The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-09-24
Nisceil
Correspondepce Of he Boston Journal.
The Ivon Reoion NJ K;..orv,
IRON MOUNTAIN, Iron County, Mo.,)

Aug. IL, 1903.
In 1888, this mountain was "entered"
in the government land Office at 81 25
per acre. Three years later, the entire
tract was sold for $500. Its present val
ue is almost incalculable; for though ap-
parently an inconsiderable hill, it is a
more compact and extensive mass of met
al than Pilot Knob five miles distant. 1t
is 228 feet in height, and its base covers
500 acres With the exception of thin,
surface stratum of limestone, it is com.
posed exclusively of ore, containing II
per cent of pure iron.
The depth of the deposit has never yet
been ascertained. The Iron Mountain
Company recently commenced boring for
an artesian well at its base, to supply
their works with water. After penetrat-
ing through ~ feet of limestone and 80
of sandstone, they again struck the iron
ore, and bored into it for 150 feet, when
they gave it up, as pro6tless undertak-
ing! They have since constructed res
ervoir 10 economiZe the waters of a neigh
boring spring,
The ore differs somewhat from that of
Pilot Knob; but the process of mining,
roasting and smelling are identical There
are two furnaces in operation, both owned
by the same company, and turning out
daily about twenty -Rve tons of iron. The
company employs 800 workmen. The
railroad passes over portion Of the
''mountain," and within few rods of it,
on the same level the miners are con-
stsntly at work, blasting out and break
ing up the ore.
After being disemboweled from the
earth, it is first subjected TO roasting"
The blocks are piled. in ryramidic form,
upon foundation of logs, the layers of
ore alternating with those of charcoal. A
slow fire is then kindled, and they are ex-
posed for three or four weeks to as much
heat as they can bear without melting.
This expels impurities, and renders the
ore so friable that it is easily broken into
tagrr,ents-se,dorn more than three or
four inches in diameter-ready for smelt-
ing.
1t is then hauled to the furnace, where,
at short intervals, "charges" of ore, lime,
stone and charcoal-the proportions de-
pending upon the duality Of the ore-are
cast into its fiery jaws. The furnaces are
"hot. blast" and "cold blast"-so classed
from strong current of air, warm in the
former and cold in the latter-constantly
pumped into them by machinery. This
process supplies them with oxygen, and is
requisite to successful smelling. Without
it the chemical action would be imper-
feet, and the ore converted into refuse
matter, or "cinder," yielding no iron
whatever.
The heat of the furnace is most intense;
it can only be arrived at by approxittia.
ton, but Is estimated at about twenty
seven hundred degrees, Fahrenheit The
most vivid impression ] received, while
careful to keep at a safe distance from it:
devouring breath, was, that one precipi
tated into it "would never know wha
hurt him." but meet death in its mos
abrupt and painless foriti.
| The ore is ordinarily kept in the fur.
mace some twelve hours. The "cinder,'
as it separates from the iron, rises to the
surface of the molten mass, and is skim
med off at frequent intervals. Wher
thrown off while the furnace is working
imperfectly, It hardehs into a dense, darf
mass resembling coke, coarse glass or va
riegated marble. But when the charges
and "blasts' are properly adjusted, it oft
en- comes out light, cellular substance
white as snow, and bearing the appearances
of some delicate variety OF moss sudden
ly petrified.
The incandescent iron is let out of tn
great crucible, many feet below the moutl
of the furnace, into molds of sand, pre-
pared on the earth floor of the building
where in few hours it hardens int
"pigs," ready for the market. Some roug
castings, for lining the furnaces, &C., ar
also made from it. The workmen MS
long handled instruments in guiding tn
: glowing stream of liquid fire into il
proper channels. and preventing ther
, from overhowing. They are compelle
to exercise great caution to avoid casual
5 ties.
The furnaces, with their arches Ia
: chimneys, blackened roofs, clouds {
, smoke, streams of fire, begrimmed, SCOT
workmen, and the enormous masses {
charcoal ard roasting ore piled up besid
! them, form strange picture, contrastin
l. wildly with the white buildings of tn
villages, and the wooded hills which fan
them.
b Shepherds Mountain, near Pilot Knol
e contains rich deposits of iron, but no COZ
S siderable amount of mining has been dor
there. The ore of all these mountains
# stratifed, and they seem to bear evidenc
s of volcanic formation. 1t is difficult
appreciate their almost inexhaustible r,
,. sources. Prof Swallow, the State Geol,
y gist of Missouri, asserts that the deposi
:, of ore within few miles of Pilot Knc
q and Iron Mountain, above the surface
: the valleys, are sufficient to yield OF
" million tons per annum of manufacture
IS iron, for the next two hundred years!
i Granite Knob, few miles from her
e is another of natures freaks in this r
e giou. tits hill of solid stone and {
: the surface some fifty acres of land a
J. covered with boulders of coarse grant
,r thrown into all sorts Of erratic position
Re and weighing from ten to a thousar
rs tons. Large quantities of mica are foul
d in the vicinity. This deposit of grani
Ie in the midst of limestone region is
at rare curiosity, and think unparalleled
IS between the Allegheny and the Rocl
ID Mountains. W
J. Lead mining has been carried on
ID the last forty years at various points alo
a the line of the St. Louis and Iron Mou
d. tain Railway; but the metal is found o
O. ly in pockets" Of the rock, and does u
o, exist in large masses, as through the grt
Ee lead region of southwestern Missouri.
IS A. D. R.
ID Missouri Railroads Looking up.
ne The Palmvra and Ouincv (IIIl Ra