The Minter Mine, Adams Co. PA 1877
Last Updated: 22nd Jan 2008By Daniel Russell
Adam Minter's Mine
During the last half of the 19th Century, numerous small iron to middling sized iron mines scattered throughout York, Adams, and Franklin counties in Pennsylvania were exploited for their ores. The ores themselves ranged from magnetite to hematite to goethite.
The Minter Mine was first located in 1874 during exploration work by “M’Cormick & Co.”, (meaning the iron company owned and operated by Colonel Henry McCormick, headquartered in Harrisburg PA, owners of the Lochliel Furnace, Swatara Furnace, Paxton Furnace, Harrisburg Nail Works and Paxton Rolling Mill). McCormick was a major buyer of the iron ores of the York – Adams – Franklin region.
In 1877, Pensifore Frazer Jr., one of the Assistant Geologists of the State of Pennsylvania, wrote the following description of the Minter Mine:
From:
Frazer, Persifore Jr. Report Of Progress In The Counties Of York, Adams, Cumberland And Franklin. Second Geological Survey Of Pennsylvania Harrisburg 1875
Franklin Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania
During the last half of the 19th Century, numerous small iron to middling sized iron mines scattered throughout York, Adams, and Franklin counties in Pennsylvania were exploited for their ores. The ores themselves ranged from magnetite to hematite to goethite.
The Minter Mine was first located in 1874 during exploration work by “M’Cormick & Co.”, (meaning the iron company owned and operated by Colonel Henry McCormick, headquartered in Harrisburg PA, owners of the Lochliel Furnace, Swatara Furnace, Paxton Furnace, Harrisburg Nail Works and Paxton Rolling Mill). McCormick was a major buyer of the iron ores of the York – Adams – Franklin region.
In 1877, Pensifore Frazer Jr., one of the Assistant Geologists of the State of Pennsylvania, wrote the following description of the Minter Mine:
The mine was opened and machinery erected… Eleven men were employed – 9 in the mine and 2 outside, besides the boss. The wages to miners were $1 20 per day of ten working hours. The engineer received $1 60 per day, and the boss, $75 per month. For running the engine till midnight the engineer was paid for 1 1/2 days. They usually do not pump at night, but in August, 1875, they were compelled to do so on account of the leakage of surface water into the mines due to the excessive rains of the previous few weeks.
One 15-horse power engine is at the mine.
The ore occurs in irregular beds. The levels at which one was being taken out at the above date were from drifts at 47 feet and 132 feet on the slope. At the former level a drift has been driven 96 feet east of south. At the 132 foot level the ore is about 2 feet thick. For about 20 feet on the slope the ore thickens to 2 ½ feet.
First level: In the first level, about 52 feet from the slope, there is a clay filling, which cuts out the ore and takes its place between the wall rocks for five or six feet. Beyond the clay the ore widens out, and the drift ends in the swell.
Second level: The second level is begun 79 feet down the slope, and is driven in both directions, the distance on its north-west side being about 25 feet. To the south-east the level was driven 179 feet to where the ore was cut out by soft, slaty rocks of reddish color and unctuous to the touch. These slates were penetrated for 3 or 4 feet, when work was stopped by order of Mr. King, the superintendent for M'Cormick & Co.. The ore is otherwise very regular in this level. The specimens of foot and hanging walls shown by Mr. Jenkins were calcareous conglomerate, in which the pebbles were small.
Third level: The third level is 40 feet below the second, and at the date of its inspection (August, 1875,) the south-cast drift was 17 feet, the ore holding out well, and the north-west drift but 5 feet. The ore promised well to the bottom of the slope at this time.
During the year that the mine was worked about 2,500 tons were extracted and shipped via Gettysburg to Harrisburg. It has lain idle since September, 1875.
At first anthracite was used as the fuel, but after June 1, 1875, wood was substituted for it. The consumption was 15 ½ cords from June 1st to August 5th. The water was pumped by a Smedley pump, but the latter was not in repair. The discharge pipe was 3 inches in diameter, diameter of cylinder 4 inches; 1 foot stroke, 25 strokes per minute.
The teams were hired and hauled the ore to Gettysburg for $1 20 per day, making one trip. Two wagons did all the hauling, the owners of which live in M'Knightstown. The wagons ore loaded and hauled one and a half miles to the turnpike in the evening, and are started for Gettysburg early in the morning. The load is four to five tons, with five horses in one team and six in the other.
The cost per rail from Gettysburg to Harrisburg was not ascertained. There was generally no trouble from water. The hoisting out of the mine was done in small cars. The roof of the slope is supported by a single row of timbers down the middle.
The slope is 20 feet wide and 5 feet high, and the track is 7 inches in width. The slope at the surface is 22°, but a short distance in, and to the bottom, 28°. At the heading of the first level the sandstone shows a cleavage plane more distinctly marked than the place of bedding, which dips S. 45° E. 32°.
The sketch of the workings made by Mr. Dan'l King accompanies this report by the kind permission of Mr. H. M'Cormick.
The following is the result of analyses of this ore from the upper and lower levels made by Mr. Ford at Harrisburg:
Minter Mine Ore Analyses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Minter Mine, 1877
From:
Frazer, Persifore Jr. Report Of Progress In The Counties Of York, Adams, Cumberland And Franklin. Second Geological Survey Of Pennsylvania Harrisburg 1875
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