A drift has been driven east here at the western end of a high spur contained within the local synclinal basin already described and evidently holding a small area of the Ore sandstone and Sand Vein fossil ore bed. It is presumably this latter bed which has been developed, although the openings were entirely closed and there were only bowldlers of the Ove sandstone to establish the probability of this presumption. The Bloomsburg Company only control the west end of this little basin in Beaver township, joined on the east by N. Speacht who has 60 or 70 acres and was driving a new drift on the south side of the basin, which was stopped just after touching the ore. The dip is about 30° N. W.
Other small test shafts and drifts are located further east, all developing a soft ore near the surface, but all filled with water. The ore-bed evidently lies flat through the larger part of the basin rising on steeper angles around the rim and may be contained within an area 500 yards long and from 50–75 yards wide.
The general testimony of those who have worked here assigns a thickness of from 16″–20″ to the Sand Vein fossil ore bed.
Dr. Rook formerly operated an old drift, located further east and about 100′ below the top of the hill, evidently in one of the Danville beds; and near by Mr. Spaecht has developed the same bed in a new shaft, 20′ deep, which was likewise filled with water. The ore-bed is said to show about 18″, with 6″ of block ore in the center.
Messrs. Middleworth & Hoofnagle have likewise opened this bed near here, and have mined a considerable quantity of ore from it; but the bed is somewhat thinner. This lower Danville bed should be found on the east side of Mill run where the ridge in this synclinal trough is high enough to contain it; but it is doubtful whether the upper Sand Vein bed exists.
Returning to the main ore ridge to the north, several additional openings were visited between Mill run and Shipton run.
The Conrad drift, on property formerly owned by Mr.
