The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-18
YELLVILLE MINES.
Topeka Man Tells Something of This
District.

District.
D. o. McCray, who has just returned
from the YelIvfIle, Arkansas, mining
districts in which many Kansas people
are interested, said:
In the past few years much interest
has centered in the rich zinc and lead
fields of northern Arkansas. Nothing
was known of the marvelousIy rich de-
pOsits of zinc in that region until the
Worlds fair. At that great exposition
a huge chunk of carbonate weighing
over 1900 pounds, taken from the fam
Gus Morning Star mine in Marion
county, was awarded first premium in
competition with the world. This mine
is located IS miles from a railroad. The
specimen exhibited at Chicago was
blasted out of a mountain side, rolled
onto log wagon and hauled to the
White river, ten miles distant. It was
carried down the river on a raft, and
at Batesville, with the aid of machin-
cry, was hoisted into box car and
sent to Chicago.
1T was not long after this exhibit
ton at Chicago till the Kansan began
to penetrate the ArkansaW wilderness
with an eye single to business. The first
expedition was headed by Jesse Taylor
of Garden City. Col. James r. Halo
well and John V. MOfitt accompanied
Taylor, and on this trip they purchased
property, for the prince EaI' mine is
one of the well known prospects of
Marion county today. Later eX-G Cover
nor Humphrey and a party went to
YeIlville and toured the country round
about.
ION a recent trip to Marion county
with J. T. Afford, of this city, I discOv-
cred that a goOdly number of KansanS
were on the ground ready for the great
development and growth which north
ern Arkansas is soon to take on. I met
Captain Mcclure, of lola, who is there
looking after property owned by a syn
dictate of Allen county men. Major Tom
Durham and other TOpekans are at
Dodd City. Major Durham has been in
that country many years, and his
friends will be glad to know that he
owns some of the most valuable lands
in the zinc region. Mr.. Williams, who
was treasurer of Garfield county back
in the sos, and other western Kansas
rustlers, have gone into Marion county
for a share of the good things. A large
colony might be formed by the kan
sans from Fort Scott, Pfttsburg, To-
peka and other towns who are already
in Marion county.
"A year ago thousands of acres in
the mineral belt were subject to entry
a. government land Now it is impOs-
sib1e to find a 40 acre tract that some
one has not filed upon. Prospecting is
being pushed everywhere and now that
the Standard Oil company has gone in
to that region and solved the problem
of transportation to the railroad, its
future is assured. A representative of
this company is on the ground buying,
leasing and taking options on thous-
pay $50 per ton for every ton of zinc
taken out of a mine and thrown upon
the dump. Then, when it is delivered
to railroad station he will pay the
balance at the then market price. This
will stimulate active development and
within a year thousands of tons of ore
will lie upon the hil1sides of Marion
county ready for shipment. The Stand
ard Oil people don't do these things for
fun. The company expects to get this
ore to market and it knows that when
several hundred thousand tons are laid
out on the dump, one or more railroads
will build in there to get it. If hard
pressed, the Standard Oil company
could build a railroad of it's own.
Briefly, Marion county, Arkansas, is
one great zinc mine Probably zinc
cannot be found on every quarter sec
ton, but the tract without ore of some
kind would be the exception. Aside
from zinc and lead there are great
marble quarries. chalk mines and caves
of awe and grandeur. Because of it's
remote location one is liable to hesitate
before making up his mind to see Mar
ion county. The trip is one of extreme
interest. Leaving Kansas City on the
Memphis route at $40 p. m, you are at
West PLANES, in the land of the Big
Red Apples early the next morning.
There you can get any kind of convey
ance you want for a daylight ride
through the Ozarks By sunset you are
at Mountain Home, the county seat OF
Baxter county, Arkansas. With an
early start the next morning you can
reach Yellville, Is miles further, by
noon. This route takes you across
White river, one of the most beautiful
streams in the world. Every season
people of the western states make long
journeys across the continent to see
the Alleghanies, the Hudson, Connec-
ticut and other eastern rivers. have
raved over their beauty and grandeur,
but a visit to northern Arkansas and
the White river, where for hundreds of
beautiful
Ozark mountains has convinced me
that nearer home one may enjoy all the
pleasures and beautiful scenery to be
observed on a trip to the mountains OF