Report – Thomas Emerson to Martin Morrison – 6 Oct 1814

Weardale Lead Mines. Octo 6/1814

       Breckonsike Vein continues very poor, only 32 Men employed & driving the Low Level at £7.10.. per fa[thom] & 30s per B[in]g, & the remainder raising Ore at 42s per Bing. Greenfield is not so hopeful as last quar[te]r, have let ore Bargains to 14 Men at 42s per B[in]g. Burtree Pasture Vein is not quite so rich at the forehead, as it was a few lengths further back; but continues very strong & likely to raise a great quantity of Ore, have let Bargains to 120 Men, 8 driving the Low Level at £10 per fa[thom] & 30s per Bing & the remainder raising Ore from 32s to 42s per Bing. Kilhope is raising Ore much the same as last Quarter, have employed 34 Men, 8 driving the Low Level at £6 per fa[thom] & the rest to raise Ore at 42s per B[in]g. Sedlin Vein continues very strong: but only poor, yet from the great number of Men employed is likely to raise a good quantity of Ore, have let Bargains to 118 Men, 8 driving the Low Level east at £10 per fa[thom] & 30s per B[in]g, 8 driving the Low Level west at £9.9 per fa[thom] & 30s per B[in]g & the remainder raising Ore & 42s per B[in]g.

Earncleugh Vein is very strong, but poor, have employed 48 Men, 8 Cutting cross from the Level to the Vein at the East end at £5 per fa[thom], 8 driving the Waggon Level Westward at £5 per fa[thom], & the remainder to raise Ore at 42s per B[in]g.

       Middlehopeshield is very poor, have only let Bargains to 16 Men, 8 driving the top Level at £5.5 per fa[thom] & the others to raise Ore at 42s per B[in]g.

Companies Vein the cross vein that we discovered by driving the other Vein, is likely to raise part Ore, but being so much out of Air, which cannot be remedied for some time, that we could only employ 8 Men to raise Ore at 42s per Bing. 

       Slitt is very poor, only 10 Men employed to raise Ore at 42s B[in]g

       Longsike Vein is much wrought out in the Top Sills, & the Ore to be got in the low Beds, in this Vein, will in future be brought out at Levelgate so that it will go under the denomination of that place, have only let Ore Bargains to 12 Men at 42s per B[in]g.

       Levelgate is likely to raise considerably more Ore than it has done of late, though we have not got a through Waygate as yet, to the Old Workings in Longsike new Vein have let Bargains to 86 Men, 8 driving the Low Level at £10 per fa[thom] & 30s per Bing, & the remainder to raise Ore at 40s to 42s a B[in]g.

       Barbary is only poor, have let Bargains to 22 Men 8 driving the Low Level at 10£ per fa[thom] & 30s per B[in]g & the rest to raise Ore at 42s per B[in]g. Greenlaws is very poor have let Bargains to 20 Men. 4 driving the Waggon Level at £8 per fa[thom] & 30s a B[in]g. 8 opening a Waygate for Air at £6 per fa[thom] & the rest to raise Ore at 42s per Bing.

       Blackdean raised Ore very well last Quart[er] & is likely to do the same this, yet it requires the best prices per Bing. have let Bargains to 86 Men. 6 driving the low Level at £8 per fa[thom] & 32s per B[in]g. 8 driving the high Level at £6 per fa[thom] & 38s per B[in]g & the remainder raising Ore at 42s per B[in]g.

       Longtyhead is very poor have let Bargains to 18 Men. 6 driving the West Level at 60s per fa[thom] & 30s per B[in]g. 6 driving the East Level at 70s per fa[thom] & 30s per B[in]g & the rest to raise Ore at 42s per Bing. Wolfcleugh is poor, have let Bargains to 24 Men, 8 Cutting Cross to the Vein at 90s per fa[thom], 6 driving the low Level from the Engine foot at £8 per fa[thom] & 42s per Bing & the rest to raise Ore at 42s per Bing.

       Broaddale Pasture is raising Ore tolerably well, but being a straight Vein requires the best Price per B[in]g, have let Ore Bargains to 22 Men at 42s per B[in]g.

       Crawlah Mines are poor, have let 8 Men a Bargain to raise Ore at 42s per Bing & £4 per fa[thom] for driving the Limestone forehead 10 fa[thoms], 4 Men to raise <Lead> at £10.10 per Fa[thom] 

       12 Men driving the Tailrace Level to the intended new Engine at £160 per Contract. I have viewed Thornly Brae & Harehope Gill Mines: but as the proprietors were not present at the time, I have not settled with them yet, the latter place has raised about 500 Bings of Ore for last Year, & seems as hopeful now, as I ever saw it.

Thos Emerson