720 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF THE LEAD REGION. 



C. Cornelius, Jr 8,000 B>s. 



Thompson, Phillips & Colt 12,000 " 



Wm. Johnson 5,009 " 



Burns & Conley 100,000 " 



Sheppard 12,000 " 



Leonard Coatcs 15,000 " 



Carlyle, Hendershot & Co 30,000 " 



Other sources in small lots 63,000 " 



Total 395,000 Ibs. 



As most of the mining is done in the winter, none of the above mentioned firms were 

 engaged in mining at the time the district was visited, and we are unable to give a de- 

 tailed description of the several mines. 



Whig Diggings. 



This is a small group of east and west ranges in the S. W. qr. of Sec. 7, T. 3, R. 1 

 W., on the ridge, on the west side of the Platte river, which properly belongs to the 

 Platteville district. More or less mining is done here during all the year. The follow- 

 ing informatiou concerning them was obtained from parties now at work there. The 

 diggings are all in the upper beds of the Galena limestone. The principal ranges are as 

 follows: 



Gillis Range. This is the longest and largest range in the Whig diggings, being 

 half a mile in length. The shafts are sunk on it from thirty to fifty feet deep, where a 

 crevice opening from three to five feet high is found. There are from three to seven 

 parallel crevices, which were discovered in 1839. Their total product since then has 

 been about five million pounds. The present annual product is 15,000 pounds. 



Robbing Range. Situated a short distance north of the Gillis. It was struck in 

 1840, and produced 500,000 pounds. Work was suspended on it, and resumed in 1866 

 by Cronin & Stevens, who raised about 300,000 pounds. Less work is now done on it 

 than on any of the others. 



Duncan Range. Situated 150 yards south of the Gillis. It is a little more than a 

 quarter of a mile in length. T-here are here two parallel crevices, and one opening 

 which is from six to twenty feet high, and from five to forty feet below the surface, ac- 

 cording to the contour of the ground. It is very hard ground to work, as everything 

 has to be timbered. It still produces a little lead ore and a little Smithsonite, exactly 

 how much could not be ascertained. The total product of the range is said to have 

 been one and a half million pounds. 



The relative position of the openings here is as follows: 



Feet. 



First opening 6 



Unproductive rock 9 



Second opening 8 



Limestone cap 9 



Third opening, height not known. 



Messersmith Range. This range is situated a short distance south of the Duncan, 

 is about a quarter of a mile long, and has but one principal crevice. It is from five 

 to thirty-five feet to the top of the opening; which is from five to ten feet high. The 

 range is now worked 'out for lead ore, but still produces a small amount of Smithsonite. 



Missouri Range. Some work is done on this range at all times. It is situated a 

 short distance south of the preceding, and is about a quarter of a mile long. . It has one 

 crevice, and an opening which is about seven feet high. It has produced 650,000 

 pounds since it was discovered; and its annual yield is about 5,000 pounds. 



