fossil and throughout its range contains a smaller percentage of iron and ore lime than it does in the basin between the ridge and the mountain.
Ore mines.
J. F. Middlesworth’s property has a small opening close to the Spring township line. The first drift east in Beaver township on N. Spaecht’s property followed the Sand Vein 300 yards to the Middleworth line and produced mostly soft fossil ore, the bed averaging 2′ in thickness, This opening, in common with all the other drifts in Beaver township, has been abandoned for some time and the ore largely removed, The bed is reported to have been almost clean at this point without “Jack” or slate. The Ore sandstone is seen at the drift mouth perhaps 20′ thick; but still rather shaly. All the soft ore has been mined here down to water level and future developments will have to be made by small shafts in the valley to the north where hard ore will probably be obtained unless the low dip of the measures and the soft nature of the overlying shale have combined to produce a fairly soft ore beneath water level. A small drift in the Danville beds underneath the Ore sandstone was not successful, the bed being very thin and lean.
On the east side of Mill run several cross cuts were driven on Mr. Yerger’s land by Dr. Conrad and perhaps 30–40 yards of breast above water level has removed most of the ore at this point and as far east as Speacht’s second drift. The slope of the hill is very gentle here and it would seem natural to expect a considerable body of soft ore beneath water level on this property.
M. Spaecht’s or Hedrick’s farm to the east of Yerger's, has been worked out to about the same level for ¼ of a mile along the outcrop; but there should be good ore found further north and lower on the slope of the ridge. This farm is now owned by Messrs. Snyder & Bowersox.
Immediately south from here, about ½ mile back of the Ore ridge and between branches of Mill run, Messrs. F. Middlesworth and C. Hoofnagle have mined ore on leases held by the Bloomsburg Iron Company on property of Mr. Arp, formerly the Torman farm.
