The herald., 1897-08-14
GOLD IN MISSOURI
LOCATED ON THE BANKS OF DRY
FORK CREEK
Garland G. Broadhead, Geologist of the
State University, Says It Is
Placer Gold.


excitement has been created by the dis
covery Of gold on the banks of Dry creek,
near the town of New Florence, in this
state. The man who made the discov-
cry is M. A. Bibb, farmer, whose home
is located near the scene of the discov-
cry. Indications are that the vein is
fairly rich one, but this will not be def
nitely known until the investigation has
proceeded further than at present. Mr..
Bibb has done nothing beyond washing
out a few pans of the gold filled sands
on the bank of the creek.
The discovery is regarded as one oI
exceeding interest from a scientific as
we'll as a monetary point of view, for it
has raised the question of the probable
source of the origin of the gold fonud.
Being what is known as placer gold, 1t
must have drifted down from some rich
country during the glacial period, and
as scientists say the movements of the
glaciers that once partially covered this
portion of the United States was from
north to south, it is believed the original
home of the gold that has just been
found was some point in British Colum-
bia
In view of the recent discoveries in the
Klondyke, this is of more than ordinary
interest, as it establishes a basis to the
claim that if pros pectors will penetrate
points in northern Canada directly and
greatly north of this section there is
likely to be fresh discovery of gold.
1t may be. it is held from examination
of the gold discovered on the banks of
Dry Fork creek, that the original gold
fields will be richer, if possible, than any
yet discovered. This may seem purely
theoretical. but the biologists who have
looked into the matter claim it is backed
by cold scientific fact.
There have been gold discoveries in
Missouri before, but none which seemed
to promise as we'll as this, nor was the
gold found of as high grade. The Dry
Fork creek gold will, it is stated, average
s1.5O to the pan, which would be tre-
mendously profitable yield, if there was
any quantity of the precious metal
where it could be secured from this
source. Whatever there is must be
washed out by means of what is known
as placer mining, as there is nothing
whatever to indicate the presence of gold
bearing quartz.
In making his investigation of the gold
find, previous to communicating with
the geological experts Mr.. Bibb took
specimens of the sand from various
points along distance of about seventy
five feet. He says that as far as he
was able to learn the sand taken from
one point was just as rich as that taken
from another. This would seem to in
dicate that the yield will at least be suf-
flcent to assure the finder of the goli
a comfortable fortune, If nothing more
Mr.. Bibb sent specimens of his find 70
Garland C. Broadhead, admittedly the
first geologst of the state of Missouri.
Mr.. Broadhead is a professor Of the
State university. and one Of the most
conservative of men. This is what ne
writes in answer to a query regarding
the Dry Fork creek discoveries:
with regard to discovery of gold a.
Americus, Mo-, ten miles from New
Florence, 1 would state that have not
visited the locality since the discovery
of gold, but specimens have been sent
me consisting of small nuggets of pure
gold-placer gold-the size of a pea. The
best evidence is that it occurs in loose
rock formations there are the ordinary
bedded limestones of Northeast Mis-
souri,. The sands along the stream con-
tain the metal, but I doubt if in large
quantity, although the amount is IN
certain. Some years ago gold was found
under similar circumstances in the
counties of Adair, Sullivan aud Linn, of
the state of Missouri, but not in paying
quantities 1 consider it all to have
drifted with the sands and powders
from the far north ages ago.
GARLAND C. BROADHEAD,
"Geologist."
By the end of August Mr.. Bibb be-
lieves he will have settled all doubts Is
to the value of his discovery. In the |
meantime the seologists are striving TO
gain an idea of the probable original
sOurce n the gold