History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin, Part 55

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: [Chicago : Western Historical Co.?]
Number of Pages: 1050

USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 55

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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 unequal 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

371

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 brad, 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 galcaite 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 of cap of the Shullsburg opening, the distance is found to be about eiglity 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 feet.

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

372

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 northward ; 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 4

Blue, sandy limestone cap. 6 €

Red ochery clay, with lead ore in flat sheets at top and bottom, also diffused through the 12 4 mass, forming a wash dirt.

18 « Unexplored beds.

Total thickness.

) 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-

373

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.

Harvey's Diggings-Situated on the same ground and about 250 yards northwest of the preceding work, was begun here in the winter of 1875-76, and a large flat sheet of Smithson- ite was discovered, which has been worked over 200 feet in diameter without reaching unpro- ductive ground. It is found about fifty feet below the surface, in the random or horizon of the flat flint openings. The ore is found in flat sheets, interstratified with the formation. One hun- dred tons have been produced.

Mc Elroy Bros .- Situated half a mile south of the village of Benton. This is a new dis- covery, made in the winter of 1875-76; an irregular flat sheet of Smithsonite was found at a depth of fifty feet below the surface, from which in two months fifteen tons of ore were produced.

M. J. Williams & Co .- Situated on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 3, Township 1, Range 1, east. A large flat sheet of lead ore and blende, about one foot thick, was discovered in July. 1876, in the bed of Fever River, soon after a heavy flood which took place at that time. It lies in the upper surface of the blue limestone, and, on account of its situation in the river, but little has been done with it. It is an excellent prospect, and will doubtless be remunerative as soon as the water can be removed.

McCaffery, Smith &. Co .- In the middle of October. 1876, these parties commenced work sinking a shaft on the west line of the forty of M. J. Williams & Co. They found the

374

HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.

same sheet of ore as there described ; in the space of two weeks they had developed a fine pros- pect, and had produced about one ton of ore.

Level Company .- On the northwest quarter of Section 29, Township 1, Range 1 east, a level is now being run by Messrs. Stevens, Mason, Miller, Robbins, Broderick, Hoover, Thomp- son, Coltman and Farley, who own and have leased 135 acres in Sections 20, 21, 28 and 29. The level was commenced in the spring of 1870, and has now reached a length of 1,000 feet ; it is being driven on a flint opening near the top of the brown rock, which is here about fourteen feet above the blue limestone. The object of driving the level is to unwater the Drummond range, which runs east and west, and is supposed to be a continuation of the Crow range of Hazel Green, and the Nagle range of New Diggings. It is believed that when the level is com- pleted it will unwater the Drummond range to a depth of forty fect below the present water level. The level now gives access to two openings in working it, and had, when visited, an inch sheet of lead ore in the working forehead. It may be remarked that these openings are lower than any of the Benton openings, and seem to be identical with those of the Buncome district. The product has been, up to the present time, 60,000 pounds.

MIFFLIN DISTRICT.

Mining operations here are now chiefly confined to several parallel ranges, having a general northeasterly course, and situated about half a mile south of the village, including the Peniten- tiary, Dunbar and Owen ranges. The ore is found in flat sheets on the surface of the blue limestone, in the pipe-clay opening.

Some mining is also done in Section 10, Township 4, Range 1 east, in the vicinity of the . Welsh settlement.

Penitentiary Mine .- Southwest quarter of northeast quarter of Section 34, Township 5, . Range 1 east. This property is owned by Messrs. James, John and Calvert Spensley, William Bainbridge, J. J. Ross, Mrs. Mitchell and N. W. Dean. The mine was opened in 1842, and since then it has been very productive, and has been worked continuously to the present time. The mine is drained by a level containing a tramway, on which the rock and ore are carried out of the mine. Sufficient water is removed to operate a large wash place. The distance from the entrance of the mine to the forehead is about seventeen hundred fect. The average width of the range is about three hundred feet, and the thickness of the deposit from six inches to two feet. Previous to 1864, the mine was worked chiefly for lead ore, producing in some years as much as 170,000 pounds. It is estimated by Mr. Ross that it produced, from 1862 to 1875, 3,000,000 pounds of lead ore and 11,000 tons of blende. The production for 1875 was, blende, 375 tons ; lead ore, 35,000 pounds. The production for 1876 was, blende, 600 tons ; lead ore, 40,000 pounds.

Jenkins, Miller & Co .- These parties have been working during the last two and a half years in the Dunbar range, which is parallel to the Penitentiary, and a short distance north of it. The land is owned by Messrs. Ross & Dean. This range has been worked during the last thirty years, and is drained by the Penitentiary level ; the present workings are about fifty feet below the surface. The company produced during the year 1876, to October 1, blende, 80 tons ; lead ore, 8,000 pounds. Their annual average is, blende, 80 tons ; lead ore, 12,000 pounds.

Rain, Young &. Jenkins .- These parties are now working on the Blackjack range, which is adjacent to the Dunbar, and sometimes connects with it. The present works are fifty feet below the surface. The ore is found in flat sheets, sometimes seventy feet in width, in the pipes clay opening, the height of the opening averaging five feet. The annual production is from one hundred and fifty to two hundred tons of blende, and from ten thousand to fifteen thousand pounds of lead ore. A short distance northeast of the Blackjack is the Owens range. It has not been worked during the last two years, but is considered good mining ground.

375

HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.

CENTERVILLE DISTRICT.

These diggings are like those in the village of Highland, in that they are all situated quite close together, on Section 7, Township 6, Range 1 east, on the hill about a quarter of a mile east of the village. The land is all owned by Messrs. Top, Nordorf and Kroll. The miners are nearly all Germans. The diggings were first worked in 1836, and have been worked con- tinuously ever since, chiefly for lead ore, until within the last ten years, since which time they have been worked for zinc ores. The workings are in the "rown rock opening, and lic from five to fifty feet below the surface, depending on the amount of denudation. Very little trouble is experienced from water, and during the past two years the ground has been especially dry. The principal parties working here are as follows :

Heller §. Parish .- These parties are working a southeast-and-northwest range, twelve hun- dred feet long and six hundred feet wide. Their annual product is lead ore, 100,000 pounds ; blende, 500 tons; Smithsonite, 400 tons.

John Carter and Richard Samuels .- On the same range as the preceding. They have worked here two years, and are producing two hundred tons of Smithsonite and five thousand pounds of lead ore per annum. Other parties and their annual products are as follows :

Schock & Flemmer .- Blende, 200 tons per annum.

Stepper §. Mensing .- Blende, 100 tons per annum.

George Wieble .- Blende, 200 tons ; lead ore, 15,000 pounds.

Blue River Paint Works, situated on the southwest quarter of Section 7, Township 6, Range 1 east. At the time this establishment was visited, work had been suspended, and consequently it did not appear in as flattering a light as its merits would probably justify. The building and machinery were still standing, in a condition to resume work without delay. Accord- ing to the best information obtained, the paint was made from the ocher which is quite abundant in the Centerville Diggings, and which furnishes quite a number of shades of yellow in its raw state, and an additional number on being burned. The red paint, however, was derived from the upper bed of the St. Peter's sandstone, which was crushed and washed; the red coloring matter being readily dissolved out by the water, from which it afterward settled on being allowed to stand. The colors, after being burned and ground, were ready for the market. As many as fifteen different shades of red and yellow ocher were manufactured. Several tons of paint were placed in market, and it was claimed to be a good and durable article. It is unfortunate that the manufacture could not have continued longer, and its qualities have been more definitely ascertained and generally known.

HIGHLAND DISTRICT.

The diggings of the Highland District are all situated within a short distance of each other, and about a quarter of a mile north of the village. They are all in the brown rock, the lower openings never have been proved. Most of the diggings are in what is known as the Drybone Hollow range. The names of the parties mining, and the present condition of their diggings are as follows :

Samuel Hinderleiter &. Son-On the southwest quarter of Section 28, Township 7, Range 1 east, in the Drybone Hollow range. This is an east-and-west range, from one-quarter to one- half mile long, and from two to three hundred feet wide. It was discovered in 1846, and worked entirely for lead ore. It is now divided into small lots, of which Mr. Hinderleiter's is one. The work is chiefly confined to going through the old diggings and taking out the Smithsonite left by former miners, no blende being found. The shafts are about twenty-five feet deep, which brings them to the top opening, three feet in height. The ore is found in a flat sheet, about a foot thick, with ocher and clay above and below it. But little water is found here. The annual product of this lot is about thirty tons of Smithsonite.

Mulligan & Francis .- These parties have diggings in all respects similar to those already described, in a lot about one hundred and fifty feet northwest of the preceding.

376

HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.

Maguire, Kennedy §. Co .- Southeast quarter of Sections 28, Township 7, Range 1 east. This is also in the Drybone Hollow range. The shafts here are from sixty to seventy feet deep, according to the surface of the ground. The workings are in the brown-rock opening, which is here about eight feet high. The lead ore is found in a flat sheet in the bottom of the opening, underlaid by pipe clay. The blende was discovered in the spring of 1874, and is much mixed with rock. The ore has to be crushed, washed and separated. Water is removed from the diggings by means of a windmill and small pump, and is afterward utilized to wash ore. The annual product is as follows : Lead ore, 200 pounds ; blende, 100 tons ;. drybone, 50 tons

Blackney, Donahue & Co .- This ground is owned by Dr. Stanley, of Highland, and is a part of the same range as the preced) .g, and situated but a short distance northeast of them. The range here makes two well-defined openings, separated by a cap rock. It is irregular in shape, and about sixty or seventy feet wide, with little water. The following is a section of their principal shaft :

FEET.

Galena limestone

First opening.

Cap rock.

Second opening 4

The ore is found in flat sheets, and is Smithsonite, blende and lead, the former being rather impure. The present parties have been working here for the last seven years. The annual product has been as follows : Lead ore, 11,000 pounds; Smithsonite, 35 tons ; blende, 35 tons. The ground here seems to be pretty much worked out, the product being chiefly derived from the old workings.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin, Part 55

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: [Chicago : Western Historical Co.?] Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: [Chicago : Western Historical Co.?]
Number of Pages: 1050