USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 57
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Galena limestone
30 feet.
First opening.
3 feet.
Cap rock (limestone).
7 feet.
Second opening.
6 feet.
The ore occurs, as usual in this district, in flat sheets. These parties have been working here since September, 1871, since which time to October, 1874, the total product was as follows : Lead ore, 40,000 pounds ; blende, 35 tons ; Smithsonite, 75 tons.
Rowe & Co .- Situated on the northeast quarter Section 28, Township 7, Range 1 east, comprising 160 acres. This is an east-and-west range, known as the Dunstan, discovered in 1846, and worked continuously since. It is about half a mile long, and 200 feet wide. The range is worked in the brown rock opening, chiefly for Smithsonite and lead ore. There are three working shafts from 50 to 75 feet deep. The opening is from 5 to 20 feet high. The annual product is stated at, lead ore, 50,000 pounds, and Smithsonite, 50 tons.
The foregoing comprises all the diggings in the immediate vicinity of Highland, and, with the exception of the last (Rowe & Co.), they are all embraced in a tract of land not exceeding forty acres in extent. The same general geological characteristics prevail in all, and they are nearly all connected together in the workings. The ore in most of them has to be crushed and jigged, and all except Kennedy and Maguire, have to haul their wash dirt about a mile and a quarter to water.
In these diggings the openings below the top of the blue limestone have never been worked or even prospected. If the several land-owners would take some concerted action, a level might be run up the Drybone Hollow, which would drain them to any depth required. Such a work,
878
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
however, should be preceded by boring, to ascertain the presence of flat sheets in the lower open- ings, the existence of which is not improbable. Mr. Solomon Spensley, who is well informed on the subject, says that the annual average product of the mines is approximately as follows :
Lead ore, 1,000,000 pounds ; drybone, 1,350 tons; blende, 1,200 tons. In addition to the preceding, there are some diggings situated south of the village of Highland.
Davis & Co .- Situated near the southeast corner of Section 5, Township 6, Range 1 east. This is a northwest-and-southeast range, discovered by a Mr. Styles in 1862. It has been proved to a distance of 450 feet, with an average width of forty feet. The opening is the brown rock, and from four to six feet high. There are two shafts, each about forty feet deep. The ore occurs in flat sheets, and is mostly Smithsonite and blende in about equal quantities, containing little lead ore. The ground was formerly worked chiefly for blende. The ground is estimated to have produced 2,400 tons of blende, and 1,100 tons of Smithsonite since 1862. Their present annual product is, blende, 200 tons, and Smithsonite, 150 tons.
Manning &. Delaney .- Situated about 600 feet west of the preceding. It is an east-and- west range, which was discovered twenty years since, and has been worked by several different parties, who have proved the ground in the brown rock opening for a distance of 600 feet. The present parties have worked it for the past four years, principally for Smithsonite, no blende being found until the spring of 1874. The deepest shaft is only 40 feet; sunk to the top of the blue limestone, which is here estimated at twenty-five feet. The St. Peter's sandstone is plainly seen in the valley a short distance below. The ground produced 600 tons of Smithsonite during the years 1873 and 1874. The diggings are quite dry.
Hornsnoggle Ridge .- Situated in the northeast quarter of Section 5, Township 6, Range 1 east. This is an east-and-west range, about half a mile in length, which was discovered about twenty-five years since, and worked for lead ore in the brown rock opening ; but is now pretty much worked out. The only ore found on the ridge is drybone. The present annual produc- tion is about 1,500 tons.
Beginning at the eastern end and going west, the following parties are working :
Joseph Call worked here since 1871, amount produced unknown.
Borey &. Newmeyer worked since 1872, produced 1,500 tons.
Brinnen ยง. Kelley worked on a lot here twenty years, and produced 1,000 tons.
LINDEN DISTRICT.
The principal diggings in this district are those of the Linden Mining Co., owned by Messrs. J. J. Ross and William Henry, of Mineral Point. The property consists of the east half of the east half of Section 6, the west half of Section 5, the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 7, the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 7, the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 8, southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 8, the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 17, the south half of the northeast quarter of Section 17, all in Township 5, Range 2 east, and is situated a short dis- tance west of the village of Linden. They were first opened in 1833, and worked by various parties up to 1853, altogether for lead ore, and in the middle beds of the Galena limestone. Prior to 1853, they are said to have produced 40,000,000 pounds of lead ore.
In 1853, they were bought by a Pittsburgh company, and operated with a water-wheel in the upper and lower pipe-clay openings, also for lead ore. The amount of lead ore produced by them was about 500,000 pounds per annum. The works finally became unprofitable, and were suspended by them in 1866. In this condition they remained until the spring of 1874, when they were bought by Messrs. Ross & Henry, by whom work was resumed in April. They are now operated for blende or blackjack, Smithsonite and such lead ore as incidentally occurs with it.
On resuming work, the principal operations of the first six months were cleaning out the old shafts and drifts, erecting a new engine of thirty-horse power, with a lift-pump, together with the necessary buildings and other machinery. The sheets worked here have a singular
Stephen Blautestone, DECEASED MONTICELLO.
381
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
complication of "flats and pitches," both in their connection with each other and in respect to their general course.
Although the blende usually occurs in a large sheet, yet it is frequently connected with two or three parallel smaller ones by veins or "pitches." The sheet often contains detached pieces of the wall or cap-rock, of various sizes, completely surrounded by ore. Large pockets occur in the bed, lined with very handsome crystals of calcite, one of which, recently removed from the mine, measures five feet by two.
Another peculiarity noticed was the finding of several pieces weighing from one to five pounds, composed of wall-rock and ore, which were rounded and worn smooth, resembling small drift bowlders. They were found in the lower pipe-clay opening, and had probably been detached from the wall at its junction with the ore. They must have undergone considerable erosion and transportation, or movement, by subterranean currents of water.
The workings in the vicinity of the engine-shaft were first examined. They extend in a westerly direction a distance of 1,300 feet, and have been worked to a width of 45 feet, leaving a sheet of blende on the northern side from one to three feet thick. It has been proved by a cross-cut to connect through to the north pitch, a distance of 180 feet. The same sheet has been worked in a southerly direction nearly to the well-shaft, a distance of 600 feet, leaving a large sheet of blende on its eastern side. These workings are on the glass-rock opening, and about twenty feet above the St. Peters sandstone. The following section of the engine-shaft will explain their situation :
Feet.
Inches.
Dump-rock, clay and soil.
15
...
Galena limestone
72
6
Blue limestone.
6
6
Pipe-clay
1
...
Glass-rock.
5
...
Glass-rock opening (workings).
4
...
Buff limestone, to bottom of shaft.
8
...
Buff limestone, to St. Peters sandstone
16
...
-
Total
128
00
The workings at the well-shaft were next examined. They are in the brown rock division of the Galena limestone, and about twenty-six feet above the lower workings. The ground is worked in an irregular shape, about three hundred feet long by one hundred and fifty feet wide. It is estimated that $200,000 worth of ore has been taken, in the course of all operations, from this small, irregular piece of ground. It was full of large, flat sheets and pitches, and was worked in some places to a height of twenty feet. It now produces thirty tons of zinc ore per week, and considerable lead ore. This is exclusive of the ore raised by numerous miners work- ing here on tribute.
It is estimated by the owners that, during the first six months of their operation, the mines produced ten tons of zinc ore per day ; and from that time to the present, it has produced twenty-two tons of zinc per day, and more than 300,000 of lead ore per annum. The value of all ores for the last two years is estimated at $500 per day.
The owners have lately introduced the Ingersoll Pneumatic Drill, with air compressor, and use rend rock exclusively, the explosions being effected by an electric battery.
Poad, Barrett & Tredinnick Bros .- Southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Sec- tion 8, Township 5, Range 2 east. This is a very old mine, the property of Mr. John Heath- cock, known as the Robarts mine, on which work had been discontinued for several years, until 1869, when it was again resumed. The present party have been working about four years, and have sunk ten shafts, from forty to seventy feet deep. The water is removed by two horse- pumps.
To the west of the above parties, and on the same range, are Kisselbury Brothers, Ham- merson & Trewatha. Also on the east end of the same range are the Poad Brothers, Tredin- nick, Vial and Geach.
382
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
The Robarts range has been traced for a distance of a quarter of a mile, the ore being found in flat sheets twenty-five feet above the glass-rock. The manner in which the ore is deposited is very remarkable, the order of deposition being as follows : Pyrites, blende, galenite. This is one of the few localities in the lead region from which cerussite is obtained. The three mines in the Robarts range are estimated to produce annually 200,000 pounds of lead ore and 100 tons of blende.
Treglown & Sons and Capt. Wicks .- Southwest quarter of northwest quarter of Section 8, in the west side of the Heathcock branch, Waring and Goldsworthy, owners. This range was discovered about forty years ago, and has been worked continuously ever since. The present company have been working it during the last two years in the glass-rock opening. The ore is found about fifteen feet below the surface; the width of the range is forty-five feet, drained by a level forty rods long. In former years it was worked for Smithsonite at higher levels, and was quite productive. Its present annual production is, lead ore, 5,000 pounds ; blende, 100 tons.
Adams & Son & Bowden .- These parties are situated about a quarter of a mile southwest of Treglown & Wicks. They have been working during the last seven years on the Morrison range, producing annually about fifty tons of Smithsonite and seven thousand pounds of lead ore. Water was removed from these diggings by drilling a hole down to the glass-rock opening.
David Morrison Diggings .- West half of southwest quarter of Section 8. The range is about seven hundred yards long, forty feet wide, and has a general north and south course. The range was discovered in 1846, and worked at various times for lead ore to 1874. Mr. Morrison then opened the main sheet of the blende, since which time the production has been as follows : In 1874, 90 tons; in 1875, 106 tons. During the present year the mine has not been worked, although it is still good. The range is drained by a level three hundred and fifty feet long. The ore is found in flat sheets, from seven to ten inches thick, on top of the glass- rock.
Richards & Faul Bros .- These diggings are situated in the village of Linden, near the southeast corner of Section 8, on land owned by William George. The ore is found under the glass-rock in a flat sheet, from ten to twelve inches thick, from fifteen to twenty-five feet in width, and from thirteen to thirty feet below the surface. The water is removed by a drain about one hundred and fifty feet long. This mine was discovered in May, 1875. From that time to May, 1876, they produced 80,000 pounds of lead ore, and 150 tons of blende. During July, August and September, 1876, they have produced 35,000 pounds of lead ore and 40 tons of blende.
Thomas Tamblin .- Zinc ores were discovered on the northwest quarter of the north west quar- ter of Scetion 10, Township 5, Range 2 east, on the 20th of December, 1875, on the land of Mrs. Thomas Shore. The general course of the range is nearly east and west, and is now worked at an average depth of ten feet below the surface, and has been proved to a distance of forty feet. The ore was found as a flat sheet of drybone, cropping out at the foot of a hill. On working into the hill, the amount of Smithsonite was found to diminish, and the blende to increase, which seems to be an indication that the Smithsonite is a secondary product, derived from blende. It is estimated that two mines can produce here one hundred tons of zinc ore per annum.
R. S. &. W. J. Jacobs .- Southeast quarter of southwest quarter, and southwest quarter of southeast quarter of Section 7, Township 5, Range 2 east. This mine was discovered in March, 1875. There are here four east-and-west sheets from four to six feet wide, and from four to six inches thick in the upper pipe-clay opening, separated from each other by six or eight feet of unproductive rock. They are worked about twenty feet below the surface. There is but a small amount of water, which is bailed out. Some very large isolated masses of lead ore have been found here, one of which, weighing 1,527 pounds, was sent to the Centennial Exhibition. Small quantities of zinc ores are also found. The mine produced, during the year 1875, of lead ore, 70,000 pounds, and in 1876, 40,000 pounds. The mine has not been worked much during this summer, as the owners are engaged in farming.
383
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
DODGEVILLE DISTRICT.
The mines of this district comprise those in the immediate vicinity of the village. The zinc ore diggings situated about two miles east of the village, and those in Van Meter's Survey about four miles west of the town. The most productive and profitable are those situated east of the village, worked for drybone blende and lead ore.
Evan Williams' Mines .- Southwest quarter of southwest quarter of Section 25, Township 6, Range 3 east. These mines were discovered in 1844, and were worked at intervals until 1853. Since then Mr. Williams has worked them continuously to date. The ore is found in flat sheets, about one hundred feet wide, in the lower beds of the Galena limestone, and the ground is drained by a level a quarter of a mile long.
Mr. Williams estimates that this range has averaged fifty thousand pounds of lead ore per annum during the last twenty years. Previous to 1863, they were worked exclusively for lead ore. Since then they have averaged one hundred tons per annum of blende, the produc- tion rising in some years to two hundred tons. During the present year (1876) thirty thousand pounds of lead ore have been produced here, and one hundred and twenty-five tons of blende. In November, 1875, Mr. Williams commenced working about seven hundred feet south of the preceding location. A flat sheet was found here at a depth of ninety feet, and has been proved horizontally a distance of sixty feet. This mine in the past year has produced, lead ore, 15,000 pounds ; blende, 50 tons. In July, 1876, Mr. Williams sunk a shaft twenty- five feet deep, about quarter of a mile west of the center of Section 25, and discovered a flat sheet of blende about five inches thick, from which he has obtained about three tons of blende.
Owens &. Powell .- On the southwest quarter of southeast quarter of Section 25 are some small drybone digging, on Mr. Williams' land. Five tons of ore are produced here each year. This is known as Rounds' range.
Jones, Farrager & Owens .- Southwest quarter of southwest quarter of Section 25, near the west line of the Section on Evan Williams' land. This is an old range, which has been worked since its discovery in 1849. The range is drained by a level three hundred yards long. The ore is found in flat sheets, from forty-five to eighty feet below the surface. Five shafts are now open. These diggings produce only lead ore. The annual product is valued at from $3,000 to $5,000.
Mrddth Evans .- Northeast quarter of northwest quarter of Section 25, in John Williams' land. These diggings are on Morgan Jones' old range, and have been worked during the last four years for Smithsonite. During the present year (1876), lead ore and blende have been dis- covered, and 65,000 pounds of lead ore have been produced, and considerable blende.
Hugh Jones .- Northeast quarter of northwest quarter of Section 25. These diggings are on the eastern portion of the Watkins range. They were discovered in 1848. The present party commenced work in 1864. The ore is found in an irregular, flat sheet, from one hundred to two hundred feet wide, in the lower part of the Galena limestone. The annual product of this mine is : Lead ore, 25,000 pounds ; blende, 150 tons.
Hendy, Davey, Lovey & Co .- Northwest quarter of northwest quarter of Section 36, Town- ship 6, Range 3 east. These diggings comprise the southern and western portions of the Wat- kins range. The ore is blende and lead ore, found in a flat sheet, in the same opening and position as in the Hugh Jones diggings. The works extend eastward, and will ultimately connect with them, the intervening space being about one hundred feet. The mine has been and is now quite productive-the exact amount cannot be ascertained.
Samuel Clegg .- Northeast quarter of southeast quarter of Section 26, Township 6, Range 3 east. The land is owned by Mr. A. P. Thompson, of Buffalo. The ore is found in a flat sheet, in the glass-rock opening, and is obtained from three shafts, each 100 feet deep. Lead ore only is produced. It was discovered in 1870, and produced in that year 20,000 pounds. Since that time to October 1, 1876, the total product has been 600,000 pounds.
Joseph Pearce Diggings .- This mine is situated in the village of Dodgeville, a short dis- tance northwest of the court house. It is known as the Lowry range, and was discovered in
384
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
1836. It was not worked from 1850 to 1870, when Mr. Pearce commenced work on it, and has worked it continuously ever since. It is worked exclusively for lead ore, which is found in tumbling openings and in flat sheets, from fifty to seventy feet wide. The range is drained by a level 800 feet long to a depth of 30 feet below the surface. The deepest shaft is eighty feet. There is considerable water in the mines, but much less than there was twenty-five years since. The water is removed by a horse-pump, worked during the daytime. The length of the range, so far as it has been worked, is 1,000 feet. During the last two years, this mine has produced 200,000 pounds of lead ore ; previous to this it only paid expenses.
William Carter & Owens .- West half of the southeast quarter of Section 26. Owner of land, A. P. Thompson, of Buffalo. This is known as Edward Edwards' range, and was dis- covered in 1853. The range has a general north-and-south course, but with some irregulari- ties. It was worked north 500 feet, then west 600 feet, then north-the north-and-south por- tions being the most productive of lead ore. The mine is quite wet, but is drained by a level about two thousand feet long. The number of shafts is nine, the greatest depth below the sur- face being seventy feet. The length of the drift is 1,250 feet. Mr. Carter has been working this mine for six years. During that time, the product of the east-and-west portion has been 65,000 pounds of lead ore annually, and in the north-and-south portions, 150,000 pounds per annum, with the same expense. Other parties working in this vicinity are Nicholas Bailey & Co. and John Bosanco & Co.
Lambly Range .- Northeast quarter of Section 28, Township 6, Range 3 east. This range has been worked continuously for a great many years. It produces lead ore to the amount of about thirty thousand pounds per annum. Four years ago, its annual product was 200,000 pounds.
Porter's Grove Diggings .- These mines are situated in Town 6, Range 4 east. At pres- ent the following mines are in operation :
Union Mine, William Hendy & Co .- Situated on the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 28. The ore produced is lead, and in tumbling openings, at a depth of seventy feet, and in the upper surface of the rock. The mine is drained by a level one-quarter of a mile long.
Ridgeway Mine, William Hendy & Co .- Situated on the southeast quarter of the south- east quarter of Section 21. This mine is owned and operated by the same parties as the pre- ceding, and is in the same range, which is known as the North-and-South Branch Lot. It is drained by a level a quarter of a mile long. The present owners commenced operating them in 1872. Since then the product of lead ore has been as follows :
Union Mine. Lbs.
Ridgeway Mine. Lbs.
1872.
300,000
44,000
1873
35,000
44,000
1874
16,000
63,000
1875.
38,000
44,000
1876, to October 1.
22,000
17,000
Frank Farwell & Co .- Southeast quarter of northeast quarter of Section 28. These parties commenced working on the Wakefield range in October, 1875. Previous to that time it had not been worked for twenty years. Most of the workings are at a depth of thirty-five feet below the surface, although some are as deep as sixty feet. The work is chiefly removing pillars of lead ore, which have been left from former operations. The product from October, 1875, to October, 1876, has been 14,000 lbs. Other parties mining in this vicinity are John and Thomas Paull, of Ridgeway, producing lead ore.
VAN METER'S SURVEY.
On the north half of the northeast quarter of Section 18, Township 5, Range 3 east, are three very large ranges which have not, to our knowledge, been reported. Their general course is northwest and southeast, and they are crossed by numerous north-and-south crevices. It is at these crossings that the largest bodies of ore are found. The ore is galenite, and is entirely free
385
HISTORY OF THE LEAD REGION.
from any mixture of zinc ores. It is found in the green rock opening. The northernmost of the three ranges known as the Duke Smith, contained an opening in places fifty feet wide, some- what intersected with bars. It was worked over a quarter of a mile in length, and produced about half a million pounds of lead ore. It has not been worked since 1853. A short distance south of this is a parallel range, which produced over 20,000 pounds in a distance of about 100 feet. The opening was about thirty feet wide.
The third parallel range, 300 feet south of the Duke Smith range, has been worked since the winter of 1873-74, by Mr. John Hutchinson, of Mineral Point. The lead ore occurs in large pockets, containing crystalline pieces of from one to 500 pounds' weight. The opening is in the green rock, and is from ten to twelve feet high. This range has been the least worked of all, but formerly produced about 100,000 pounds. It now yields ore of the value of $5 per day when worked. None of the ranges have been worked to any great depth, and all were abandoned with ore going down in the crevices. The gradual diminution of water in the country has now made it possible to resume work.
Powell & Co .- This party is working on what is known as the Nic Schillen range. Work was commenced in the spring of 1876, and continued for three months. The work was in the glass-rock opening, and about twenty feet below the surface. The amount produced was 3,000 pounds.
Richards & Burns .- This party is situated south of the preceding, and in land of the Sterling estate. They have been working there during the present year, in the green-rock opening, producing about 2,000 pounds per month.
Powell Diggings .- They are situated about a quarter of a mile north of Mr. Hutchinson's diggings. This is a new discovery, and has been in operation about a year. The product has been 35,000 pounds.
MINERAL POINT DISTRICT.
These mines comprise those in the immediate vicinity of the city and those of Lost Grove and Diamond Grove. Considerable mining is being carried on at these localities, which are among the oldest and most productive of the lead region. They are all comprised in Towns 4 and 5, Ranges 2 and 3 east. In addition to the lead ore, a great deal of zinc ore has been pro- duced within the past ten years, and they now supply a large portion of the zinc ore of the lead region.
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