USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 54
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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.
The following section of the strata penetrated in sinking the pump-shaft, will give a cor- rect idea of the formations here represented :
CINCINNATI GROUP.
Feet.
Inches.
Soil and clay bed.
20
...
Pipe-clay
...
10
Bed of black clay
..
4
Shaly layers.
...
10
GALENA LIMESTONE.
Galena limestone, in thin layers.
Galena limestone cap, in layers four feet thick, gradually increasing in thickness
30
...
Opening, containing ore.
30
...
Total depth of shaft.
86
...
4
...
to the bottom ..
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 twenty- seven thousand pounds. With the ore large masses of rock were found mixed with loose dirt and a fine, dark clay.
358
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
The sides of the opening were much washed and worn by water, showing 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 crev- ice in each side of it. Sometimes, however, the key-rock was replaced by a flat cap-rock con- taining crevices.
The appearance of these caverns, as we passed through them, was a sight not soon to be forgotten. On the floor lay great masses of rock which had fallen from above, with clay, con- tinually 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 north- east 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 pump- shaft 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 chim- neys going down to the second opening.
The ore was found in masses, mixed with clay and large pieces of stone, which had appar- ently fallen from the roof or cap. The lead ore, from its greater specific gravity, usually occu- pies 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 Febru- ary, 1872, and since then has probably been the most productive and remunerative mine in the district, on account of the comparatively small amount of water to contend with 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, Olinger, 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 dis- tance 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, Sew- ard and Cave 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.
359
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
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 GREEN 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. Dur- ing 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 nor- mal 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 situ- ated 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 south- west 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 com- pleted 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, nitro-glycerine 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 com- pounds, 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 per- sistently 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
360
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
usually found in sheets ; this is its characteristic mode of occurrence. The ranges are approxi- mately east and west, or north and south, the former being the most productive. Ore is also some . times 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, afford- ing 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 pres- ent 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 :
Soil and flints.
15 feet.
Galena limestone.
90 feet.
Shales or thin layers of limestone. 10 feet.
First clay opening .. 10 feet.
Second clay opening. 20 feet.
Flint opening to floor of level.
20 feet.
Total thickness.
165 feet.
The following are the parties who are now engaged in mining on the company's land, or have been during the course of the present survey :
Richard Eustice & Co .- 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.
Rowe & Rowe .- This is a new range, and was discovered in March, 1874. It is [an east- and-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 sus- pended 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.
Manwaring 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 sur- face. The order of deposition here is : 1st, pyrite; 2d, galenite; 3d, blende. During the win- ter 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.
W. Blechstine.
DECEASED ) WHITE OAK SPRINGS.
333
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
Big Pump Range .- This range has been worked since October 1, 1876, by Richard Eus- tice & Co. A small amount of ore has been produced from the first opening.
Mc Coy Water-wheel Range .- Work was re-commenced here about August 1, 1876, by Rowe & Son, in the first opening.
Oates & Eustice .- This party has been working during the last year and a half on a range two hundred feet north of the west branch of the level. The lead ore is found in a flat sheet in the second opening. The opening is seven feet high, and averages seven feet in width. The sheet is about one foot thick. The product to the present time has been 150,000 pounds.
Clark's Diggings .- Two men have been working during the last year in the range next north of the McCoy Water-wheel Range. The ore is found as " chunk mineral" in the second opening, which is here six feet wide. The product has been 30,000 pounds.
Tregenza & Son .- Work was commenced by this party, in the fall of 1874, on the Dry- bone range, south of the Badger lot. The works are in the second opening, which is here from ten to twelve feet wide, and contains a flat sheet about five inches thick, of which the upper part consists of lead ore, and the lower of zinc ores. The product has been-zinc ores, twenty tons ; lead ore, 20,000 pounds. Very handsome specimens of galenite, coated with cerusite, are obtained here.
W. H. Eustice & Bro .- This party commenced work in the fall of 1875 at Crawford's little pump shaft. They worked in the second opening during the winter of 1875-76, and sus- pended in the summer on account of water. The prospect is good, and they expect to resume work this winter (1876). Product, 10,000 pounds.
Edwards Estate .-- On this land, there are several old ranges, now drained by the level of Crawford, Mills & Co., in which the following mining has been done :
Peter Skinner, in the winters of 1874-75 and 1875-76, produced 100,000 pounds.
Moffat & Co., in the same seasons, produced 80,000 pounds.
Pierce & Trewather, in the same seasons, produced 70,000. Other parties in the same time, in small amounts, 100,000.
In addition to the parties already mentioned, there are, in the winter season, usually about sixty miners at work on the lands of the Hazel Green Mining Company.
The following diggings are in the village of Hazel Green, but not on the lands of the Hazel Green Mining Company : McBreen & Co. This is an east-and-west sheet, connected with a quartering one averaging about an inch thick, situated on the land of Dr. McBreen, on the northwest quarter of Section 25, Township 1, Range 1 west. The range was worked in 1844, and the ore taken out to the water level. The water having become much reduced by the Hazel Green Company's level, work was recommenced in 1871, since which time about fifty-five thou- sand pounds of lead ore have been taken out. The diggings are in the upper beds of the Galena limestone, and not down to any opening.
Torneal's Diggings .- A short distance southwest of the preceding is a range consisting of twenty parallel crevices about twenty-five feet apart, and bearing north 15° east. Work was abandoned on them in 1850, and was recommenced by Mr. Torneal about eight years ago, since which time they have produced 42,000 pounds. Considerable time and labor have been expended in running a cross drift to prove the ground and ascertain the number and position of the crevices. The distance here to water is eighty feet, and the diggings are in the upper beds of the Galena limestone.
Rowe & Vivian .- This was formerly known as the Chizzem range, and is situated on Edward Williams' land, in the southwest quarter of Section 25, Township 1, Range 1 west, in the southern part of the village of Hazel Green. It is a north-and south range, and was worked and abandoned in 1854. Work on it was recommenced by the present parties in November, 1873. Since then it has produced 24,000 pounds. The full thickness of Galena limestone is here present, overlaid by a few feet of clay of the Cincinnati group. The deepest shaft is 106 feet, and the total length of drifts is about 190 feet. Work was suspended here in the spring of 1875.
D
364
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
Williams & Brother .- On Edward Williams' land. This party commenced in the fall of 1875, and are now mining in a range a short distance west of the diggings of Eustice & Co., in the village of Hazel Green. They are working on a vertical sheet, and have produced to the present time 20,000 pounds.
Chandler's Diggings .- These diggings are situated on Mr. Wetherbee's land, and on the Sulphur Lot Range. Work was commenced two years ago, and continued to the present time. The works are in the second opening, which is from six to eight feet wide, and contain a sheet of lead ore from one to two inches thick, and also large, irregular masses which afford handsome specimens. The mine has produced 500,000 pounds, and is now very good.
PLATTEVILLE DISTRICT.
This district embraces the diggings in the immediate vicinity of the village and the Whig and Big Patch Diggings. The geological position is about the middle of the Galena limestone. The mining has been carried on principally by small parties. The annual production aggregates 395,000.
Gillis Range .- This is the longest and largest range in the Whig Diggings, being half a mile in length. A crevice opening was found from thirty to fifty feet below the surface, and is from three to five feet high. Some seven parallel crevices were discovered in 1839. About 5,000,000 pounds have been secured since that time.
The Robbins Range is a short distance north of the Gillis. It was struck in 1840, and produced 500,000 pounds. In 1866, Cronin & Stevens resumed work which had long been suspended, and raised about 300,000 pounds.
Duncan Range, a little way south of the Gillis, has given forth 1,500,000 pounds.
Messersmith Range produces only Smithsonite.
Missouri Range has produced 650,000 pounds, and has an annual product of 5,000.
Dutch Range was discovered in 1840. Some 200,000 pounds have been raised, and the products"is about 5,000 annually.
Wilkinson and Cronin Ranges have given 300,000 pounds.
Smith Range produced 200,000 pounds, but is exhausted.
Big Patch Diggings put out 500,000 annually, divided among several parties, of whom Dixon & Coats represent four-fifths of the raise.
Hawkins, Thomas & Co. own the discovery on the southwest quarter of Section 31, Town 3, Range 1 west, made in 1872. The ore is blende, somewhat mixed with rock, and occurs in a flat sheet on the upper surface of the blue limestone. The sheet has in some places a thickness of five feet. It lies partially in the bed of a small stream.
BUNCOME DIGGINGS.
The Buncome Diggings form a subdistrict belonging to Hazel Green. They are situated on the Galena River, near the mouth of Bull Branch. They were formerly very productive diggings, and a few parties are still working in them. They are situated in the brown rock, which is the lowest bed of the Galena limestone, and is here from twenty to thirty feet thick, and extends down to the creek-bed at the State line, where the top of the blue limestone may be seen. At the mouth of the Bull Branch the top of the blue limestone is found to be twenty feet above the bed of the stream. Mining is generally carried on here by drifting into the side of the hill. An example of this is seen on the land of Mr. Gabriel Mills, on the northwest quarter of Section 32, Township 1, Range 1 east, where a flat sheet of ore was found on the top of the brown rock, on which a number of short levels were run. Mr. Mills is now engaged in running a level on the top of the blue limestone from Section 32, westward, to prove the ground for blende, of which ore in small quantities has been occasionally found. The Buncome ground is also remarkable as being the only locality in which native sulphur appears in sheet form.
Carpenter &. Bennett .- These parties are mining on Mr. Mills' land, on the northeast quarter of Section 32, Township 1, Range 1 east, on the east side of the Galena River. The
365
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
workings are as usual in the brown rock, and produce some lead ore and large amounts of car- bonate of zinc and blende. Exactly how much could not be ascertained. They have worked continuously since 1872.
Hicks, Fiddick & Co .- Situated on the land of the Edwards estate, on the southwest quarter of Section 29, Township 1, Range 1 east. The diggings are about half a mile above the mouth of the Bull Branch, and are also carried on in the brown rock. They are drained by a level a quarter of a mile long, discharging one hundred gallons per minute, which was com- menced in 1868. The ore is found in flat and pitching sheets, and sometimes contains a little blende mixed with it. Twelve men are now employed here, and are producing a large amount of Smithsonite. Since the commencement of operations, about four hundred thousand pounds of lead ore liave been produced.
Gabriel Mills Diggings .- This ground is on the northwest quarter of Section 29, Town- ship 1, Range 1 east, on the ridge dividing Bull and Hardscrabble Branches, and contained the large lode mentioned in Prof. Whitney's report of 1862, on pages 285 and 286. The ore was discovered here in 1854, and has been worked uninterruptedly ever since, which is somewhat remarkable, as a single range seldom continues uniformly productive through so many years. The property is owned by Mr. Mills and R. Pierce. The deepest shaft is 130 feet down to the brown rock, in which the ore is found in flat and pitching sheets. The ore from these diggings is always coated with pyrites, and some Smithsonite is found associated with it.
The ground has produced about eight million pounds of lead ore; their present annual average production is about fifty thousand pounds, with no sign of diminution.
Simons & Sons .- Northeast quarter of northwest quarter of Section 32, Township 1, Range 1 east. A very fine prospect has recently been discovered by this party on Mr. G. Mill's land. They commenced work about the 1st of September, 1876, with a horse-pump. After sinking a shaft fourteen feet deep, a flat sheet six inches thick was discovered in the upper pipe clay opening. The sheet consists of lead ore, blende and pyrites, about half of the thickness being lead ore.
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