Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-09
suited by their indecent language or side
remarks; in fact know ladies who hesitate
TO go there unattended because of this al
ready glaring, but growing nuisance.
VOX PopITTI
Mines, Mining and Rock Formation of
SOut beast Missouri,
IRONTON. Mo. Ma,

-iAAiASs', IbUch OfDlatlOn {
Southeast Missouri.
t lRoNTON, No., MAY Sd, 1889.
!. This region embraces aterritory extend
5 ing east to the Mississippi River, west to tn
5 headwaters of the Current and Merama
Rivers, north to and including a portion c
2 Jefferson county, south to the Arkansa
, line. In the region above described ther
l have been discovered lead, copper, zine
silver, iron, manganese, wolfram, nickie an
: cobalt ores. History tells us that in III
lead was mined and smeIted on the Mera
mac. Since that time lead mining has bee
: carried on more extensively than other elias
of mining in this region. In the early day
they had no diamond drills to penetrate TIL
rock formations to bring to light the othe
hidden minerals and rocks. The early ex
!, plorers had to rest their opinion on the floa
and the outcroppings of the mineral veins O.
belts that they might find or discover b,
close observation and by actual mining in
rude way. To-day an experienced minel
and geolOgist can locate mineral belt lever
If it should be several miles distant from a
well developed mine) and select point and
| put down a few diamond drill holes and
bring to light the hidden minerals at very
small expense, and generally in paying guam
titles. We have in this region, what is term
ed float mineral, and it did undoubtedly come
| from some vein or deposit in that locality
where the float is discovered. If there was
not any surface Indication, either by float
mineral, detached pieces or solid outcrop-
ping, we would have but very few mines
discovered Or in operation to-day. Lead
has been discovered in granite, porphyry,
limestone, sandstone, &c. The lead in
this region is found in veins and deposits in
the third magnetism limestone, porphyry
and granite. In prospecting for mineral
veins our first discovery is generally in find
ing small pieces or boulders of the ores lying
loose on the hill side, ravine, or creek beds.
We first examine these pieces or boulders.
We find, upon examination, that the piece
in or near the creek bed is rounded on all
sides. Hence it would be little difficult to
determine where it came from. Itwould be
useless to dig for the ore body where you
find those boulders or rounded masses. 1t
is plainly seen that such pieces have been
carried some distance by the rapid streams,
until the sharp edges and corners have been
rounded like a ball. We will take piece of
ore or rock from the Hill side, ravIne or hill
top, where 1t has been exposed only to the
frost, rain and heat of the sun, and what
shape DOVE find this piece of ore or rock?
Upon close examination we find that part of
the ore or rock in a rounded shape only
that has been exposed to the elements of
heat, rain, frost, &C., while the under side,
or part that lies on the ground, is nearly flat
or with nearly square edges. When we find
such pieces We are almost certain to find the
ore in place not far from the detached pieces.
Take the 1873 pound of galena that was
brought to the REGISTER office from Marble
Greek a few days since, and upon close eX-
that is, it has one side that is not rounded as
much as the other portion of the piece, which
shows that it has rested on the fiat side or
base for il great length of time. Long enough
for the frost, rain and heat to produce or
form rounded mass on the part exposed to
the weather. This piece of ore was found
on the head waters of one of the branches of
MarbleCreek; this stream was once an Indian
camping ground in the early days. Suppose
they carried on, Il traffic in lead with the
English and French in those early days. 1t
would look a little like business that the
Indians would sell this galena to the French
or English for some little trinkets. Some
will say, "yes, they got their galena from
Washington county, II they did they
would not carry 1873 pounds of lead sixty or
more miles by land when they could reach
st. Francois River and the Mississippi River
in less than half the distance, ! have not
the least doubt that the Indians disposed OF
their lead. There have been large quantities |
of lead found in the fields and roads of
Marble Creek. If the Indians did trade in !
galena don't it look little reasonable that |
marble Creek being an Indian camping |
groundl the Indians would gather up 1.-The |
gslena that they could ind on Marble creek |
first (before going further north into Wash
ington county, and take it by way of Marble
Creek to ST. Francois River in canoes to the
seat of war and dispose of it? There is not |
the least doubt if the Indians had not taken
away the surface galena from Marble and |
Big Greek that 1t would have had Oday |
lead mines opened up in those regions. l
think, take the circumstances in which the
lead ore is found on the above creeks, that
the probability is that ore deposits do exist
in paying quantities. A few diamond drill
holes will prove it.
We have a mineral region that is unde-
veloped and the time is not far distant when
it will be thoroughly developed. There is
known to exist in this region tin, and well
defined fissure veins of quartz carrying lead,
silver, copper, &c. These Veins discov-
cred in granite and porphyry rock. The
ead ores or galena are found IN the third
magnetism limestone. The ison ores are
found in porphyry and slate. In veins and
deposits. Manganese ores are found in de-
posits in slate and other metamorphic rocks.
Copper ore is found i'm the shape Of carbon
ates and yellow sulphurets in veins and de-
posits. Very little attention has been given
20 this ore in this region. There is piece
# ore at thts Office. Come aud give your
opinion and state whether it is Il boulder OF
not. 1t is considerable smaller than the 1873
pounds of galena. /. C..
From hes Arc