Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-03-01

highest Importance. These mines
have been worked with variable sue
cess since 1923, in which year occur
red the first shipment of pig lead,
made by the whites, down the Mis-
sisslppi river, amounting to few
Thousand pounds only. The product
rapidly increased, SO that in 1876, the
shipments of pig-lead amounted to
over 100000 pounds, after which
the quantity gradually diminished,
until the yearly average, probably,
docs not now exceed $4,000, 900
pounds. Nearly or quite two thirds
of the entire product Of pig-lead from
the Upper Missouri Lead Mines" by
which name they were known as late
as 1845, was, and is, the yield of that
portion Of the district situated within
Wisconsin.
The shipments Of lead during the
year 1869, over the Mineral Point
railroad, as appears by the report OF
the superintendent, were 974 tons,
equal to l, 948, 900 pounds. This was
mainly the product of the mines at
Mineral Point, PlattevilIe and Dodge
vile. Owing to the great depression
in prices, but few shipments or sales
Of pig-lead were made during the last
quarter Of that year. The amount OF
pig-lead now remaining in the hands
OF the smelters, at those points, is es-
timated at 10000 pigs, equal.to 800
tons, or 10000 pounds, making with
amount shipped, total product from
Mineral Point, Dodgeville and,
Platteville, 2,678.000 pounds, Of the
value of $227,63O, The product OF
these towns. does not exceed one
-four th of that of the entire district in
Wisconsin. The mineral products Of
the towns of Hazel Green, Potosi
Beetown and Fair Play, in Grant
county, and Shullsburg, Benton and
New DIggiugs,in La Fayette county,
containing by far the most produc-
tive mines, find their way to market
by the Mississippi river and the Hi
nois Central Railroad. This would
make the product of lead during the
year 1869 from the Wisconsin mines
10.712,000 lbs, of the value of $780,
$4,000. Your committee are Of the
opinion that this estimate is much
below actual product, yet that it is
sufficiently accurate for all practical
purposes.
These mines, although generally
known only by their product of lead,
are also prolific in the production OF
zinc, metal every year increasing
in Importance and consumption, ex-
tending to aud embracing almost the
whole field of economical ore and
science. Prof. Owen, ia his report
to the War Department in 1912,
states as the result of his observa,
tions, chat the supply of this ore in
the lead mines, is sufficient not only
to supply the United States, but fur
Their surplus for export" 1t ap-
pears by the report above alluded to,
that during the year 1869, 1917, $3.50
lbs of zine oxide, the product OF a
single mandatory at Mineral Point,
was carried over the Mineral Point
railroad, which at s cents per tb
amounts to S105, 3896O 1t appears
by the same report that 4 $3.50 tons of
zlnc ores, Of the value of So, O7O,
were transported in the same year.
These ores were, principally, for the
supply of zinc furnaces at La Sale,
Illinois.
In addition to this amount, proba-
bly, not less than 1000 tons, of the
value of $26, 900, the product of Wis
consin mines, were shipped over the
Illinois Central, making the total
value Of zinc product in Wisconsin
in 1869, S188, 1880. which added to
that OF lead, make a total Of S1,09S,-
1885 as the product of the lead dis
trict for that year. The ores of zinc,
few years since regarded by the
miners as q nuisance and of SO little
value that they were used to pave
the streets and walks in some of our
villages, require, in their reduction,
eminent skill in metalurgy and prac-
tical chemistry, not readily obtained
in this State. Its manipulation, some
what tedious and expensive, is ex-
ceedingly interesting to the student
in metalurgy, especially the produc-
ton of spelter, or slab zinc, but much
too complicated in lis details to be
described within the limits of this re-
port.
The composition, quality and char
acteristics of fire clays are intimately
connected with the manufacture of
spelter. This clay is row brought
from the coal mines near st. Louis,
Mo. 1t is highly probable that an
ABUNDANT supply exists in our own
State, too remote, however, from
facilities, to be made avaiIa-
Die at present.
The greatest production of lead |
rom the Galena district occurred be-
,ween the years 1889 and 1859, the
lverage during that period being
'ver 40, 600, 600 per annum, employ
ng about three thousand men. In
he latter year occurred the great
to the gold mines of the
Pacific coast, depriving the lead dis
riots of not less than two thousand
f its miners, who have never return
d.
The great want of the district I'M
er consideration is not SO much a
of its peculiar geological
eature and phenomena as carefully
and::accurate Typographical
zap of the surface, with an accom-
anying descriptive report, showing
be exact position and course of each