The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-03-17
WISCONSIN LEAD AND ZINC
MINES.

Report of Assembly Committee on
Mining and Smelting-Importan of
Developing Lead and Zinc Mines
Present Products of AGines-How to
be Increased, etc.
The committee on Mining and Smelling
consisting of W. Raymond, ID. w. Z.
Leonard, G. A. Hunt, Ihos Duty and
J. c. Squires, to whom was referred
that portion of the Governors message
relating to a geological survey OF the
State. Ond were requested by resolution
to If anv or what legislation may be
necessary to davelope the lead mines,
have submitted report, signed by j. Y.
Souires. for the committee, as follows:
In the opinion of the committee the
time has come when the welfare and tu-
tura prosperity Of the people OF the State
Of Wisconsin require a greater variety 81
industrial pursuits; that the pursuit OF
agriculture by so great majority OF the
uecple Of the Northwest must result each
year in the augmentation of the surplus
of products, without an adequate COM
pensating demand, and thus to lead to
depression and disaster; and that our
own state contains within ltsluilts ample
resources, requiring, no Impossible
amount of skill and capital to develop
vast wealth and means for a great diver
sity Of enterprise aud employment OF
labor, both practible and almost unllmIt-
ed in extent.
Among the possible enterprises, the
Development of the lead mines OF this
state may be classed as Of the highest I'M
portance. These mines have been worked
wl,u variable success since 1923, IN which
year occurred the first shipment OF pig
lead, made by the whites, down the
Mississippi river, amounting to a few
thousand pounds only. The product
rapidly increased, so that in 1916 the
shipment of pig-lead amounted to over
sc. .000 ,0OO pounds, after which the
quantity gradually diminished unit, the
yearly average, probably, does not now
exceed %, 1OO, 900 pounds. Nearly or
quite two-thirds of the entire product of
rig-lead from the Upper Missouri Lead
Mines, " by which name they we're known
as lateas lS45 was, and IS, the Yield Of
that portion of the district situated with
in Wisconsin.
The shipment of lead during the year
1862 over the Mineral Point Railroad,
as appears by the report OF the superln-
tendent. were 974 tons, equal l,94S, 900
lbs This was mainly the product OF the
mines at Mineral Point, PlattevIile and
Dodgeville Owing to the great depress-
ion in prices, but few shipments or sales
of pig lead were made during the last
qua ter OF that year. The amount OF
pig,Iead now remaining lii the hands OF
the smelters, at those points, Is estlmatee
at 10000 pigs equal to 365 tons, or I3o,-
600 pounds. making, with amount ship
ped Il total product from Mineral Point,
Dodgeville and Platteyille, 5000
pounds, of the value of 227, $50. The
product of these town does not exceed
ore fourth Of that Of the entire district OF
Wisconsin.
The mineral products of the towns of
Hazel Green, Postosi, Beetown and Fair
play, in Grant county, and Shulsburg,
Benton and New Diggings, in La tayette
county. containing by far the most pro
ductive mines. find their way to market by
the Mississippi river and the Illinois
Central Railroad. This would make the
product of lead during the year 1869
from the Wisconsin mines l0,7l2:00O,
lbs, Of the value of S610, 520,00 Your
committee are of the opinion that this
estimate is much below the actual pro-
duet, yet that it is sufficiently accurate
fer all practical purposes.
These mines, although generally known
only by their product of lead, are also
prolific 10 the production of zinc, metal
every year increasing in importance and
consumption, extending to and embracing
almost the whole field of economical art
and science. Prof Owen in his report
to the War Department in 1912 states as
the result of his observations, that the
supply OF this ore in the lead mines Is
sufficient to not only supply the United
States. but furnish surplus for export.
| 1t appears by the report above alluded
to, that during the year 1869, 81 3et
Il s of zine oxide, the product of single
manufactory at Mineral Point, was car
ried over the Mineral Point railroad
which at cts per pound amounts tc
$l05. 800, 600. 1t appears by the same
report that. 4 $50 tons of zinc ore Of the
value of S57,070 were transported in the
same year, These ores were principally
for the supply of zinc furnaces at La Sal
Ic Illinois.
In addition to this amount, probably
not less than 1000 tons, of the value O
S26. 900, the product of Wisconsin mines