Report – Robert Stagg – 24 Sep 1816

Alston moor Report

Rampgill. The Ore Workings at this Mine are entirely confined to the old Pickings which are very poor, but the low Level driving by R Heatherington &c for the purpose of unwatering & opening it out below the old Workings, is expected to be in a part of the Vein that will raise Ore in a few Fathoms driving after which it may be hoped to raise Ore that will more than repay its further prosecution.



Rampgill Sun Vein. It is we expect, a part of this vein which we have discovered since the last Report, that promises to become so advantageous to the Company, as its appearance is most flattering & is entirely whole for a great length & we have no doubt of raising a very considerable quantity of Ore in it during the present Quarter, as the Court will easily judge by the low prices at which the Bargains are let. Matt[hew] Thompson &c are driving a Low Level to open out the Mine to advantage.  Jacob Blaylock &c are sinking a Shaft immediately where we have made the discovery in order to ventilate the Mine to prove the whole of the Strata & to prepare the Vein for effectual Working & James Lee &c are cutting a Cross cut from this Shaft to try three other remaining Veins which have been left untried under similar circumstances as the Vein we have just discovered.  We expect to reach the furthest of them in about 45 Fathoms driving & the whole of the Agents consider this as a most desirable & promising trial, as the Veins in Question are entirely whole & in precisely the same situation as the Vein we have found so productive. Geo[rge] Raw &c are cutting a cross to prove this Vein further Eastward.



Rampgill 2a Sun Vein Is raising Ore to advantage without any material Fluctuation since the last Reports.



Scaleburn Tho[ma]s Robinson &c are driving a low Level to open out effectually the lower part of the Mine & it is hoped that it may shortly raise Ore to defray the expence of driving up to the leading objects of it where it is not doubted that  advantageous workings will be gained.



SmallCleugh… This Mine is not so productive as usual & the three Deadwork Bargains are let to cut a cross in different parts of the Vein under a conviction that a part of it is left on one side of the present Workings.



Middlecleugh… Continues to raise Ore in the old Pickings that will leave some profit altho’ small, as there is no Dead Weight upon it, it is however very poor & we have not much expectation that it will become productive.



D[itt]o 1st Sun Vein… has proved much less productive since it was relieved by the low Level than had been calculated upon & the present Deadwork Bargain is for the purpose of proving thro’ the whole of the Limestone to ascertain if the lower part of it is more productive, which will be completed in a short time.



D[itto] 2nd Sun Vein… This is one of the objects which I hoped on reaching it might assist in reviving the prospects of the Alston district by a great effort we cut the Vein last Quarter & I am happy to say it, so far, bids fair to realize the expectations entertained of it, as the Court will judge by the low prices at which the Ore Bargains are let.  Matt[hew] Elliott &c are sinking a Sump for the effectually unwatering of this Mine which I hope may now be expected to become profitable.



Middlecleugh Cross Vein has become exceedingly poor & the Bargain let in it is to prove it a little distant from the recent Workings.



Longcleugh raises a little Ore but it is poor & requires great prices and as it is a promising Vein R.Dickinson &c are driving the Level with the intention of continuing it thro’ a Cross Vein which is not far distant from it, & which it is expected may render this Vein more productive.



Old Carrs… Rob Black &c are driving a low Level to try this Vein (which was formerly so productive) in a new situation & we hope to reach it now in a few Fathoms.



Tynebottom Sun Vein has become much more productive & will raise Ore this Year to leave a fair profit, the level is driving as a necessary appendage to the regular opening out & prosecuting of the Mine.



Tynebottom West of Tyne The Bargains let here is merely to preserve the Lease untill we are enabled (after getting off our hands a part of the present heavy at the inevitable dead Weight) to make a more regular trial of it.



Benty field Sun Vein Is poor, but as there is now no dead Weight upon it it will not be a losing concern.



Browngill Sun Vein. The Bargain let here is merely to maintain the Lease without loss, until we complete the opening out of a low Level, by which we hope to regain Mines that will be productive in this Vein as well as in the Browngill & Thortergill Veins.



The trials Cragill, Blackashgill, Garrigill Old Groves, Gudamgill Moss, Broomsberry, Lovelady Shield are continuing as usual, none of them having yet arrived at there [sic] proposed objects.



In concluding this Report of the Alston district I have much satisfaction in adding that its general prospects are very materially improved.  On the present  Year an extraordinary dead Weight will fall which will sink the profits in a great measure but it is peculiarly gratifying to my feelings that it appears not to have been spent in vain & that we may now reasonably hope for fair profits in this district after the present Year.

      Rob[er]t Stagg



Weardale Report



Middlehope Mine there is very little alteration since the last reports altho’ upon the whole it may be pronounced somewhat poor. We are continuing to push forward the low Level to open out the Mine & enable it to be wrought to the greater advantage; we are still however a considerable distance behind the foremost Workings which are standing until it reaches them, when they will work to much greater advantage than they were doing while they were advanced before the Level.  Tho[ma]s Gail &c are driving the Level West in the new Vein for the purpose of further trial in it, and to open out more Ore Workings. Jno[John] Craig & partners are driving the middle Level in the old vein, the object of which is to ventilate the whole Mine by communicating with the low Level, through the medium of Sumps between them, and also to prove the Vein in the intervening Strata.  James Rain &c are driving the upper Level in the same Vein to communicate with the middle Level for similar purposes, all of which are essential to the regular & advantageous Working of this Vein.  George Gill &c are cutting a Cross to prove a  promising String lately discovered.



Stanhopeburn Mine continues to raise Ore at high prices & without much alteration in its general appearance.  Joseph Vipond &c are cutting a cross from the forehead of the high Level, to open out the Flats in that situation & by communicating with the back Workings, to ventilate the whole Mine & Geo[rge] Smith &c are driving forward the low Level to prove the Vein further West.

      R. Stagg



Teesdale Report



Lodgesyke Mine.  This Mine is no way materially altered in its prospects since the last reports.  Jno[John] Lowes &c are driving the low Level upon which depends the opening out & regular Working of the Mine.  Jos[eph] Spark &c are rising from the forehead of the Level to prove the Vein in the lower Sills & as an experiment to ascertain whether it may not be more advantages in some parts of the Vein to cut the whole of it out by the Fathom instead of working it by the Bing.  By the mode now trying much Wood will be saved, the Wages will be more equalized,

and there will be considerable saving also in the Washing but it remains to be proved by trial which will be most profitable when every thing is taken into the account, the District Agents, however, as well as myself lean to the opinion that from the peculiar nature of the Vein the mode now trying will be found an improvement. In order to ascertain with certainty the preferable manner of working I purpose to have an account kept of the Ore produced in a certain length of the Vein & the expence it costs by the plan now trying & to work an equal length by the usual plan, keeping a similar account of the produce & expence, the Agents noticing particularly from time to time the fluctuations in each length with respect to the quantity of Ore & the ease of Working & thus we shall be enabled to form a conclusion with sufficient practical accuracy.



Coleberry [sic]	Is so far improved that we are enabled to prosecute the Level upon which the further trial of the Mine depends at a Bing price, without any expence of dead work & it is looking more promising at this time than it has done since the first discovery of the Vein.  Still however we are not sanguine that it will speedily become very profitable altho’ we hope the balance may now be in its favour.



The other trials in Teesdale are proceeding towards the ultimate objects of them, with little or no variation of circumstances and the prices both of dead work, and for raising Ore have been kept as low as possible.  

      R. Stagg