Some research notes about

Whitefield’s gold & silver mine.

Researched by David Chase for use in his:
"Whitefield Time-Line"

MAP

Photo Album

 

1881- "Paul King Gold Mine started and (?) on top of a hill on Aldridge (sic) Moody Farm on Townhouse Road . 75’ from the Branch Brook where the findings were washed." ¹²

Sept 4 " Elbridge Moody, who lives in the town of Whitefield, has just discovered gold upon his farm. A short time ago he sent some of the rock which came out of a large ledge on the farm to New York to be analyzed and found it contained $20 worth of gold to a ton. This is sufficient to pay to work it, and Mr. Moody has already refused $4,000 for his farm which didn’t cost him a quarter of that sum." <sup>9

A 19th century steam driven mining drill</sup>

" Some time ago a ledge was discovered on the farm of Elbridge Moody in Whitefield, which was thought to contain gold, and specimens of the surface rock was sent to Nevada and essayed (sic) . The samples sent gave $7.23 in gold and 98 cents in silver to the ton. Mr. Moody with some of his neighbors through whose farms the ledge runs, propose to work into the ledge and see what they can do with it. " ⁹

 

1890-Oct 23 " That Whitefield gold mine seems to be showing up in a pretty encouraging manner. The vein which cropped out some four feet wide, assayed $8 at the surface; ten feet down it showed over $13 per ton, and a few feet further they found the vein was yielding ore rising $15 to the ton. As a result the work is to be pushed and at once. A shaft is now under way and is to be continued along the vein as long as the yield justifies it. The workers among whom are experts in this line, being satisfied that there is a rich deposit there. That the gold is not purely local is shown by the fact that a man digging a well in the neighborhood struck the same deposit near the bottom and another well digger in another direction from (sic) the same condition of things. The yield speaks for itself and in a pretty certain tone too." ⁹

 

" The Bath Enterprise has the following information in regards to the Whitefield gild mine in which Bath capitalists are interested: Fifteen years ago Elbridge F. Moody of Whitefield while on a business trip to California became somewhat interested in gold digging there, and visited the gold sections making through inspection of the ore from many valuable mines. Previous to this time he never dreamed that there was gold on his farm. In the course of his investigation he was greatly impressed by the remarkable likeness of much of the quartz to a ledge in the center of a wood lot on his farm, which he had repeatedly noticed cropped out in several points on his farm and appeared to be a section of a big vein. Upon returning to Maine he made a careful examination of this vein, as a result of which the previous impression formed in California was doubly strengthened. As it required considerable capital to operate a gold mine, Mr. Moody, although confident from actual tests made that the vein on his land was rich with gold, has done very little in its development. From time to time assays have been obtained, the first three assaying $7, $9 and $13.65 to the ton of roc. Something over a year ago Andrew S. Merrill, of Woolwich, while in Whitefield on business, visited this farm and upon an examination of the gold vein became satisfied of the presence of gold on the farm, and at once bonded the portion of the land. This fall he went on to the ledge, and drilling a six inch hole into the vein a distance of sixteen feet, sent the drilling to the Bay State Smelting Works, and got an assay of $20.60 gold and $1.20 silver to the ton. This rich prospect, with others more recently obtained, has caused no little excitement in Whitefield and adjoining towns, and even in Randolph and Gardiner. Within a few weeks a gold mining company has been organized, and while the thing is being kept as quiet as possible it is known that this company propose to test the gold region here thoroughly, and if the gold prospects warrant, institute gold mining operations on a big scale. The farm upon which the vein has been discovered is located about two miles from East Pittston and Whitefield dividing line, and about eight miles from Gardiner. It is on the west side of the Sheepscot, and directly on the country road from East Pittston to North Whitefield, King’s Mills being a short distance below the gold region." ⁹

another steam drill

" Charles Shute, who has been in Australia Africa and California for 30 years prospecting for gold on the farm of Andrew (sic) Moody at Whitefield. The farm was bonded last week by Andrew Morrill. The quartz has been assayed in California at $13.21 per ton and more recently in Boston, where its value increased 1%. The vein has a width at the bottom of the hole now dug of fifteen feet, at the top 5 feet, and it extends three quarters of a mile. Mr Shute is of the belief that he has discovered gallium in the vicinity of the gold mine. A company will probably be formed soon to investigate the matter." ⁹

 

1891- " The Bath Enterprise understands that on the farm adjoining the one bonded by the syndicate of Bath gentlemen at Whitefield, a mine has been opened and the ore assays from $10 to $12 per ton. As soon as the weather permits, work will begin in earnest at the mine, and Bath gentlemen are hopeful. The entire operations will be in charge of a practical miner. A carload of the ore will be shipped to Denver, Col., early In the spring where it will be smelted." ⁹

 

April 2" The parties interested in the Whitefield gold and silver mine have commenced operations. They will dig 100 rod and if it will continue to be profitable as it does at present, they will erect a quartz mill "⁹

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

9 Lincoln County News

12 Kings Mills Whitefield Maine 1772-1982 by Henry C Waters

www.mndm.gov.on.ca/MNDM/MINES/ hist_album/oldrefiner_e.asp

www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/ tia/705.htm