The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

Transcription

New York, March 19th 1892
Prof Thomas A. Edison
Tycoon of Electricka N.J.
My Dear Friend
There are four of your oldest friend and well wishers interested in the Brewer Mine, a description of which I enclosed. We all think and are assured by by the best mining experts that the mine has a great and prosperous future. I am sure it can be made mutually beneficial if you could possibly spare the time to look it over as we are anxious to have your opinion and with us if there is something in it. We will furnish you with a special car to make the trip and [illegible] track the car at Washington if you would like to remain trip as comfortable as pleasant for you and your friends as possible, if you make up your mind to make the test.
And of this I should like to see you for five minutes, when you are in Broad Street. I missed you on Wednesday last. Please let me know as early as possible. With my best wishes for your continued success.
Believe us
Sincerely yours
John Kiernan Office of the Brewer Mining Company,
29 Broadway, New York, March 1st, 1892
With the purpose of conveying a knowledge of the Company to those interested and others whom it wished to interest, the following historical sketch, statement of facts and expression based thereon, have been prepared:--
---Historical Sketch---
The Mine is situated in Chesterfield county, South Carolina 18 miles south of the North Carolina line, and 14 miles from Kershaw, the nearest R.R. station on the C.C.C.R.R. 
The Brewer Mine was discovered and work begun upon it in 1843. From this period until Oct. 18th, 1845, the Royalties recorded as having been paid by those working on the tribute plan were $55,580. During this period and until the year 1859, when Commodore Stockton obtained control and took charge of the property, Rockers had been the only means used to extract the gold and but slight depth obtained in the workings.
Com. Stockton's work was successful but came to a sudden and by the confiscation of his machinery in 1881 by the Confederate Government, who turned his mills into manufactories of the munitions of war. 
Stockton died in 1885, his estate having been reduced from prosperity to ruin, as a result of the long and protracted struggle of civil war.
Owing to the complicated condition of Stockton's estate and the utter ruin of his milling plant nothing was done on the mine in the year 1879.
It was with much difficulty that a perfect title was secured to the property as many of the papers relating to the titles were destroyed when the County Court House was burned by the Federal Army during Sherman's campaign. It was not until 1882 that the title was perfected and the property came under the control of E. Motz, who worked the placers upon it, and this being found profitable was continued until 1886. In 1886 a five stamp mill was erected for the purpose of giving the main ore body and thorough and practical test. 12,000 tons of the ore were worked up, taken mostly from the quarry known as the Stockton Pit, which now forms the principal working of the property.
The results obtained from this small mill were so satisfactory (as may be seen by reference to the records to the U.S. Mint at Charlotte, N.C.) that the owners determined to enlist more capital and develop the property on a scale commensurate with its great worth.
To this and the Brewer Mining Co. was organized and took over the property which now embraces some  745 acres of land (in fee simple) consisting in the main of an isolated hill lying between Lynch River ad a tributary to same called Fork Creek. The hill rises to an elevation of 320 feet above the river level. It is about  3-4ths of a mile in width and 1 1/2 miles in length, consisting almost entirely of an arenaceous quartz rock which is gold bearing throughout. Near of an arenaceous quartz rock which is gold bearing throughout. Near the centre and close to the summit of the hill this vast ore body has been extensively explored by shafts and open quarries, over an extent of 500 ft in width and 1800 in length. The largest exploration the old Stockton Pit which has been developed into an open quarry circular in form, 130 ft in depth, 350 ft diameter on the surface, worked down in benches to a floor about 100 ft square. The entire surface of this immense excavation is all in solid ore, having an average value of $4.42 per ton, proven by actual working tests made in milling over 80,000 tons taken from this one working. 
There are many hundreds of thousands of tons of ore developed and in sight, all in position to be cheaply extracted.
This work was well laid out and has been carried to a complete success by the present management.
A fine 40-stamp free gold mill, with power provided for 40 stamps additional has been erected by the Company on the bank of the Fork Creek. This mill has a capacity of over a hundred tons of ore per day.
A tunnel about 1000 ft in length has been driven through the side of the hill to cut the ore body at a depth of 130 ft below the surface, and connecting the large quarry on its present floor level. The ores from the surface down to the tunnel level have shown a gradual increase in value as depth was attained. A line of samples taken from the tunnel where it cut through the ore body showed a value of $7.40 per ton, which is $3.00 more per ton than the ore averaged in the workings above. While this very satisfactory increase in the value of the ore was found, it was also discovered that the ores changed in character and became more sulphurated, making the treatment of them by free milling inadequate. It became necessary to find a method that would save the gold contained in the sulphurets, which had been going into the creek as tailings. This method has, beyond question, been found in the Theis process which has been successful operation at the Haile mines nearby the Brewer, where by the two processes, over 90 percent of the gold contained in the ores is saved. The Haile Co. catches upon its plates about 80 cents per ton (a trifle less than the Brewer's average catch in fine gold); the ore then passes upon concentrates are then treated by the Theis process at a cost of $3.65 per ton, and over 90 per cent of their value saved in bullion.
To thoroughly test the ores of the Brewer mine for concentration a Frue Vanner was purchased and put in place, receiving the tailings from the plates. The results were extremely satisfactory, as a trial covering a period of several months proved that nearly all the gold contained in the sulphurets was saved in the concentrates.
The concentrates were then submitted to Mr. Theis at the Haile Mine, who pronounced them as being well adapted to his process.
Improvements are now being completed in our amalgamating plates from which we can confidently expect an appreciable improvement in the percentage of fine gold saved.
There were milled during the year 1891, 37,000 tons or ore from which fine gold was saved to the amount of $31,727.74, being 85 7-10th cents per ton. The cost of mining, transportation, and reduction of the 37,000 tons amounted to the sum of $31,595.35, divided as follows:--
Mining                         $15,954.57 equals 43 cents per ton
Transportation                 3,027.80      "       8 2-10      do
Milling                              12,603.00     "      34            do
Total of                                                85 2-10             do The assay value of the ore was milled was $4.43 per ton, showing a loss in the tailings of $3.57 per ton or about $130,000 for the year.
The assays were obtained by tailing daily samples and assays made once a month. Of this loss in tailings, 5 per cent consisted of free gold held in suspension in the slimes l this will be saved with the new amalgamators which will be completed in March. About 94 percent of tailing values consists of sulphurets and sulphides for the saving of which concentration and the Theis process are needed, This leaves say $5.35 of sulphurated value to each ton of tailings.
---Deductions---
from the operations of the mine to date, and from the results of practical experiments. 
It will be safe to assume that all the expenses for mining, transportation, and reduction can be met with the free gold product of the present 40-stamp plant, leaving the entire amount saved from the concentrations as a net earning.
Should the concentrations go but ten tons into one and the saving but 80 percent, there will be from each day's run 10 tons concentrates worth $268.00
Deduct at the rate of $4.50 per ton treatment  45.00
leaves a daily product, net of                             233.00
or say 313 days per year at $200                       62,600.00
The Haile Co. saves over 94 percent of the gold in its sulpurets, at a cost of but $3.65 per ton for treatment, while the Brewer concentrations have averaged better than 10 tons into 1.
---Financial Status and Programs---
The capital stock of the Brewer M. Co. is about $300,000 (300 shares of $1 each).
The mine is being operated constantly and from the product in free gold alone it is on a self-sustaining basis. There are existing liabilities to some of the owners, employees, and others aggregating about $14,000. To clear this debt and to completely equip the property with the requisite additional appliances it is now proposed to sell the Treasury stock at the original subscription price of $1 per share. The sum thus realized will suffice for the purpose which can be accomplished in a short time. The mine when this equipped can, as it is believed it has been most certainly demonstrated, earn at the rate of 20 percent per annum, or $1500 per stamp, with 400 the net would be $600,000 or 10 percent on $6,000,000. This will show the possibilities which the Company's property presents.
The Directors of the Company are; W. Stewart Tod, M.C. Boynton, E. Motz, L.H. Scott, and H.B. Parsons.
The officers are: H.B. Parsons, President and Treasurer.
L.H. Scott, Secretary
E. Metz, General Manager Kiernan-I cannot go down just now but may be later. I am pretty well acquainted with the Brewer mine already. I have personally examined over 200 Southern Mines. Perhaps you people would like to lease the mine on a guaranteed interest on present co plot to me + let me work it my way.
Edison