in the sixty-five-foot opening. The annual product is about thirty thousand pounds.

Nip-and-Tuck Diggings. - Situated on the south half of Section 25, Township 4, Range 5 west. They consist of several east-and-west ranges crossed by north-and-south ranges. Very little mining is now done here. The parties are Sillick & Co. and Roberts & Co. The annual product is about twenty thousand pounds.

Muscalunge Diggings. - Situated on Section 26, Township 4, Range 5 west. There are here numerous east-and-west ranges, from a quarter to a half a mile in length, lying near Rattlesnake Creek. More activity is displayed here in mining operations than anywhere else in the district, about half of the ore smelted in the Beetown furnace being obtained here. In addition to the east-and-west ranges already mentioned, there are a great number of small parallel crevices running nearly east and west, and crossed by various quartering ores, forming a perfect network of veins and crevices. The following parties are operating in this vicinity :

Graham Mining Company. - This is a Milwaukee mining company who own and work a large tract of ground comprising the west half of Section 2(d. The workings are all in the sixty-five-foot opening. The following section of the Dewey & Maiden shaft is given, which shows the position of strata from the top of the ridge downward :

The two openings are seen here to be separated by sixty-five feet of intervening barren rock. The ground is drained by a level about three-quarters of a mile long, run on the random of the lower opening at an expense of $20,000. It empties into one of the adjacent branches of Rattlesnake Creek. It could easily be drained to the top of the blue limestone by a level in the horizon of the pipe-clay opening. A convenience in hoisting was noticed here which might profitably be adopted in other portions of the lead region. A six-inch hole had been drilled from the surface to one of the drifts for purposes of ventilation. An artesian well-bucket was then put on, and all small stuff and wash dirt was removed through the hole, thus saving a long and unnecessary transportation underground to the main shaft. The company has worked continuously here for many years. The ground has been very productive ; it produced in one year 1,300,000 pounds. Its average annual production for the last nine years is estimated at 300,000 pounds of lead ore.

James Thomas ^ Co. - This company has been working here for the last fifteen years. The ore is found on the east-and-west range in the sixty-five-foot opening. The diggings are dry, and from 150 to 160 feet deep. The average production is 150,000 pounds of lead ore per annum. The ground is owned by Mr. Dewey.

Hutehcroft ^ Thomas. - Situated four hundred and fifty feet south of the preceding, and connected with them underground. They are in the same opening as the preceding, and have been worked continuously for many years. During the last year, they have been idle, having been sold by the parties who operated them. When worked, their annual product was 150,000 pounds.

Hutchinson, Dewey cf Co. - Situated on the southeast quarter of Section 26, east of James Thomas & Co., and in the same range and opening. This party has been working here since 1869, and has now a very good prospect. The average depth below the surface is one hundred and sixty feet. In some cases, it is one hundred and eighty feet. They are connected with the Adkinson Diggings by a quartering range. They have produced about 30,000 pounds in the last three years.

Adkinson Diggings. - Situated a short distance east of the preceding, and connected with it. Access is gained to these diggings through a level about a quarter of a mile long, emptying into the valley of Rattlesnake Creek. The level was run on a northeast crevice, which contained a large amount of ore, and was frequently intercepted with east-and-west crevices. These diggings have been worked continuously during the last twenty years. During the last fifteen years, the annual product has been 15(5.000 pounds of lead ore.

Showalter ^ Payten. - Situated a quarter of a mile southeast of the preceding, and near the south line of the Dewey land. These parties commenced two years since, and are now working an east-and-west range in the sixty-five-foot opening. During the last two years, the product has been 70,000 pounds.

Arthur ^- Co. - Situated two hundred feet south of the preceding, on Mr. Arthur's land. This is a new east-and-west range discovered in the spring of 1876. A shaft has been sunk ninety feet to the sixty-five-foot opening, and a small amount of ore produced. The appearances in this new range are quite encouraging.

Ritter cf- Bock. - Northeast quarter of Section 35, Township 4, Range 5 west ; situated on land owned by Mr. Ritter. This is a new east-and-west range, discovered in the summer of 1875. It is worked in the sixty-five-foot level. It is regarded as a good prospect, and has already produced 20,000 pounds.

Loomis (f" Co. - Situated on the land of the Graham Mining Company, in the southern part. This is also a new east-and-west range, discovered in August, 1876. It has produced about 12,000 pounds. The mine is now in a condition to yield 1,000 pounds per day. The lead ore in the Muscalunge mines occurs in direct contact with the wall rock, usually in vertical sheets, and without any of the associate vein minerals which are usually found in the other mining districts.

Potosi District

Mining operations here are chiefly confined to the winter season. The old ranges of the Potosi Diggings are included in Sections 33 and 34, Township 3, Range 3 west. Their general course is about north, 70° west, although some bear a few degrees more to the west, and some a few more to the north. They numbered about thirty in all, which were considered as separate and distinct ranges ; and, in addition, there were many smaller crevices, not sufficiently important to constitute ranges by themselves. Among the more important were the Long, Wooley, Gillet, Gilmore, Smith, Polkinghorn and Barbara, some of which were over a mile in length! The productive portion of these ranges is confined to the middle and lower portions of the Galena limestone, none of the crevices having as yet proved as low as the brown rock ; the ore is usually found in sheets of varying thickness.

Considerable irregularity exists in the formation of many of the crevices in the Potosi district, by which they seem to split up in the lower beds of the limestone, forming key rocks and divergent crevices. An instance in point was seen in the diggings of Mr. Meredith, in the northeast quarter of Section 33, about three hundred feet south of the old Wooley range, on the summit of the ridge. A shaft was sunk in the main crevice, which Continued without change for sixty feet from the surface. At this point a hard key rock, as it is called, was encountered, on which the crevice and ore sheets divided, one part continuing vertical and the other slantinodownward at an angle of about forty-five degrees, for a distance of thirty feet. Here a very hard and smooth floor was found, on which the sheet was followed out by drifting for a distance of 130 feet, without reaching the end. No appearance of openings was observed. These diggings were struck about six years ago (1870), and have produced since then about four hundred and twenty thousand pounds.

Rockville Diggings. - There are here a number of east-and-west ranges with flat openings, Avhich have been worked with but little interruption since 1840, and now furnish employment to about twenty miners. Mining is chiefly confined to the winter season. The following parties are now operating here :

Phillips ^ Walker. - Southwest quarter of southwest quarter of Section 13, Township 3, Range 3 west. These parties are working a new east-and-west range, discovered by them in the summer of 1874. The ore is found at a depth of about one hundred feet below the surface, in flat openings from fifty to sixty feet wide, whose length has not yet been ascertained. They have, however, been worked to a distance of 300 feet. The lead ore is found in what is known here as the second opening, which lies about thirty feet above the upper surface of the blue limestone. Their annual product is 30,000 pounds.

Dilger Mines. - Northwest quarter of northwest quarter of Section 24. This is a new range, discovered in January, 1876. The works are as yet confined to the first opening, which is here thirty feet above the second. It has produced, during the past year, 40,000 pounds.

Haytvard Range. - Southwest quarter of Section 13. This range has been worked continuously every winter since its discovery in 1841, and has yielded in all between four and five million pounds. It is now worked by Messrs. Jackson k Calloway, in the second opening, which is here from thirty to forty feet wide. It produces about one hundred thousiind pounds per annum.

Warfield Range. - Southwest quarter of Section 13. This range has been Avorked every winter during the last thirty years, and has produced about two million pounds. It i3 now worked by Messrs. White & Dunn, in the second opening, which is here from thirty to forty feet wide. Its annual product is about one hundred thousand pounds.

Curnoiv and Pillow Range. - Southwest quarter of Section 13. This range has not been idle during the last thirty years, and is still productive. During the last fifteen years the range has produced over 100,000 pounds per annum. Messrs. Nichols & Stevens are now mining in it, and producing 20,000 pounds per annum.

Emery ^ Davis Level. - Northwest quarter of northwest quarter of Section 24. The level was commenced in 1852, and is now 600 feet long, and drains the ground in its vicinity nearly as low as the second opening. Its cost was about $20,000. The excavations here were of the nature of a quarry, several flat sheets of lead ore being found inter-stratified with the Galena limestone. While the level was in operation, the annual product was about 100,000 pounds. The level drains the Langstaff and Wiliey ranges, which were discovered about thirty years ago, and have been worked continuously ever since. Most of the lead ore is obtained from the first opening. The annual product is 50,000 pounds. These ranges have been worked to the present water level, leaving sheets of ore from twelve to eighteen inches thick, going down. The level should be run a few rods further to connect with a north-and-south crevice ; it would then probably drain all the ranges much deeper.

Stone tf' Bryhon. - Situated near the northwest corner of Section 1, Town 3, Range 3 west, on land owned by Mr. Stone, about three miles north of the village of Rockville. The works are in the first opening, which is from eight to ten feet wide. They have been worked in the winter season during the last four years, producing annually between 30,000 and 40,000 pounds. They were formerly worked by Mr. Grusham, and were more productive. The mines are dry.

Grisivold Diggings. - Situated about a quarter of a mile south of the preceding. These are dry diggings, worked in the first opening, which is here about six feet high and from ten to thirty feet wide. They have been worked continuously during the last seven years, producing about 65,000 pounds per annum.

Henry Gillilan's Diggings. - These diggings are situated about three miles southeast of Rockville, on the Platte River. They are dry diggings, and have been worked during the last four years in the first opening, which is here thirty feet wide and about six feet high. The annual product is 25,000 pounds.

J. Alderson's Diggings. - Northwest quarter of Section 26, Town 3, Range 3 west. They are situated on the Craig range, in the village of British Holland. This range was worked by a Cincinnati company for three years ; they abandoned it two years ago. This company produced about 3,000,000 pounds during the time of their operation. Mr. Alderson commenced mining here again in July, 1876, with a steam pump, and has sunk four shafts. The workings are about 120 feet deep in the second opening, and in the third, which is about twenty-five feet below the second. The mine has not produced much yet, as the time has been mostly consumed in preliminary operations.

Peak ^- Blair. - Northwest quarter of Section 26. These parties have also been working in the Craig range during the past summer (1876). They have a flat sheet of lead ore about five inches thick in the first opening, which here averages twenty feet in width. This range has been worked during the last forty years. The product of the present parties has been about 20,000 pounds.

Butch Hollow Diggings. - They are situated on the north half of Section 36, Township 3, Range 3 west, about two and a half miles east of Potosi. The following parties are now operating here:

Dutch Hollow Level Company. - Mining operations have been carried on here continuously for the last six years, excavating a level on or near the upper surface of the blue limestone. The level is now about a half a mile long, and it is expected to reach the main shaft in about a month. When completed, the level will unwater all the Galena limestone above it, which is here about one hundred feet thick. It is expected to unwater the Kendall, and many other old ranges in the vicinity, as deep as the third opening. The level is not producing much now. During the year 1872, it produced 60,000 pounds.

Rup ^ Son. - Northeast quarter of Section 35. This party has been working during the last six months in a part of the Zug range. The ore is found in the first opening, which is here about fifteen feet wide. The production has been 150,000 pounds.

Langstaff <f Gillan. - Situated three-quarters of a mile northeast of the preceding, in the creek in Section 25. The lead ore is found here in a flat sheet in the first opening, near the water level and about thirty feet below the surface. Three men have been working here twelve months, and have produced 60,000 pounds. The production of the Potosi district, including Rockville, British Hollow and Dutch Hollow, could not be definitely ascertained, as very little record has been kept of it. It is estimated at 80,000 pounds per annum. Mining in this district is generally abandoned in summer for farming, and resumed again in the winter, in the lack of other employment. In this way a large number of men are at work in the winter, each rasing a small amount by prospecting, which forms in the aggregate the total product of the district.

Fairplay District

The only mines in this vicinity, which have recently produced anything, are those of Black & Co., on the northeast quarter of Section 24, Township 1, Range 2 west, and those of Williams & Co., near the center of Section 19, Township 1, Range 1 west.

Black cj- Co. - This property, which comprises in all about two hundred and forty acres, is owned by Messrs. Joseph and Thomas Sparks. It has been known to be rich ground for many years, and to contain, besides the ore, an immense amount of water, which was the chief obstacle to be overcome. Previous to the operations of Mr. Black, it had been attempted by three separate parties, at as many different times, but always with more or less loss. Mr. Black commenced work on it, in 1871, by means of pumping, and continued to add pumps, engines and pumping machinery at intervals. At the time the mine was visited (June, 1874), there were in operation two steam pumps, and two large lift pumps, together with three boilers and two engines, one of them about thirty-hcrse power. The company then contemplated adding a large engine and machinery. It was estimated that about a thousand gallons of water per minute were being pumped from the mine, and, when the lower opening is reached, which is thought to be about fifteen feet deeper, it will become necessary to pump about fifteen hundred gallons per minute.

The mine is in the upper beds of the Galena limestone, which is here present in its full thickness, and, indeed, the first few feet of the shafts are sunk through the lowest bed of the Cincinnati group, as may be seen from the yellow clay with the characteristic shells, in any of the shallow prospecting holes in the vicinity.

Galena Limestone

The course of the vein is nearly east and west, and five shafts have been sunk upon it, the deepest of which has reached a point one hundred and five feet below the surface. The opening now presents the appearance of a series of large rooms or caves, from fifteen to twenty feet wide, and about fifteen feet high, for a distance of six hundred feet. The vein was crossed in several places by bars of hard rock, one of which was sixty-five feet in thickness. The bars always caused a decrease in the size of the opening, and sometimes nearly cut off the vein. In other places, the opening contracted in width, in which case the ore usually occurred in a solid sheet, sometimes as much as seven feet thick by seven and a half feet high. In the caves or larger parts of the opening, the ore was found in large masses, weighing sometimes several thousand pounds. Two large masses were found which weighed respectively fifty thousand and twentyseven thousand pounds. With the ore large masses of rock were found mixed with loose dirt and a fine, dark clay.

The sides of the opening were much washed and worn by water, shcwiig a very regular stratification, with no appearance whatever of faults or dislocations. Each of the caves in the opening had a chimney going down, apparently to a second opening, which has never yet been proved or worked.

The upper part of the opening was sometimes filled with a large key-rock,having a crevice in each side of it. Sometimes, however, the key-rock was replaced by a flat cap-rock containing crevices.

The appearance of these caverns, as we passed through them, was a sight not soon to be forgotten. On the floo - lay great masses of rock which had fallen from above, with clay, continually moistened from the dripping walls and arching roo\ and, here and there, the feeble light revealed rich masses of glittering ore.

Williams §^ Co. - This mining property is situated about three-quarters of a mile northeast of Black's Mine, and was operated by the proprietors, Messrs. Thomas and Jeremiah Williams and Mr. O'Connor. The water in this ground is not nearly so abundant as in other mines. It is easily removed with a common lift-pump, worked with a ten-horse-power engine ; the amount seldom exceeds 250 gallons per minute. Mining has been confined to the upper half of the Galena limestone. The lower clay beds of the Cincinnati group are also found here, but there is not so great a thickness of them as at Black's Mine. The pumpshaft commences at the top of the Galena limestone, and is sunk to a depth of 106 feet, at which point the top of the second opening is found, after passing through the first opening, which is situated at a depth of forty-seven feet from the surface, and is probably identical with the first opening at Black's Mine, which it much resembles in its general appearance. The first opening here consists of a series of large caves or enlargements of the crevice, with chimneys going down to the second opening.

The ore was found in masses, mixed with clay and large pieces of stone, which had apparently fallen from the roof or cap. The lead ore, from its greater specific gravity, usually occupies the lower part or floor of the opening. The course of the range is very nearly east and west, but bears a little north on its western end.

The length of drifts in the top opening amounts to about nine hundred feet. It is about worked out at the western end, but still continues good at the east. Several masses of lead ore were found in this opening weighing from fourteen to fifteen thousand pounds. A singular formation of ore was found in the top opening. The mine was discovered and opened in February, 1872, and since then has prabably been the most productive and remunerative mine in the district, on account of the comparatively small amount of water to contend Avith and the large amount of lead ores obtained, which has been estimated at two and a half million pounds. Work was suspended on this mine in the fall of 1875, and has not since been resumed.

Fairplay Level Co. - A company consisting of Messrs. Merry, dinger, Rewell, Pier and Natte, having formed a stock company, with a capital of $50,000, have been engaged during the last eight years in running a level on land owned by George Siddell & Co. This level is commenced on the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 26, Township 1, Range 2 west, about three-quarters of a mile below the village of Fairplay. It has been run eastward a distance of 2,200 feet, and thence south 70 feet, and has cost about $30,000.

One ''shift" of three men is the usual number employed, and it is not expected that the level will be completed for many years. Its greatest depth below the surface is 140 feet, and forty-eight feet below the natural water level ; one mile farther east it will drain about sixty feet below the present water level.

This level will unwater the whole of Section 25, and will cut the following ranges in the third opening : The Crabtree, Thompson, Engine, Carus, Bruce, Lost range, Franklin, Seward and Gave range. The openings in these ranges are vertical ; they were formerly worked and abandoned with lead ore in them going below the water. When these ranges are unwatered they will undoubtedly be very productive.

In the vicinity of Fairplay, about fifty men find employment in mining during the winter ; in summer the mines are idle. The greater part of the lead ore raised in this district comes from the mines south of the village, and, exclusive of the two large mines previously described, has not exceeded 50,000 pounds per annum for the last six years.

Hazel Gkeen District

The Hazel Green District exhibits considerable activity at present in mining operations, and the reports of smelters in this vicinity show that a large amount of ore is raised here. During the years 1872 and 1873, miners were attracted to other localities by the prospect of higher wages, which caused a temporary decrease in the production of lead ore; the mines, however, remained unimpaired. The miners have now returned, and the mines have regained their normal productive condition.

The most remunerative and continuously productive portion of the district is the property of the Hazel Green Mining Company, otherwise known as Crawford, Mills & Co. It is situated on the northwest quarter of Section 30, part of the southwest quarter of Section 30, part of the northeast quarter of Section 30, part of the southeast quarter of Section 19, the southwest quarter of Section 19, the northwest quarter of Section 19, the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 18, all in Township 1, Range 1 east; also, the northeast quarter of Section 24, and the east half of the east half of Section 25, Township 1, Range 1 west, comprising in all 1,106 acres, on which over four hundred and fifty distinct mineral veins have been discovered and worked.

During the early days of mining these grounds were worked from the surface as deep as was then possible, which was only about thirty-five feet, when they had to be abandoned. Pumping was tried on some of the larger bodies of ore, but as a general thing was found to be too expensive to be very remunerative, on account of the vast amount of water which the ground contained. In the year 1862, Crawford, Mills & Co. commenced their level from a point on the Hard-Scrabble Branch, and have been working it continuously ever since. Its total completed length is now about four thousand feet.

It is a feature of this ground that it is traversed by several bars or belts of ground which are very hard and impervious to water. As soon as the level is driven through one of them, it unwaters the ground in all directions to the next bar.

Some time in the year 1871, one of those bars was reached which was so hard that blasting with powder made but little impression on it. As an experiment, nitroglycerine was tried and gave the greatest satisfaction, so much, indeed, that a factory has been established here, and it is gradually being introduced into the mines. It is at present used in Dubuque, Galena, New Diggings and several other places. It was at first regarded with some dislike and distrust by the miners, but this prejudice is fast being overcome, and nitro-glycerine, or some of its compounds, will probably supplant gunpowder in the mines at no distant day. The factory at Hazel Green produced, during the first three years, about 3,000 pounds of nitro-glycerine, and the demand is steadily increasing.

On account of the position of the bars, it was found necessary to make three branches to the level, one of which is now completed and is gradually draining the western part of the ground. The northern branch, when completed, will undoubtedly unwater the rest of the ground.

This level is an evidence of what can be done by scientific mining, when carried on persistently and systematically, with sufficient capital, applied with foresight and sagacity. It has cost the company twelve years of time, and about $100,000. Its results are, that it has already repaid the outlay of capital by the ore raised from the ground unwatered by it, which would otherwise have been inaccessible. When completed, it will unwater the ground 135 feet below the natural water level on the ridge. It furnishes employment to about eighty miners during the mining season.

Quite a large and clear stream of water is discharged from the mouth of the level, and is at present used to operate a furnace and three wash-places. The ore in the Hazel Green mines is usually found in sheets ; this is its characteristic mode of occurrence. The ranges are approximately east and west, or north and south, the former being the most productive. Ore is also sometimes found in large bunches or pockets, containing sometimes several thousand pounds, and occasionally in openings. The pockets are often lined with large and very regular cubes, affording handsome cabinet specimens. The total production since the discovery of these mines, has been carefully computed from the smelter's accounts at about 126,000,000 pounds. Their present product is about 800,000 pounds per annum.

Mining in this vicinity is confined to the upper half of the Galena limestone, which is here present in its entire thickness, the clay of the lower beds of the Cincinnati group being found near the village, on the road to Galena. A section of the strata from the top of the ridge to the level would present approximately the following features :

Richard Eustice cf Oo. - These parties were working in a new locality, and had, at the time they were visited, one of the handsomest displays of ore ever seen in the grounds. The bottom of the shaft had penetrated an opening filled with soft earth. The sides of the opening were lined with a body of ore which presented an unbroken mass of cubic crystals of various sizes, some of them being as much as six inches on a side, and of very perfect shape, affording very handsome cabinet specimens. There were not less than 10,000 pounds of lead ore in sight, in a place about ten feet long. This body of ore is known to continue several feet deeper to the drift below. These diggings were worked until the fall of 1875, and produced 120,000 pounds.

Howe ^ Rowe. - This is a new range, and was discovered in March, 1874. It is [an eastand-west sheet, in which the ore occurs in a crevice three or four inches wide, at a depth of about sixty feet below the surface, and about thirty-five feet above the flint opening. Work was suspended here in September, 1876. The total amount produced to that time was 50,000 pounds.

Richard Eustice s Diggings - Are situated on the Phelps range ; shafts are ninety feet deep, down to the clay openings. Length of drifts about 150 feet. The ore here occurs in a sheet about an inch thick. The diggings were worked from June, 1872, to June, 1875, and produced about 40,000 pounds. Near these diggings, and about ten feet deeper, is an east-and-west sheet dipping tothe north, carrying bunches of blende, which affords quite handsome crystals.

Mamvaring and Madison Range. - This is an east-and-west range, and is sometimes known as the Hinch Range, from the name of a party who formerly worked it, and by whom it was abandoned in 1858. Since the level has been run, the water has fallen about fifty feet in this ground, and in December, 1873, work was resumed on it by Crawford, Mills & Co., since which time it has produced 40,000 pounds of lead ore. The shaft is down about fifty-five feet, or within six feet of the flint opening. Work was suspended on it in June, 1875.

John Edwards' Diggings. - Situated a short distance further west on the same range, a flat sheet of blende is found here in the second opening, at a depth of eighty feet below the surface. The order of deposition here is : 1st, pyrite; 2d, galenite; 3d, blende. During the winter of 1875-76, the product was blende, ten tons; lead ore, 1,400 pounds.

Bull Pump Range. - This range was worked by Jackson & Co. during the years 1873- 74-75, producing 90,000 pounds. Work was suspended here in the fall of 1875.

Bininger Range. - This range has been worked at intervals since May, 1874. It is now worked by Stephens, Mankivel & Rowe ; four men are employed, working with a horse pump in the second opening. During the present year the product has been 30,000 pounds.