The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-07-13
The Lead Mines Of Kansas.


But, sweet, In yonr eyes may be-"
The Lead Mines Of Kansas.
GALENA, Kansas, June 18th.
See the infant wonder, the new
metropolis of Kansas, and die. We
have seen the city OF the mines, but
would rather await further develop
ment before the last act In the event.
full drama; In fact we do not believe
that residence In Galena, and Empire
city with their whirl hustle and ex-
element, Is particularly adapted to
prepare one for the solemn scene OF
his final exit. A striking coincidence
however: to the investor of small
means, they are both q ''leetle risky >
About eight weeks since lead was dis
covered on Short Creek. PrOspectors
commenced docking In, more lead
was discovered, sometimes within five
or six feet Of the surface; still flowed
the tide of immigration In, growing
by what 1t fed on. Now, June 2Sth
town companies are organized in
close proximity, representing Galena
and Empire city, claiming together
about three thousand souls. Within
radius of four or five miles, or as VIC
might say In the suburbs or these
cities, there is q population which
taken with the two cities, we have
heard estimated by visitors at eight
or nine thousand. Owing to the con-
fguration OF the county and thick
growth of scrubby timber It is very
difficult to arrive at satisfactory esti-
mates as to numbers. The woods for
miles are one huge mining camp, re-
hiding one Of an old fashioned camp
meeting; they are stopping In wagons,
In tents, in rail pens, bush sheds, and
In almost every conceivable domicil
Galena, although but few weeks
old, has many attractions and appur-
fences Of first class city, a theater is
already In full blast, an opera house
completed, and negotiations pending
for a troupesStO. operate It.
Hotels anu Restaurants are numerous
and the rates generally are reasonable :;
one enterpriseing firm, In large let
ters adVertlses ga meal as your mother
cooked it for % cents' Gas although
our sisters could not cook as welI.)
Coming up from the mines one day,
tired and hungry, we met at the door
OF the Alamo Restaurant No. 11s
Main street, the genial proprietor,
G. A. Logan. We went in,and sampled
. part OF his long bill of fare. It was
equal to the best we have found In
any city. AS . hotel we found the
Ottawa House pleasant home while
we remained In Galena, bills moder-
ate, and square meals; board ranges
from 20 cents to $l.5O per days $500
to $500 per week. There are scores of
business houses of all kinds, now In
oppe ration or building. Red Hot
street, between the two towns, is as
compactly built as the main street in
Emporia and about every other bussi-
ness house is q saloon. This part of
the town Is infested with gamblers,
soiled virgins, drunkards, murderers,
and all manner of iniquity. The
minister, however, Is abroad In the
land, and lots have been set apart for
the use of churches. The Methodist :,
the Baptist, the Catholic and Congre-
gatiOnalist, and others, are already on
the ground preparing to build their
nhnRnhn0 EGhnRn IL
papers, The Mining Echo, and Galena
Miner.
The lead mines are principally OPP
perated by mining companies who
lease ground to miners in claims 100
square feet to 300 square feet per lot,
each minner binding himself to do so
much work or forfeit his claim.
The company agree to pay $500
per thousand pounds for the lead ore
lifted when lead was 2 cents per pound
In st. LOUIS or In that ratio. Lead now
Is only about 90 cents per pound.
Lead Is found from feet of the sur
face down. That next to the surface,
Is called float, several shafts are pay
ing at 10 to 10 feet In depth. The best
paying mines at Joplin are more than
one hundred feet deep; there are per-
haps 30 paying shafts, in the Short
mines at Galena. The Shepherd shaft
In depth 80 to 90 feet, is taking out
8 to 200 pounds per week, Quick and
Son shaft 80 feet Black Jack, (rink) at
IA feet no more blossoms, (Indications)
or shines (better indlcations) T. C.
Mlnter took out ore block weight
1852 pounds. depth AZ feet.
Bonanza mines IA to % feet thick,
will pay to DRIFT; 10000 pounds
taken out of lot 80 up to date Buying
and selling claims has already assum-
cd proportions. We were informed
by John Ludy of Lyon county, who
Is opening mp q mine, that Charley
Patty, Of the same county, worked q
shaft two days and sold 1t for $1,000.
A farmer sold ITO acres of land for
$500. In conversation with US he ex-
pressed regret that he had sold, as he
was offered $4,000 the next day.
Wages are from one dollar to $50 per
day the supply of laborers are fully
equal to the demand.
Teams hauling lumber from Baxter
make $50 per day. A nobby rig
can be had cheap of Garnes and
Weilep, who keep q first class livery
on south Main street, We know that at
least one of the teams are travellers,
and that they understand their busi-
ness for we haVe tried them in an ex-
cursIon around the mines. Owing to
the great amount OF rain since the dis
covery, mining has progressed slowly
and It will be some weeks yet before
many Of the main leads will be reach
ed.
How to reach the miner; Parties
from Emporia and vicinity, can take
the n. X. & T. railroad to Fl. Scott,
Ft. Scott and Gulf railroad to Baxter,
where stage line operated by Spencer
d BOtkin. Office In Planters Hotel,