62 Wisconsin and Missouri Lead Region. 
the granite beneath. ‘The bed containing the ore is about two 
and a half feet average thickness; it varies much, however, both 
in thickness and in the relative quantity of ore, slate and clay. 
It has been traced along the line of contact of the granite and 
, limestone in an east and west direction for about sixty. yards, oc- 
cupying about twenty yards in width, and always near the sur- 
face; the granite is on the south side, the limestone on the north. 
On the limestone side it has been. followed some distance under 
the rock, and fissures are: here found going vertically down and 
containing some ore in the loose clay that fills them, but their 
contents are not yet well developed. Attention is paid only to 
stripping the surface ores. .Of these a large quantity was lying 
in piles near the diggings.and at the wash places; estimated 
amount in rough ore and “sludge,” (ore that has been broken 
and washed ready for the furnace,) about 200,000 pounds. But 
as it is only a short time that the ores have been wrought, four 
tons of copper is all that has been made from the whole mine, 
one ton of which was from the ore of this place. Carbonate of 
lead in white crystals accompanies this ore. 
Two blast furnaces are built on a little stream near bye Seacil 
the ore, and connected with them are two of the common blast 
lead furnaces, the whole forming a stack of four furnaces. 'The 
water power is not constant, and for that reason they were not in 
blast when Isaw them. There is no good water power on the 
whole tract. The furnaces are built of sandstone, which is found 
of tolerable quality and in abundance for the purpose. Oak wood 
is abundant, but the smelters pay seven cents a bushel for charcoal. 
The water wheel, eighteen feet in diameter, turns a fan, which 
keeps up a blast when the water is high, sufficient for the four fur- 
naces. It is to be hoped that the explorations now going on will 
throw some further light upon the character, not only of these 
veins of copper ore, but through them upon all those contained in 
the limestone of this country. 
» Another deposit of copper ore, nearer the centre. of the rach 
‘‘ is-wrought.by an English miner named Staley. The ore here 
lies under a great depth of clay and soil, in the. deepest place 
about twenty four feet. A little scattering ore is found on going 
down to the thick stratum. at the bottom; this the workmen say 
oe It varies. in icine ba dormaneherent 
