Notice of Steel Mine and Iron Works. 315 



main rock of the mountain. They are said to have carried in their 

 gallery for twenty rods, with a height of four or four and a half feet, 

 and the full width of the vein, vv^hich does not vary much from six 

 feet. The mouth is at present blocked up by the falling in of rub- 

 bish _; but the accumulations of ore brought out renders this account 

 highly probable. The result of this enterprise was similar to that of 

 the last. No silver could be obtained ; and at length the working 

 was discontinued. 



The last company which was systematically organized for the 

 prosecution of this visionary undertaking, consisted chiefly of per- 

 sons living in the neighboring town of Goshen. They secured a 

 lease of the mine from the New York company, whose term for 

 working it had not yet expired ; and began their operations by fol- 

 lowing down the vein at the first opening, a. Neither the length of 

 time they persevered in the working, nor the depth to which they 

 finally attained, are at present known with any degree of certainty ; 

 but it is understood that the expense incurred was so great as to oc- 

 casion the failure of the principal persons concerned. 



No value was attached by either of the companies to the Sparry 

 Iron, which forms the main body of the vein ; but which appears to 

 have been rejected along with the Quartz, in which it is engaged, as 

 mere rubbish. This seems the more unaccountable, since its great 

 weight, we should suppose, might have led them to suspect its value ; 

 and, besides, a report exists, that the workmen of Feuchter were in 

 the habit of obtaining steel from it, for the purpose of repairing their 

 picks and blasting instruments. Thus, with their expectations wholly 

 confined to silver, they entirely overlooked a metal, w^hich, when 

 abundant and favorably situated, affords the surest and the most 

 steady returns of all the substances which the earth contains. 



Not long after the mine had been abandoned by the New York 

 company, the Brunsons failed ; and at length, the shares, which be- 

 fore had ever retained their original estimation, came to be regarded 

 as nearly valueless. The mine, together with all the adjoining lands, 

 now came into the hands of a Mr. Bacon, an extensive landholder 

 in that country ; who formed a plan of working it on his own 

 account. With this view, he contracted with a man to sink the 

 shaft at 0, five feet lower; for which he was to receive three thou- 

 sand dollars. This individual commenced the undertaking ; but 

 so inadequate were his means for keeping the shaft dry, that he 

 failed before he had completed his contract. Report says, that 



