History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
a dark gray variety, slatish, with crystals of calc spar imbedded.
No. 3, a dark gray and homogeneous mass of fine crystalline texture, and small white veins of calc spar traversing.
The second series are those of the western flank of Parr's Ridge. They usually have a fine grain resembling that of Carrara marble, and they vary in color from white to grayish blue. They contain little silicious matter, and in general but small proportions of magnesia or other impurities. They have sometimes a slaty structure. Near the southern limits of the formation the proportion of magnesia is somewhat larger.
Iron ores occur in immense quantities in connection with the limestones before mentioned. They range from the Pennsylvania line (north of Westminster) southwesterly for ten or twelve miles. Westminster lies on the eastern edge of the range. There are the ruins of an iron-furnace about two and a half miles southwest of Westminster, on the property of Mr. Vanbibber, where these ores were smelted many years ago. The Western Maryland Railroad reaches this range of ore at Westminster, and passes through it for several miles. This affords every facility for transporting the ore or the iron that may be made therefrom.
The magnetic oxide of iron is the richest of iron ores, and when pure (as is sometimes the case in Sweden) contains seventy-two per cent, of metal. It is usually, however, more or less mixed up with earthy matters, and sometimes contains the oxides of titanium and manganese.
It has a metallic luster and a dark gray or almost black color, the latter being also the color of its powder. It strongly attracts the magnetic needle, and when in small grains it is attracted by the magnet. Some of its varieties are sufficiently magnetic to attract iron filings and needles, hence the name of loadstone, which was formerly applied to it. These characters distinguish it from all other ores of iron.
It occurs in small quantities about seven miles west-northwest from Baltimore, near the Bare Hill's Copper Mine, and again near Scott's mills, about eighteen miles north-northwest of Baltimore. It is found in massive as well as in octahedral crystals and grains. An iron-furnace at Sykesville is in part supplied by ore which is mined in that vicinity.
When the northwestern edge of the mica slates is reached, there is found what may be termed a metalliferous range, extending from the northern part of Cecil County through Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, and Montgomery Counties.
In addition to the magnetic iron ores of this range already referred to, there are ores of copper, chrome, and gold. Indications of copper may be seen at various points, and several mines have been opened in this county, one of which, at Springfield, near Sykesville, continues to be profitably worked. Near Finksburg a copper-mine was successfully worked during several years, and, if proper skill and sufficient capital are applied, it will probably prove productive. The ore consists of yellow or pyritous copper and still richer quartz, called purple copper ore.
Sulphuret of cobalt was discovered among the products of this mine, but this rare and valuable material occurred in very small quantity, and has not been found elsewhere in this State. Other mines have been opened in this range, between Finksburg and Sykesville, and at one of them native gold was discovered.
Northeastward from Finksburg there are indications of copper at many points, especially near the forks of the Gunpowder River, about twenty-two miles north of Baltimore. Some explorations and diggings have been made without discovering the ore in quantity. It appears to be associated with the magnetic oxide of iron of this formation.
There are also abundant traces of copper in the northwest part of the county, in the red shales. They give so little promise of profitable mines, however, that it is almost useless to expend money in digging for the ore.
Copper ore accompanies (in very small proportion) the magnetic oxide oi' iron, which is associated with steatite in veins in mica slate rock. Some years ago certain parties caused a shaft to be sunk on one of these veins with the hope that copper might be obtained in available quantities beneath, but they were disappointed. The Springfield mine was a success, and a similar result might happen at the Gunpowder veins, but the cost of sinking deep shafts is too great for the chances of a favorable result. In following this metalliferous range southwestward no indications of either chrome or copper are encountered until the vicinity of Finksburg is reached. From this point for about seven miles, to Springfield (one mile and a half north of Sykesville, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), there are numerous indications of copper ores. A mine was opened near Finksburg about thirty years ago, and for some time was worked with success. The ore was found in a true vein, and consisted at first principally of carbonate of copper, which, as usual, was succeeded by a sulphuret of copper ore, containing sixty per cent, of metal when free from gangue, or about thirty per cent, after bring prepared for sale. At depths of from fifty to one hundred feet the ore was abundant, and it was usual for them to mine thirty tons a week.
Subsequently the vein became thinner, or pinched off, to use a mining term, but there is every reason to believe that with more knowledge of such matters on the part of the owners the vein might have been reached at a lower depth as rich as it was above. Veins of this kind are irregular in thickness, but mining to depths of two to three thousand feet has never yet reached the bottom of one of them. Another vein was slightly explored a short distance from this opening, but the owners became discouraged and suspended operations.
Another mine was opened at Mineral Hill, about seven miles southwest of Finksburg, in the same range. It was penetrated to a considerable depth. Cobalt ore has been found at Mineral Hill in small quantity, and native gold in the outcrop in inappreciable amount. The veins were opened and some work done about two miles southwest of this point. In the Springfield mine the main shaft has been carried down on the large vein to a distance of seven hundred feet, with much better indications at the greatest depth penetrated than near the surface, where there was little copper, but a considerable thickness of magnetic oxide of iron. In fact, this mine was originally worked for iron, but as it progressed in depth the proportion of copper continued to increase, so that for several years it was worked as a copper-mine, and turned out better than any other in the State.
The ore consisted of pyritous copper, which, when pure, contains usually about thirty-three per cent, of the metal, but owing to the mixture of vein-stone, or gangue, the proportion of metal was about thirteen per cent. The ore sold for about fifty dollars per ton to the copper-smelting works of Baltimore. Chrome ores occur at many points in a serpentine formation which stretches from New Lisbon four miles west to Rockville, Montgomery Co., and nearly to the Potomac River. The ore has been worked at several points, and is found to vary considerably in quality.
The range of limestone, useful as marble, is on the western flank of Parr's Ridge, extending southwestward from a little northwest of Manchester, passing near and west of Westminster, and extending into Frederick County. They are usually stratified, and consist of very small crystalline grains, and ore generally white or some light shade of blue. It is found, however, towards the southern limits of this range more variegated, with shades of red less pure, and the stratification more disturbed. The different layers of this vary considerably, and even in the same quarry there are strata of pure white and light blue, and sometimes variegated with light and dark shades of red. They take a fine polish, and are free from the grains or masses of quartz and other minerals which sometimes exist in the older limestones. The quarries, with cheap transportation, will increase their depths. The effect of this will be to bring to light the marble, less acted upon by the weather, at less cost than when large quantities of stone have to be quarried and thrown aside in order to get unaltered blocks of marble of large size.
Carroll County is well supplied with railroad facilities. The Western Maryland Railroad was chartered in January, 1852, and work was commenced on it in July, 1857. It was completed to Union Bridge in 1861, and to Williamsport, on the Potomac River, in 1873. In its inception it was a Carroll County enterprise, the inhabitants of that section subscribing for nearly all of the original stock of the company. William Roberts, the president, and William W. Dallas, John Smith, Samuel McKinstry, J. Henry Hoppe, and John K. Longwell, directors, contracted with Messrs. Irwin, Taylor & Norris to build the road to Union Bridge, the contractors to receive the stock subscription, amounting to one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, and six hundred thousand dollars in first mortgage bonds. It was subsequently completed to