Newspaper Clippings
Weekly Leader (Kennett Square)
11th November 1871
Minerals – Wm. Taylor, Editor of the Woodstown Register has been visiting the mineral quarries, near Oxford, in the last issue of his paper he says: “Lately curiosity led us to visit a region 3 mile south of Oxford, PA., called ‘The Barrens.’ The soil there is nearly worthless of agricultural purposes; but for mineral properties and geological interest, the earth is wonderfully rich. Chrome in grains resembling gunpowder, but very heavy, is the most valuable mineral, found along the streams or strata of slaty rock beneath. A green soft rock lies near the surface in many places, and when exposed to frost and sun, seems to crumble and become disintegrated. Here and there are scattered boulders of honey-combed iron stone, streaked flint stone, or sheets of mica, commonly called ‘isinglass.’ Several quarries are open to obtain the serpentine stone, now becoming so valuable for building purposes.
Our geological companion, Chas. B. Pugh, introduced us to Andrew Dunlap, who owns a quarry in the ‘Barrens.’ From specimens of his serpentine rock, we brought away a beautiful netted-figure in black and green that when polished presented a surface as fine as the costliest marble. Other places have veins of red in the green-hued stone. A peculiarity of this beautiful rock is its freedom from grit, and one can pare it with a knife without dulling the edge. Gypsum, soapstone, with Hallite and other minerals, are found in Dunlap’s quarry. As fine building stone is coming into demand in our large cities, we doubt not that someday the Nottingham quarryman above referred to, will reap a rich reward from his rocky ground.
Oxford Press
24th May 1872
Items from Nottingham
… Two new engines were received in West Nottingham last week; one at Martin’s green serpentine stone quarries, and the other at E. M. Bye’s chrome works on the Cooper place. Mr. Bye is operating a patent screener and washer.
Oxford Press
29th January 1873
SERPENTINE – We have been shown specimens of serpentine from the premises of Andrew Dunlap, in West Nottingham township. They are very fine, of various shades from light to dark green, with black veins, and are susceptible of a fine polish. There is no doubt but that the quarries of this stone on Mr. Dunlap’s property would prove valuable for building and other purposes if fully developed.
Oxford Press
2nd April 1873
The quarries of splendid serpentine stone on the premises of Andrew Dunlap, in West Nottingham township, are to be developed, Mr. Dunlap having made arrangements with E. Martin of Rising Sun, for that purpose.
Daily Local News
15th September 1873
Stone Quarries – Improvements
Messrs. Martin & Dunlap’s serpentine stone quarries, in West Nottingham township, are becoming justly popular for their splendid quality of stone. This enterprising firm has just put into their quarries a large derrick to assist in getting out the huge rocks, which are being taken out weighing form four to five tons. They also intend putting in a twenty horse power engine, at a considerable cost, after which addition the number of employees will be increased some twenty in number. The quality of the stone is said to be perfect, being easily polished, and when so finished presents a smoother, finer surface, than is possible to give to any other quality of building stone known. Mr. Martin is from West Chester, being at one time a partner with Mr. Eber Woodward in the dry goods and chinaware business in this place.
Daily Local News
29th February 1874
The serpentine quarry on the premises of Andrew Dunlap, West Nottingham, gives promising prospects of developing into an extensive quarry.
Oxford Press
15th April 1874
Items from the Barrens
The serpentine quarry on the premises of Andrew Dunlap, West Nottingham, gives promising prospects of developing into an extensive quarry, and from it is taken an immense amount of stone of fine quality, which, when manufactured into shape and polished to order presents a splendid appearance. This quarry is situated in the “worthless barrens,” as some people call it. Though her rolling hills are thickly covered with green briars and towering pines are not attractive to the traveler’s eye, yet underneath lies her wealth, abounding in large quantities of minerals. The power by which these stones are sawed is rather slow, but no doubt the individuals who pull that big saw think it fast enough. The latest novelty talked of on the ridge is a narrow gauge railway. Won’t that be convenient? Can go rabbit hunting by steam power then.
Daily Local News
17th November 1874
A vein of corundum, one of the most valuable minerals, has lately been discovered at Dunlap & Martin’s serpentine quarries in West Nottingham township.
Oxford Press
18th August 1875
Items from Nottingham
… The engine has not been operating during harvest and the water is ninety feet deep in the chrome mine.
The Dunlap Serpentine Quarries have stopped during the rainy season and will not operate again until the clouds clear away. The other quarries are being worked extensively.
Daily Local News
11th December 1890
All the farmers in the southern portion of the county, especially in the Nottinghams, are delighted over the belief that a valuable vein of iron ore stretches itself through their domains. Certain it is that one of the richest veins perhaps in the State has been revealed in the prospects that have recently been made on the old Andrew Dunlap place, in West Nottingham, about five miles from Oxford. Yesterday the prospectors ceased their labors, declaring that what had been developed was sufficient to warrant them in saying the Philadelphian who owns the place is henceforth a rich man. A short time since, encouraged by what had been learned from the deposits, the owner of this now valuable piece of land purchased 30 acres from A. C. Cooper, whose farm adjoins the Dunlap land, for the sum of $1320.00, and this, it is stated, is only to be used as a dumping ground. It is universally believed that an enormous body of fine iron ore is to be found anywhere and everywhere in that country, and it is rumored that other farms are to be tested like the Dunlap place. Everyone down there is happy and there is considerable excitement attending the discovery, especially since the owners of the Dunlap farm have given orders to stop all prospecting until spring, when iron furnaces and all the paraphernalia for mining will be established there.
What They Learned
The prospectors on the Dunlap farm bored down many feet in four places, in one of which they struck a solid bed of rich iron ore 10 feet thick; in another they struck 22 feet of wash ore and in another 18 feet and the latter and in the forth they went through 10 feet of pure izingglass.
[Wikipedia: Thin transparent sheets of mica called "isinglass" were used for peepholes in boilers, lanterns, stoves, and kerosene heaters because they were less likely to shatter than glass when exposed to extreme temperature gradients. Such peepholes were also used in "isinglass curtains" in horse-drawn carriages and early 20th century cars.] |
