USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin > Part 55
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The existence of Icad and zinc ore in the upper pipe clay opening (upper surface of the blue limestone) is also known at New Diggings. A mining company, known as the Occidental, was in operation in 1873, by whom a level had been run on this opening, which resulted in the discovery of a flat sheet of blende or lead ore.
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HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
Catchall Diggings .- Northwest quarter of Section 30, Township 1, Range 2 east. These diggings have in former years produced large quantities of ore; exactly how munch, could not be ascertained. After lying idle for some years, work was resumed ou them in 1870 by S. and C. Vickers, J. and T. Peacock and John Henry. They were worked for a year with a horse pump, and after that with a steam pump, the former having been insufficient to remove the water. There are here two north-and-south ranges crossed by several east-and-west ranges, which produced blende and lead ore. The pump shaft is located in one of these crossings, and is forty-eight feet deep. A series of levels was run from here to the New Diggings Ridge, by which it was ascertained that the top of the ridge was on a level with the bottom of the shaft. which shows that the openings existing at this place are above those at New Diggings, and probably near the middle of the Galena limestone. The Catchall Diggings ceased being worked in January, 1873. The pump and engine still remain on the ground. The product during the three years of working is said to have been 2,000,000 pounds.
Howe & Alderson .- Southeast quarter of Section 15, Township 1, Range 1 east. This ground is situated a short distance north of the Democrat furnace, and belongs to the Leakley estate. The range was discovered and worked about 1847, and work was resumed on it by the present parties about fourteen years since (1862). The gencral course of the range is east and west ; the extent of the drifts is from three hundred to four hundred feet, in the course of which five flat openings and one crevice opening have been found. The flat openings are not far above the blue limestone. There are eight shafts going down to the openings from thirty to eighty fect deep. The ore is generally small, with wash dirt ; but little large or " chunk mincral " is found. The diggings are entirely free from water. During the past fourteen years they have produced about one million pounds. Work was suspended here about January 1, 1876.
John Rain g. Co .- Southeast quarter of Section 31, Township 1, Range I east. The land is owned by Messrs. Hodge & Scales and the Field estate. The course of the range is north 5º east. It is known as the Raspberry range from the name of the man who discovered it in 1849, and sometimes as the Dinsell range. The workings are all in the first of the New Dig- gings opening, although the second has also been reached. There are five shafts down to the opening, and about five hundred feet of drift. The opening is quite variable in size, and is sometimes as much as thirty feet wide. The ore occurs as wash dirt, although large pieces are occasionally found. The diggings have been worked for lead ore during the last seven years, since which time Messrs. Rain & Co. have taken out as follows: 1871, 50,000 pounds; 1872, 100,000 ; 1873, 75,000; 1874, 75,000. The product for 1875-76 was not learned, but the mine is now productive.
DIGGINGS ON THE LEAKLEY ESTATE.
Robbins & Bros .- Four men have been employed here during the last year, working an east-and-west range with a horse pump. The amount raised is not known, but it is understood that the ground yields enough orc to pay good wages.
Hall & Rain .- Southeast quarter of Section 23, Township I, Range 1 east. This is a new cast-and-west range on the Leakley estate, discovered in 1873. The ore occurs in a crevice opening from forty to forty-five feet below the surface. Four shafts have been sunk in it, and one drift ran a distance of 400 feet. About one hundred and nineteen thousand pounds have been produced since they were discovered. Work was suspended in 1876.
E. Ashworth Diggings-Southeast quarter of Section 24, Township 1, Range 1 east. This is an east-and-west range in the Leakley estate, discovered in the fall of 1873. The workings at this place are confined by water to the first opening, which is here crossed by numerous quar- tering swithers from four to six feet apart. The crossings are the most productive parts of the opening, and the ore frequently comes up to the surface clay. At the time they were visited (June, 1874), five shafts had been sunk about thirty-five feet deep. One of the drifts was about one hundred feet long, and there were several of fifty feet cach. The product to that time was 4,000 pounds of lead ore and fifteen tons of drybone. They have been working continuously since, producing small amounts.
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HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
Phoenix Lead Mining and Smelting Company .- Section 13, Township 1, Range 1 east. A great deal of mining has been carried on here since a very early day, and the ground has been very productive of ore. The principal vein, which is known as the Ellis sheet, was discov- ered by a miner of that name about thirty-five years since. Its course is north twenty degrees east, and it has been worked for a distance of about half a mile. The workings so far have been confined to the Galena limestone, of which there is a thickness of one hundred and fifty feet at the pump-shaft at the summit ridge. This shaft has been sunk to a depth of one hundred and fifteen feet, leaving thirty-five feet of the formation unexplored, exclusive of the underlying Trenton limestones, which have here a thickness of about fifty feet. The sheet of ore is nearly perpendicular, and varies from two to eighteen inches in thickness as deep as the shafts were sunk. The same system of surface mining obtained here as at other places, by means of which the ore was extracted down to the natural water level but a short distance below the surface, leaving the main body of the ore untouched. In this manner, more than 2,500,000 pounds of lead ore were obtained. In the year 1865, a level was commenced with a view to drain the ground, and was prosecuted with slight intermission until 1872. Its present length is one thou- sand seven hundred feet, and when completed it will drain the ground to a depth of one hundred and thirty-five feet. Several other large east-and-west ranges traverse this ground, among which are the Bobinean and the Dowd and McGinnis, on the west half of the southeast quarter of Sec- tion 14, Township 1, Range 1 east, which have yielded heretofore not less than 3,000,000 pounds.
SHULLSBURG DISTRICT.
Stopline Diggings .- The property is situated on the northwest quarter of Section 28, northeast quarter of Section 29 and southeast quarter of Section 20, all in Township 1, Range 3 east. Although the mine is not in operation, it is in a condition to be worked on very short notice. The following information in regard to it was obtained from the owner, Mr. Edward Meloy, and personal inspection of the ground: Nearly, if not quite, the entire thickness of Galena limestone is present at this locality. The northern outcrop of the Cincin- nati group is about a mile to the southwest. The pump-shaft has been sunk in a natural chim- ney to a depth of one hundred and twelve feet below the surface, and has now reached what is known as the green bed or cap of the Shullsburg opening. The water was removed by an engine and lifting-pump discharging five hundred gallons per minute. All the water came up in the shaft through the chimney. While the pump was in operation, two springs, situated respect- ively one-half mile east and northwest of the shaft, ceased to flow. There are two principal ranges here-one bearing north thirty degrees east from the pump-shaft, and worked for a dis- tance of eight hundred feet northeast of the shaft, and the other bearing north ten degrees east, about one hundred and forty feet west of the shaft, worked about five hundred feet, connected by a quartering range running north of east.
These ranges were struck in 1863 and worked until 1869, and are thought to be a contin- uation of the Shullsburg elevator ranges. Two shafts sunk on the range, bearing north thirty degrees east, have turned out one thousand pounds to the foot without any drifting, and the whole tract, within an area which would be embraced within three acres of ground, has produced about 600,000 pounds. In every shaft from which ore has been raised, the indications of large bodies below are very strong.
A very peculiar formation was found in sinking on the north thirty degrees east range. Commencing at a depth of thirty-five feet from the surface, a hard, brecciated limestone sets in, filled with pyrites, and, in some cases, with galenite. This formation continues as deep as the shafts were sunk. This was not found on other ranges in this locality, and is a mode of occur- rence peculiar to one range.
The breccia consists of small, angular limestone, similar to the adjacent rock of the forma- tion. It appears to have been caused by the undermining and falling-in of a portion of the formation, by a previous subterranean drainage. The rubbing and grinding of the sides of the
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HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
fissure against each other in the course of the movement broke off pieces of various sizes, and the interstices and cavities were subsequently filled with pyrites.
Mc Nulty Mine .- In June, 1873, work was recommenced in these old ranges, and consid- erable capital expended in erecting new machinery and buildings, the old ones having been burned. It is now owned and operated by Messrs. J. M. Ryan, of Galena, and M. A. Fox, of Shullsburg. The mine is situated on the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 15, Township 1, Range 2 east, a short distance south of the village of Shullsburg. There is here a thickness of about two hundred feet of Galena limestone, or four-fifths of the entire formation. The ore is obtained in the usual opening common to all the mines of the Shullsburg district, between what are known as the green and clay beds, of which the green bed is re- garded as the top and the clay bed as the bottom of the opening. In this mine the following strat- tigraphical information was obtained : Five feet below the clay bed and one hundred and fifty feet below the surface is an opening and a bed of white rock two feet thick, then a layer (f hard, gray rock, three feet thick. Below this was found a flat sheet of galenite, mixed with pyrites, and indications of openings below. It is a peculiarity of the mining ground in this ridge that all crevices south of the Shullsburg branch pitch or dip to the south, about six inches in ten feet, until the summit of the ridge is reached. Here, as in the south shaft of the McNulty, the crevices are vertical. In this shaft the crevice penetrates through the clay floor and continues on going down, being the only crevice which has done so. Proceeding further south, over the crest of the ridge, the crevices all pitch or dip to the north. Taken together, this system of crevices seems to present a fan-like shape, approaching one another as they descend.
In the spring of 1876, a new east-and-west range was discovered in this mine, south of and . parallel to the one already worked. It promises to be very productive of lead ore.
The production of this mine from June 1, 1873, to March 1, 1876, is as follows : 1873, 200,000 pounds ; 1874, 150,000 pounds ; 1875, 75,000 pounds ; 1876, 210,000 pounds.
Silverthorn Mine-Northwest quarter Section 32, northeast quarter Section 31, Township 2, Range 2 east. The greatest thickness of Galena limestone found on the ridge was about one hundred feet. The ground is drained by a level run in the carbonaceous shale, on the top of the blue limestone, which has here a very great thickness, being nowhere less than two feet, and, in some places, seven and a half feet thick. It seems in this mine to replace the pipe-clay open- ing. It is very easy to work, and consequently this level has been comparatively inexpensive. This shale, when dried, burns with a bright yellow flame and much smoke until the carbon is exhausted, but owing to the amount of calcareous matter it contains, it is not much reduced in bulk. These diggings produced, in 1871, 200,000 pounds, and in 1872, about 100,000 pounds. Their product in previous years could not be ascertained. Work was suspended in them in 1875. An analysis of lead ore from the Silverthorn mine gave the following results : Lead sul- phide, 97.06; metallic lead, 84.07 ; insoluble silicious residuum, 1.76.
Rickert, Stevens & Co .- These diggings are situated on the northwest quarter of the north- west quarter of Section 14, about five hundred feet east of the McNulty mine, and connected with it. Their geological positions, in respect to strata and openings, are almost the same. The ore is found in the usual Shullsburg opening; but, in a few instances, it runs above it for a short distance, and then drops down again, presenting a saddle-shaped appearance. At the south shaft the rock is very much disturbed and broken, apparently in an area about two hun- dred feet in diameter. It is in loose masses, of all sizes and shapes, containing more or less ore scattered through it, and the fine, earthy material known among the miners as sand. The strata pitch in every conceivable direction and degree from horizontal to vertical. Crevices and veins cannot be followed through it with any degree of certainty ; but at the borders of this disturbed area, as well as above and below it, the strata have their normal position, which is nearly horizontal. This is merely a local disturbance, and is probably due to the uuequal hard- ness and solubility of the formation. Considerable of the limestone seems to have been removed by currents of water running through the opening, thus permitting large and small irregular
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HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
masses to fall from above, and filling the interstices with the fine, insoluble residuum of sand.
In connection with this irregularity was noticed a remarkable "chimney," about thirty-six feet long by twenty feet boad, and extending upward further than has yet been followed. It was originally filled with loose masses of galenite, rock and sand. In the ground on this ridge the strata dip on both sides toward the north-and-south line between Sections 14 and 15, on the west side, about four feet in a quarter of a mile, and on the east side, one foot in thirty rods. The ground is drained by a horse-pump, into a level a short distance below the surface. The mine produces very handsome cabinet specimens of galenite and calcite, in the form of dog- tooth spar.
The following section will serve to convey a general idea of the arrangement of the strata on this ridge :
Soil and clay.
6 to 10 feet.
Galena limestone.
100 feet.
Flint bed
4 to 8 feet.
Green bed to clay bed, including the opening. 14 to 18 feet.
Galena limestone to top of blue limestone ...
65 feet.
Total average thickness.
195 feet.
Reckoning upward from the top of the blue limestone to the top of the green bed or cap of the Shullsburg opening, the distance is found to be about eighty feet, and in the New Dig- gings section, from the top of the blue limestone section to the top of the flinty rock, which is the cap of the third or main opening, the distance is eighty-two fect.
This establishes an identity of geological position of these two points. Measuring down- ward from the cap in the Shullsburg opening, its average distance is found to be sixteen feet to the bottom of the opening. In the New Diggings section the same distance includes all that lies between the top of the third and bottom of the fourth opening, and finally, each is under- laid by about the same thickness of unproductive rock. The correspondence between these open- ings is thus very distinctly marked. The unproductive beds in the New Diggings openings seem to disappear in going eastward, and finally the openings unite on reaching Shullsburg. In regard to the production of these diggings, it is estimated that the south half of Section 10 and the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 14, being an area of one mile long on a course south seventy degrees east, and three quarters of a mile wide, including the McNulty and Rickerts Diggings, have produced since the commencement of mining operations not less than one hundred million pounds.
The bearing of the crevice on which Rickert, Stephens & Co. are now working, is due east and west. The mineral is found about twelve feet below the green bed or cap, and is mixed with sulphur (pyrites). The rock is different from any before taken out of the mines in this section. It is a dark blue, and mixed with sulphur and flint, and is very hard. In the opening, there is copper rust or verdigris mixed with large balls of sulphur. Dog-tooth spar, or tiff, is also found in large quantities, most of which is attached to the mineral. The company commenced work in 1849, and on the present range in May, 1874. They are now operating a steam pump in what is supposed to be a continuation of the South Diggings range. The product from June 1, 1873, to March 1, 1876, is as follows : 1873, 377,120 pounds ; 1874, 201,966 pounds; 1875, 318,690 pounds; 1876, 153,720 pounds.
Drybone Diggings .- Situated on the southwest quarter of the east quarter and the south- east quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 4, Township 1, Range 2 east. The ranges here run in nearly an east-and-west direction. The diggings are situated in the lower strata of the Galena limestone; the top of the blue limestone is found a short distance down the stream. Although shallow, these diggings have been very productive of zinc ore, and are still successfully worked.
Irish Diggings .- Section 2, Township 1, Range 2 east. These diggings have not been worked for many years, on account of the water, but were formerly very productive, and were
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HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
abandoned with ore going down in the crevices. The greatest thickness of Galena limestone in this ground is about one hundred and fifty feet. They could be readily unwatered by means of a level from some point on the Shullsburg branch.
Meloy & Fox .- In the early part of the year 1875, that part of the Irish Diggings known as the Findley Cave range, was leased by Messrs. E. Meloy and M. A. Fox, of Shullsburg. It is situated in the northeast quarter of Section 2, Township 1, Range 2 east, and comprises ninety-nine acres of land lying about a mile northeast of the village. The range was worked during the months of April, May and June, 1875, and in November of that year a steam engine and pump were erected, and it has been worked continuously to the present time (November, 1876). The pump shaft is now about eighty feet deep; water is discharged into an adit con- necting with the shaft at twenty feet below the surface, at the rate of 150 gallons per minute. The course of the vein is north seven degrees east, having a dip to the eastward of four feet in one hundred. The distance between the walls of the vein or crevice varies from two and a half to seven feet, the space between them being filled with the vein matrix common to the neighbor- hood. The bottom of the pump shaft is six feet below the top of the flint beds. The vein appears to continue downward, the filling of the crevice being loose and allowing the water to pass readily through it. After sinking the pump shaft, the vein was drifted in a distance of sixty feet to the north ward ; in the course of running this drift, 100,000 pounds of ore were extracted.
The foregoing remarks show the condition of the mine in 1876. The production since then we have not learned. The range was worked more than thirty years since, with a two- horse pump, as deep as water would permit, and large quantities of lead ore were obtained. These diggings could be unwatered to a much greater depth by means of a level from some point on the Shullsburg branch.
Bull Pump Range .- Work is still carried on on this range, which is situated on the Hemp- stead estate. It is operated by Messrs. Beebe, of Galena, and Wetherbee, of Shullsburg. The amounts produced could not be ascertained.
Oakland Mining Company .- The lands of this company are situated in the southeast quarter of Section 6, the northeast quarter of Section 5, the northwest quarter of Section 4, and the southeast quarter of Section 4, all in Township 1, Range 2 east, comprising in all about 565 acres.
This ground includes the old French range, which was discovered as early as 1839, and produced not less than 1,000,000 pounds. It is connected northward by some quartering crevices and is known as the Ernest and Townsend range. The thickness of Galena limestone here is about one hundred and seventy feet. There are six shafts in the range, averaging about fifty feet each. The lead ore is abundant, but dips rapidly to the northwest beneath the water. The range has produced about four hundred thousand pounds. The ground is susceptible of drainage from the Shullsburg branch. It is not worked at present. The company also has a level nearly completed in the southwest quarter of Section 4, which is run on the stratum of carbonaceous shale, or the top of the blue limestone. At the working shaft, there is a thick- ness of ninety feet of Galena limestone, of which the following section is given :
Clay and soil. 18 feet.
Yellow, flinty limestone ... 16 "
Galena limestone containing calcite. 20 “
Blue, sandy limestone cap. . 6 «
Red ochery clay, with lead ore io flat sheets at top and bottom, also diffused through the 12 4 mass, forming a wash dirt. 18 “ Unexplored beds.
Total thickness. 90 feet.
Considerable mining has been done in former years in the blue sandy limestone member of the section, but the main opening appears to be in the red-ochery clay which underlies it, which, so far as explored, has been found to have a thickness of about twelve feet, and to con-
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HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
tain a flat sheet of galenite nearly continuous, and of variable thickness, sometimes furnishing pieces of five hundred pounds' weight. The bearing of the sheet, so far as has been determined, is west of north and east of south, with a slight dip to the southwest. Its area has not been determined, but, so far as has been worked, there are no indications of the opening, contracting or closing up.
BENTON DISTRICT.
In the immediate vicinity of the village of Benton, there are several parties permanently engaged in mining, besides others who mine only in the winter. The diggings are in the lower beds of the Galena limestone, yet not so low as the brown rock.
Bainbridge and Vipord-Southeast quarter of Secton 8, Township 1, Range 1 east. This is an east-and-west range somewhat near a mile long, which was worked about twenty-two years since and abandoned. Prior to 1854, it produced about one and a half million pounds. About seven years since, some work was done on it, and one million pounds were produced. Work was recommenced on the eastern end by the present parties in February, 1874, and has con- tinued to the present time (November, 1876). The annual product is about twenty thousand pounds. During the last year and a half, they have been worked with a horse-pump.
Bainbridge, Mundy and Maighn .- This is a quartering southwest-and-northeast range, about one hundred yards north of the preceding. This range was never worked previous to March, 1874. It is now worked only in the winter seasons. It has produced in all about fifty thousand pounds. The ore in these diggings and the preceding is found in openings detached from the main crevice.
Metcalf, Harker and Alexander-Northwest quarter of Section 9, Township 1, Range 1 east. This ground is situated on what is known as the Swindler ridge. It derived its name from the custom which formerly existed among the miners of cutting through and breaking into each other's ground to steal the ore, which the complicated nature of the openings enabled them to do. This range was struck in 1871, and has been worked continuously ever since. The depth to the top of the first opening is fifty feet at the shaft, and on the ridge generally, although the opening is said to dip slightly to the west. Some water is encountered on the ridge, and the present parties have found it necessary to work a two-horse pump. The production to Novem- ber 1, 1876, has been 600,000 pounds.
Bainbridge Diggings-Situated on the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 4, Town- ship 1, Range 1 east. Work was commenced here by Mr. Thomas Bainbridge, of Benton, in the winter of 1874. In May. 1875, an irregular deposit of lead and zinc ore was discovered about fifty feet below the surface, having a course a little west of south. Its production has been twenty-five tons of Smithsonite and twenty-five thousand pounds of lead ore.
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