USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 56
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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 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 distanee 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 Richerts 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 6
Galena limestone containing calcite .. 20 4
Blue, sandy limestone cap. 6 1
Red ochery clay, with lead ore in flat sheets at top and bottom, also diffused through the
18 . Unexplored beds .. mass, forming a wash dirt .. 12 €€
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-
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 shect 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 feet 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 feet. 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 pipe- 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 brown rock opening, and lie 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 preceding, 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.
60
First opening.
2
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.
Spensley & Co .- This is also on the land of Dr. Stanley, and is a short distance east of the preceding. It is an east-and-west range, situated a little north of the Drybone Hollow range. The range is one hundred and thirty feet wide so far as has been worked, and may prove to be two hundred feet in width each way from the center. The ore makes in pitches, and the sheet varies in size according to the number of feeders coming in from above. The lead ore occurs much mixed with rock, which necessitates crushing and jigging the entire product. The lot worked by these parties consists of about six acres, of which only about one-sixth has been explored. The ore is blende and lead ore. Some Smithsonite is said to be found in the south- ern part. The amount of water here is small, and is all removed by bailing and hoisting in a barrel containing about fifty gallons. There shafts have been sunk, one of which is down to the blue limestone, and is one hundred feet deep. The company have operated here for six years, with the following product :
Year.
Blende, tons,
Lead ore, lbs.
1871.
70
60,000
1872
150
120,000
1873.
350
150,000
1874.
250
160,000
1875.
300
257,000
1876
325
300,000
9
Siddel & Co .- They are situated on the same range, worked in the same opening as Spens- ley and Co., and are located about one hundred and fifty feet east of them. They are the most easterly of all the diggings in this vicinity. One shaft has been sunk, and the ore has been found to make in the same manner as the preceding, except that this ground already furnishes some Smithsonite from the north side. These parties have been working here for the last five years, during which time the average annual product has been as follows : Lead ore, 70,000 pounds; Smithsonite, 85 tons ; blende, 70 tons.
Flynn, Lynch & Co .- On Dr. Stanley's ground, and about three hundred feet southeast of Spensley & Co. Their ground is a lot 250x350 feet. One shaft has been sunk here eighty feet to the top of the opening, which is here six feet high and one hundred feet wide. The ground produces lead ore and blende, occurring in a flat sheet, mixed with the top layer of the blue limestone and some pipe-clay. The company has been working about five years, since which
377
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
time to October, 1874, they have produced 250,000 pounds of lead ore and seven hundred tons of blende.
Robinson's Diggings .- Situated about three hundred feet southeast of the preceding, on the ground of Mr. Barnard. These diggings are not being worked at present. They were com- menced in the winter of 1871-72, and produced 4,500 pounds of lead ore and about nine tons of blende in the first two years.
Williams & Edwards .- Situated on the land of Mr. Lampe, and about 500 feet west of the diggings of Blackney & Co., previously described. They are part of the Spensley and Lynch range. The works are in the brown rock, which here appears to divide into three sub- ordinate openings. A section of their working shaft is as follows, all in the Galena limestone :
Galena limestone
40 feet.
First opening.
3 feet.
Soft, unproductive ground.
8 feet.
Second opening.
3 feet.
Soft, unproductive "ground.
8 feet.
Third opening to top of blue limestone.
3 feet.
These diggings consist partly of old and partly of new openings. Cross-cut drifts are run through the old works in search of new ground, lead ore being usually found in the lowest open- ing. These parties have been working since 1870, and their product is as follows :
Year.
Lead ore, lbs.
Smithsonite,
tons.
1870.
70,000
70
1871
70,000
70
1872.
80,000
80
1873.
90,000
90
1874
90,000
90
The production of the years 1875 and 1876 was not ascertained.
Harris & Stanley .- Situated on the ground of Dr. Stanley, about 300 feet north of the windmill on Kennedy & Co.'s ground, previously described. These diggings are quite dry, being drained by the windmill pump. The range appears to be a branch of the Drybone Hollow range, about 500 feet long, running in a north-and-south direction. There are two principal openings exhibited in the following section of their working shaft :
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