Dear List,
Found this story in a book with an article about the Cagle gold mine.
I know John "Dutchman" Cagle, first owned this mine. So who owned it at
the time of this story?
A story about the Cagle gold mine from the year 1882
MINING OPERATIONS IN 1882.
Moore County, North Carolina
Cagle Mine. One mile south and on the east side of Cabin Creek
it is quite near the east edge of the belt. The mining tract embraces
about five hundred acres. The mine is entered by two underlay shafts
in the vein, the deeper being one hundred and sixty
feet on the incline (equivalent to about one hundred and twenty feet
vertical depth). The ore body is made up of a quartzo-talcose schist
with a small amount of disseminated iron pyrite and a trace of cop-
per pyrite; the vein is reported to be two to nine feet thick. The assays
made at the assay office, Charlotte, have run $5.33, $6.20, $27.19 and
$39.88 per ton.
A newspaper article from the newspaper Progressive Farmer Winston NC dated
January 12, 1897 says the Cagle Gold Mine, had produced over a million dollars.
The average ore is of a rather low grade, but very abundant. The
plant comprises the usual appurtenances including four 5-stamp batteries.
Only three men were employed in August.
This mine was in operation from about 1865 to 1888 and again an effort in 1906.
From the low end of the assay amount it apears to be not too great at
$5.33
per ton. On the high end of $39.88 it isn't too bad.
The gold mines in this area reported to be about $40.00 to $400.00 per ton.
In 1799, 12 year-old Conrad Reed made the first documented gold find near Charlotte,
in Cabarrus County. Soon thereafter, everyone from farmers to investors began to pan for
gold.
It didn't take long to create some 300 mines, employing locals and immigrants from
South America and Europe.
It has been reported that he found a 17 pound gold nugget. In 1799 gold was $19.39 per
ounce.
Making his find have a value of about $5, 274.00. In today's price that would be
$344,462.00.
As time passed, North Carolina became the only producer of domestic gold between 1804 and
1828.
North Carolina was the highest gold producer in the nation, until 1848 when gold was
discovered in California.
Best Regards,
Earl D. Cagle Sr.
Source : HAND-BOOK OF THE State of North Carolina
EXHIBITING ITS RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES.
PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
At RALEIGH: ASHE & Gatling, State Printers and Binders.
Presses of Edwards, Broughton & Co. I883.