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316 Notice of Steel Mine and Iron Works. 



the shaft was now sunk to the depth of one hundred and seventy-five 

 feet. Thus far in the history of the mine, the sole object of search 

 had been silver : it now began to be thought of, as possessing some val- 

 ue as an iron mine. Large quantities of the neglected ore, raised by 

 former companies, were carried to Kent, fifteen or eighteen miles dis- 

 tant ; and there reduced along with the Haematite ore of that place, 

 with which it is said to have formed a very tough and excellent iron. 

 But the subsequent discovery of more extensive beds of the Haema- 

 tite in Kent, soon caused this use of the ore to be abandoned. 



The last attempt to reduce the ore of Mine hill was made by an 

 individual from Salisbury ; who undertook with some persons in the 

 vicinity of the mine to carry on the smelting of the ore at s, upon a 

 small stream passing off by the northern part of the mountain. Here 

 he erected, a furnace, in the side of a moist hill. On raising the blast 

 a few pigs of iron were obtained at the first operation ; but in con- 

 sequence of the injudicious situation of the furnace, its contents soon 

 became "chilled." They endeavored to re-ignite the materials, by 



win 



the enterprise was abandoned. 



The mine excited no further attention until within ten or fifteen 

 years ; when the identity of its ore with the Steel ore of Europe 

 was established by Col. Gibbs and Prof. Silliman. But. so scanty 

 was the information relating to the working of the Sparry Iron, both 

 among the iron workers of the country and in books, that no efforts 

 were made for the erection of works and the re-opening of the mine. 

 Thus it remained for several years; when Mr. David J. Stiles, o 

 Southbury, a nephew of Mr. Bacon, the proprietor of the mountain, 

 came forward and purchased one hundred and sixty acres ol WP 

 bordering upon the vein, with the right of ore upon the whole moun- 

 tain. Mr. Stiles had previously caused a quantity of the ore to e 

 reduced according to the directions given in Aikins' Dictionary ; au 

 from it had obtained very excellent steel, which was manufacture 

 into various cutting instruments.* 



In compliance with the wish of Mr. Stiles, I visited his mine upon 

 the 18th of June, 1830, for the purpose of making a mineralogica 

 and geological survey of the same. The ascent of Mine hill, wnic 



* Among other things, a good pen-knife was brought to me by Mr. Stiles, 

 bar of fine grained steel, six feet or more in length ; he stated to me that bot w 

 made from this ore, and I repose entire confidence in his truth.— -Erf- 



