Report – Robert Stagg – 25 Mar 1818

General Report of the Mines Lady Day 1818 



Weardale                     



There is so little alteration in the state of the Mines throughout the three districts that with very few exceptions I have to refer you to the last Quarters Report, as the Report also of the present Quarter. 



Middlehope Mine continues to Raise Ore to great advantage & its prospects as we proceed in opening it out to the East are of the most flattering description. The low Level driving for this purpose by Henry Coultherd &c continues excessively hard & difficult to drive altho' it is some better than last Quarter. Geo. Hall & partners are rising to make a communication between the low & middle Level, to ventilate the leading workings & prove the upper Shale.Thos Cail &c and Jno Watson &c are proceeding with the West levels in the New Vein, the prospects of this part of the Mine have long been unfavorable; appearances are now more flattering & give us hopes of regaining Ore Workings in that part shortly; The Engine is so nearly completed that we expect to commence sinking to make to make the proposed trials in a Month or 6 Weeks.



Irehopesburn At Ireshopburn we have got the Engine to Work & have commenced sinking the Engine Shaft for the purpose of trials. It is not possible to anticipate with any degreee of certainty the result of any Mining trials but there is every reason to expect that we shall obtain 

Mines here thro' the medium of the Engines that will work to advantage and altho' we do not expect them to be very rich. The trial at Coldberry is proceeding towards its object. 



Stanhope burn continues to raise Ore at high prices. It is poor & we do not expect it will ever be rich but as there is now very little Dead Weight upon it it will pay at the present price of Lead. As the  policey of continuing to drive the low Level or indeed of making any other extensive trials in this ground will depend upon obtaining a suitable guarrantee from a Mr Rippon I have not thought it prudent to expend any more money in Dead work here untill the Lease is signed & the terms settled & have therefore stopped this Level & all other Dead Work (per tempore).



Teesdale Lady day 1818 

               

Lodgesyke Mine is very considerably poorer so that even at the very high prices which we are compeld to give for raising the Ore at this Mine the Wages of the Men are not expected to exceed 12/ or 13/ per week with the utmost exertion they can make. The Crosscut which we made by Jno Hunt &c last Quarter in order to prove whether a part of the Vein had not left us to the North we have discontinued after having driven it so far as perfectly to satisfy ourselves that the Veins have all come together which we consider the cause of the unfavorable alteration which has recently taken place in the state & prospects of this Mine. The prospect of the Ground yet to be explored to the East is thus rendered unpromising, but still we have no doubt of this Mine producing many thousands Bings of Ore in the part lying between the low & upper Level west of the latter altho at higher prices than when the Mine was rich. Jos Beach &c are rising to open out a part of this Ground which we hope they may complete during the ensuing Quarter when we expect better Workings will be gained than any we now have in this Mine. We have completed the rise prosecuting last Quarter by Harrop &c and are now about to make trial from it of the Strata lying between the Surface & the high Level. Henry Wall &c & Jno Hunt 

&c are driving the two Levels upon which the regular prosecution of the Mine depends & Geo. Beadle &c are cutting a cross from the upper Level to the Vein to open out a new length of Ore Workings. 



The Mine at Coldberry is very poor & is proceeding along with the Trials at Flakebrig Wiregill Mannergill & Brackergill with no material alteration. 



Alston Moor



Rampgill. Jno Eliott &c & Robt Herrington &c are proceeding to drive the Levels with no material changes except that they are both much softer and therefore drive at less prices since last Report. The Ore workings at this Mine are merely old pickings which require all the price we can give, We hope however in five or six Months to reach a part of the Vein where better workings are expected with great confidence.



Ramgill Sun Vein continues exceedingly good as the Court will perceive by the very low rates at which the Ore Bargains generally have been let. The Crosscut driving by James Lee & partners we expect will reach its object during the Quarter & Mattw Thompson &c are driving the necessary Level for the working of the Mine. 



Smallcleugh is not essentially altered since last Quarter, except that it is uncommonly hard which renders necessary great prices for raising the Ore. If any thing however it is a little poorer.

This Mine notwithstanding will now pay exceedingly well as the Ore is of excellent quality & we have got over the extra dead work that was necessary in the more effectual opening out of the Mine. Jno Hind &c are driving the requisite Level as an appendage to the Mine



Tynebottom continues to raise a good deal of Ore altho it is both hard & poor and therefore requires high prices. The only Dead work here is the Level which opens out the future workings and cannot be done without. The other Ore Bargains in the Moor are all pickings which require the best price we can give. The various trials are proceeding towards their several objects without any change entitled to notice. 



I continue during the prosecution of the trials which we have in progress to hold the other Leases by encouraging the Pickings in order to equalize as much as possible the Ore raising, and expenditure without losing sight of the future prospects of the Mines, & as far as we can anticipate we have now every reason to expect a succession & continuance of Mines in this District, that will fully employ the smelting powers of the Mill & leave a fair profit, I calculate this Year upon raising as followes,   

In Alstonmoor 9,000 Bings

Weardale      5,000

Teesdale      4,000 

Total        18,000 Bings 



And I have no doubt notwithstanding the Extra expenditure in Weardale in erecting the Engines, and in Alstonmoor in continuing to complete the Repairs of the Mines & the falling off the Mine at Lodgesyke in Teesdale, that the Years result, when we wind it up will equal or nearly equal the estimate given the Court in the Report of the cost of last Years Lead.



Every added Quarters experience confirms me more & more in the policy we are pursuing in encouraging the Pickings & keeping as low as possible the Rates for raising the Ore in the best parts of the Mines, where the bulk of the Ore is raised & where therefore a small saving per Bing amounts to a large Sum. For the encouragement of the Pickings raises several hundred Bings of Ore which otherwise would never be taken out of the Mines & upon which there is, even at our highest prices, a very abundant profit to the Company whilst they frequently lead to the discovery of very advantageous Workings and afford employment to multitudes who would otherwise be a burden to the community. 

      R Stagg