

Sbotion of the Benton Openino. 



718 (iEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OP THE LEAD REGION. 



a flat flint openingfour feet high. C C represents the second, which i^s also a flat flint 



opening, four feet Mgh. D D represents the third, which is not a flmt opeirmg.^ It 



^ S' = jg about foui- ieet high, 



Fia. 18. similartoBandC. The 



distance between the first 

 and second openings is 

 four feet of unproduc- 

 tive cap rook; between 

 the second and third, 

 ten feet of similar rock. 

 The openings are about 

 fifteen feet wide, and 

 sometimes as much as 

 four hundred feet long. 

 Having described the 

 position and mode of oc- 

 currence of the ore, the 

 different diggings now 

 in operation will be de- 

 scribed. 



Bainbridge & Vip- 

 ord. S. E. qr. Sec. 8, 

 T. 1, R. 1 E. This IS 

 an cast and west range 

 somewhat near a mile long, which was worked about twenty-two years suice and 

 abandoned. Prior to 1854, it produced about one and a half million pounds. About 

 seven years since some work was done on it, and one milUon pounds were produced. 

 Work was recommenced on the eastern end by the present parties in February, 1874, 

 and has continued to the present tune (November, 1876). The annual product is about 

 20,000 pounds. During the' last year and a half they have been worked with a horse 

 pump. 



Bainbridge, Mundy & Maighn. This is a quartering southwest and northeast 

 range, about 100 yards north of the preceding. This range was never worked previous 

 to March, 1874. It is now worked only in the winter seasons. It has produced in all 

 about .50,000 pounds. The ore in these diggmgs and the preceding is found in openings 

 detached from the main crevice. 



Metcalf, Harker & Alexander. N. W. qr. Sec. 9, T. 1, R. 1 E. This ground is 

 situated on what is known as the Swindler ndge. It derived its name from the custom 

 which formerly existed among the miners of cutting through and breaking into each 

 other's ground to steal the ore, which the complicated nature of the openings enabled 

 them to do. This range was struck in 1871, and has been worked continuously ever 

 since. The depth to the top of the first opening is fifty feet at tliis shaft, and on the 

 ridge generally, although the opening is said to dip sKghtlytothe west. Some water 

 is encountered on the ridge, and the present paarties have found it necessary to work a 

 two-horse pump. The production to November 1, 1876 has been 600,000 pounds. 



Bainbridge Diggings. Situated on tlie E. hf. of the N. E. qr. of Sec. 4, T. 1, R. 

 1 E. Work was commenced here by Mr. Thomas Bainbridge, of Benton, in the winter 

 of 1874. In May, 187.5, an iixegular deposit of lead and zinc ore was discovered about 

 fifty feet below the surface, havuig a course a little west of south. Three men are 

 usually employed. Its production has been 25 tons of Smithsonite and 25,000 pounds 

 of lead ore. 



Harvey's Diggings. Situated on the same ground, and about 2.50 yards northwest 



