IRON ORE MINES

of the

LACKAWANNA IRON & STEEL CO.

SCRANTON PA.

NOVEMBER 2008

2^ND EXPEDITION:

Our second trip went a lot easier. We started from the end of Elm St. and worked our way down, over three rock ledges, to turn west on top of the fourth ridge. This took us to the stone building foundation area in about 20 minutes. Here we started covering the area with metal detectors, and measuring the foundation, shown from a tree view.

The measurement of the foundation was 14 X 14 feet.

The depth of the foundation was 8 inches above ground, and 4 inches below. Soil inside the foundation was a mix of sand and gravel, this was different from the soil in the area outside the foundation.

This is in the largest trench, near the foundation, looking NE.

This is the trench looking SW. the large cleared area by the pick is the iron ore bed. The metal detector solid hits on all of the bottom, sides and areas mounds, outside the trench.

This is a close up of the iron ore bed.

This plate was found by Mike Guzzi and frank Dutton, at a point half way between the foundation, and the large trailings pile, along side the rail bed.

Measurements taken of the plate. If anyone can identify it, please contact us at jasper933@comcast.net or info@oldforgecoalmine.com.

The gravity rail bed, where it is built up on stone measures around 9 feet across the top.

Iron ore deposits like this are everywhere you dig.

One of the 12 tunnels we found at the base of the third ridge, about 10 had trailings piles extending out to the gravity rail bed.

A close up of the ore inside one of the collapsed tunnels.

Evidence of heavy drilling was found near one of the tunnels. This 3 to 5 ton rock has a 2 inch bore hole on it. It is one of only three found so far, along the gravity iron ore mine railroad.

Another ore bearing rock of about 3 to 4 ton. Found 25 feet off the rail bed.

Several trailings piles, like this one extend 60 to 80 feet, from the mine entrances to the ore bed railroad.

This is a section of the gravity rail bed at the highest point and near the end. It is located east of the big trench, and it is where we found the most metal spikes and strap rail. Here Steve Chisarick sweeps the east side for metal.

Carl Orechovsky holds one of the rail spikes he just dug up after a hit on his metal detector.

A view of the combined find for the 2^nd expedition.

A view of the bottom of the third ledge looking up toward the top of the second ledge, an estimated height of 200 feet.

Iron ore exposed on the flat stone, near the edge of the third ridge, east of the rail bed. The quarter is for size. The stone comprising the ridge was worn away by time and weather, leaving the black ore nodules exposed.

A side view of the above location.

The group photo was taken back at the stone foundation, at the conclusion of the trip. From left; Mike Guzzi, Steve Chisarick, Frank Dutton, and Carl Orechovsky.

End.