USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 53
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Pseudomorphs, of Smithsonite, after calcite, are sometimes formed. They occur as rhom- bohedrons, and in the various irregular shapes in which calcite occurs in the lead region. Per- fect 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 the depo- sition 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 fre- quently 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 gal- enite, which are undecomposed.
Cerussite .- Composition-Carbonic acid, 16.5 ; oxide of lead, 83.5. Cerussite is occa- sionally 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 yel- low 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 cop- per 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 scams, 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 subse- quent 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.
352
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
There are numerous openings occurring in all upper and middle beds of the Galena lime- stone, 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 :
GALENA LIMESTONE.
Green rock.
4 feet.
Green rock opening.
3 feet.
Green rock ...
12 feet.
Brown rock
12 feet.
Brown rock opening.
5 feet.
Brown rock.
8 feet.
BUFF AND BLUE LIMESTONE.
Upper pipe-clay opening.
5 feet.
Glass rock (blue limestone) 25 feet.
Glass rock opening. 6 feet.
Buff limestone 12 feet.
Lower pipe-clay opening. 3 feet.
Buff limestone ..
10 feet.
St. Peters sandstone.
... feet.
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 Bectown, Nip-and-Tuck, Muscalunge and Hack- ett'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 " Twelve- foot 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 sixty- five feet of unproductive rock which separates it from the first. The following parties are now, or have recently been, mining near Beetown :
Brown Bros. g. Birch .- These diggings are situated in the Hull Hollow, about three- quarters of a mile south of the village. They were discovered in 1860, by Walters and Rob- erts, and were first worked in the twelve-foot opening. There are three parallel east-and- west 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, under- lying a flat sheet of blende or Smithsonite, which is, in places, 36 inches thick. The sheet
353
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
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 cop- per 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.
Josiah Crossley & Co. produced about eight thousand pounds of lead ore in the operations of one month.
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.
Wilcox & Sons .- These parties have been working about a month in a new east-and-west range. The prospect is considered good.
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. Bar- ber, Dewey & Cox. There are about fifty men employed here, mining chiefly in the old work- ings 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 con- fined 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.
Hackett'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 follow- ing 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 Rat- tlesnake 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 crev- ices running nearly east and west, and crossed by various quartering ores, forming a perfect net- work 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 26. 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 :
Soil and clay
15 feet.
Galena limestone ..
38 feet.
Tough light rock, hard and flinty 2 feet.
Openings from five to twelve feet high. 12 feet.
Hard rock with layers of flint. 65 feet.
Opening (workings ) .. 13 feet.
Galena limestone to top of Trenton.
35 feet.
Total thickness.
180 feet.
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
354
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
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 con- tinuously 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.
Hutchcroft & 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 & 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 con- tained 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 150,000 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 work- ing an east-and-west range in the sixty-five-foot opening. During the last two years, the prod- uct 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 &. 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 & 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
355
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
and distinct ranges ; and, in addition, there were many smaller crevices, not sufficiently impor- tant 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 usu- ally found in sheets of varying thickness.
Considerable irregularity exists in the formation of many of the crevices in the Potosi dis- trict, 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 north- east quarter of Section 33, about three hundred feet south of the old Wooley range, on the sum- mit 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 slanting downward 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 dig- gings 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, which 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 par- ties 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.
Hayward Range .- Southwest quarter of Section 13. This range has been worked continu- ously every winter since its discovery in 1841, and has yielded in all between four and five mill- ion pounds. It is now worked by Messrs. Jackson & Calloway, in the second opening, which is here from thirty to forty feet wide. It produces about one hundred thousand pounds per annum.
Warfield Range .- Southwest quarter of Section 13. This range has been worked every winter during the last thirty years, and has produced about two million pounds. It is 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.
Curnow 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 min- ing 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 Willey 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
356
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
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 &. 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.
Griswold 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.
British Hollow Diggings .- But little mining is now done in these mines. The following parties are now mining here :
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 pro- duced 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.
Dutch 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 opera- ting 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.
Zug Diggings .- An east-and-west range, being same range and opening as preceding. Mined, at depth of 75 feet, 150,000 pounds.
Langstaff §. 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
357
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
record has been kept of it. It is estimated at 80,000 pounds per annum. Mining in this dis- trict 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 ra sing 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 & 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 obsta- cle 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-horse 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.
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