Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-05-11
Letter From Missouri.
IRON MOUNTAIN, Mo,
Nav ID 1871


May I'd, 1871.
J Editor Rutland Herald Il have ofte
been reminded of the request which 20
made that should contribute an occt
sional letter for the HERALD, but othe
duties have taken my time, or there hav
not been subjects which seemed of inter
est to communicate. Upon revisiting thi
place, which examined and reported upo
through the HERALD about two year
since, I find so much of a change and S
much of interest to me that I propose t
take part of this evening and write 20
a letter. This place is 81 miles south
west of st. Louis on the Iron Mountain
Railroad and contains as shown by tn
late census 201S inhabitants. Ever,
house in the place is owned by the Irol
Mountain Company, and what is yer,
remarkable not cent of rent is charged
directly or indirectly for any residence o.
other building in the place. The mar
who has a wife and family and works for
the Company in any capacity has just the
same wages paid to him as would be paid
single man for the same service, and 6
house and garden furnished besides Nor
is this all. The Company have erected
at their own expense on their lands three
churches and three school houses for the
free use of their people. They also have
a nice Touring mill, mechanic shops, stol e,
but not saloon or GROCERY can be found
on the 1908 acres which they own.
Tipplers and idlers are not wanted and
cannot stay long upon this tract of land
Industrious men of good habits can find
permanent employment and good pay.
--he'----0A- a = -- III ~>ls e-,e+A;.
ing community, yet iron mining and
smelling are the principal employ ments
of the people. Two charcoal blast furna-
ces are running and produse about 1900
tons of pig iron per month.
This, however, is but a small part of
the business done. Ore from this noun
tain is raised and sent to cities on the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, from St.
Louis to Pittsburgh. The ore is very
rich, and is probably more easily mined
than in any other spot in the world.
1t occurs in some parts of the noun
tai rs in detached masses, in matrix and
decomposed porphry, resembling clay,
some pieces being small pebbles and 9TH
ers of several tons weight. This forms
ha IS ~
tains The loose pieces of iron that lie
upon the updisturbsd side of the noun.
tain are as numerous as the cobble stones
are on some of the hill sides and btrren
knolls in Vermont.
In the more central portion of the
the ore occurs in solid masses.
md requires blasting. There are no adits
lriven or shafts sunk. 1t is all outdoor
work. 1t is like qusrryiDg Into bill OF
ocks. The mountain is made up entire
y of iron ore and porphry. Most of the
after is 80 much decom posed that it il
bout as hard as clay, and can be dug
With a miners pick
The principal business done on this
ranch of the Iron Mountain railroad i.
he carrying of iron and ore from the
and from Pilot Knob, another |
ron mountain six miles auth of here.
he daily product of ore shipped 10 April
'as one thousand tons per day. In March l
thousand one hundred and I
inety-seven tors were shipped
The product from Pilot Knob is about n
1e same as from this mountain.
These are the two most important iron t
eposits now worked in the State. But IL
ores of other iron hills or mountains u
Iist in the State, and within twenty-five a
ears will have railroads leading to them n
eighted as heavily with iron and ore IS m
e Iron Mountain road is at present. "
Missouri may well bs called the iron O.
ate, not, however, because iron is the al
ly product of which she can boast. lie
er product of lead last year Was over
,0OO,OOO pounds, being the greatest of ct
y State. Zinc, too, is qui abundant. re
more of it made here than in all the 1t
Ter States of the Union. u, ue
Goal of good quality is abundant in ev
my places, and within the past month la.
ave seen as good deposit of ornamen. Gu
marble as L ever saw in Vermont. bit
g latter is undeveloped, untouched cv
not many years will pass before Mis-. ott l
ri marbles will take their place in
rket and be worked with profit.
The numbering busine esq, too. will h. G
med, and the rich pineries which ear tbs
be bought for less than ten dolIs,0 ed
acre will be increased in value ten ool
!. Railroads are already being started ba.
ards these undeveloped lands, and SO
ging from the rapid completion of hir
SO commenced within the last five mo
rs 1t is safe to conclude that they will =.
reached within five years from this tur
e. ~
no season is very forward and the try
speot OF fine crops never was better ne ne
~ was two weeks ago. e.,
hard frost about week s;nce ;,;,a al
barley and it is feared has DESTROYED adr
peaches, except such as were nnor bio,
ground. They are about the size of oh'
y nuts and are fast dropping from Ras