In response to your query about the surname Binning in Alleghany, according to information obtained by my uncle, my greatgrandfather Charles Curieux formed a partnership with two other miners, Jack Binning and George Hildebrand, around 1891 to mine a ledge in Alleghany. Their mine was named the Tightener because as the vein traveled north it gradually pinched out. They had learned of this ledge from an early miner, James McCormick. My greatgrandfather apparently sold his share to McCormick at some point and the new partnership continued to mine. In 1903 the mine was leased or bonded to H. L. Johnson from John and Charles Binning, G. W. Hildebrand, and James McCormick. Johnson reversed directions from tunneling north to tunneling south. According to the Mountain Messanger in 1904 they extracted a 150 lb. piece of quartz that contained 47 lbs. of gold. For several years following they continued to discover other high grade ore deposits. Johnson sold the mine in 1911 to a group of Grass Valley miners who operated it until 1918. In 1919 it was purchased by the Alleghany Mining Co. and it continued to be profitable. In 1924 the Tightener was sold to the 16 to 1 mine and became an inegral part of that very profitable mine.