MINES — BEETOWN DISTRICT. 697 



Pigeon Diggings. 



They are situated on the north haU: of Sec. 20, T. 4, R. 3 W., and consist of severtil 

 east and west ranges, in which the ore is found in flat openings in the "Brown-rock " , 

 division of the Galena limestone. The ground is owned by Messrs. Barber, Dewey & 

 Cox. There aa-e about 50 men employed here, mining chiefly in the old workings, at a 

 depth of 30 to 50 feet below the sm-faoe. The annual product of the Pigeon diggings is 

 about 250,000 pounds of lead ore. Mining is chiefly confined to the winter season. 



During the last year a sheet of Smithsonite was discovered on the S. E. qr. Of Sec. 19, 

 , which has produced 60 tons. 



Hacketts Diggings. 



These mines are situated on Sec. 17, T. 4, R. 4 W. They have been idle for several 

 years. Work has recently been resmned on them by the following parties: Hutch- 

 croft & Pigg, and Wliitehead & Co. They have now good paying mines in the 65-foot 

 opening. The annual product is about 30,000 pounds. 



Nip and Tuck Diggings. 



Situated on the south half of Sec. 25, T. 4, R. 5 W. They consist of several east and 

 west ranges, crossed by north and south ranges. Very httle mining is now done here. 

 The pai-ties are Sillick & Co. and Roberts & Co. The annual product is about 20,000 

 pounds. 



Muscalunge Diggings. 



Situated on Sec. 26, T. 4, R. 5 W. There are here numerous east and west ranges, 

 from a quarter to a half a mile in length, lying near Rattlesnake creek. More activity 

 is displayed here in mining operations tlian anywhere else in the district, about half of 

 the ore smelted in the Beetown furnace being obtained here. In addition to the east 

 and west ranges already mentioned, there are a great number of small parahol crevices 

 running nearly east and west, and crossed by various quartering ones, fonning a perfect 

 net-work of veins and crevices. The following parties are operating in this vicinity : 



Graham Mining Company. This is a Milwaukee company who own and work a 



large tract of ground comprising the west half of Sec. 26. The workings are all in the 



65-foot opening. The following section of the Dewey and Maiden shaft is given, which 



shows the position of strata from the top of the ridge downward : • 



Feet. 



Soil and clay 15 



Galena limestone - 38 



Tough, Hght rock, hard and flinty 2 



Opening from 5 to 12 feet high 12 



Hard rock with layers of flint 65 



Opening (workings) 13 



Galena limestone to top of Trenton 85 



Total thickness 180 



The two openings are seen here to be separated by 65 feet of intervening barren rock. 

 The ground is drained by a level, about three-quarters of a mile long, run on the ran- 

 dom of the lower opening, at an expense of |20,000. It empties into one of the aclja- 

 cent branches of Rattlesnake creek. It could easily be drained to the top of the Blue 

 limestone, by a level in the horizon of the Pipe-clay opening. 



A convenience in hoisting was noticed here which might profitably be adopted in other 

 portions of the Lead region. A six-inch hole had been drUled from the surface to one 

 of the drifts for purposes of ventilation. An Artesian well bucket was then put on, and 

 all small stuff and wash-du* was removed through the hole, thus saving a long and un- 



