Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-22
LOOK FOR FORTUNE IN ZINC
Unequaled Activity in Mining Circles il
Southwest Missouri.
PEOPLE El0CKNG IN BY THOUSANDS
value of Zinc iIrs Almost Doubled
and This Fact Is Rcsponsible
for the great Interest Aroused
History the of Mines.

"Equaing in scenes Of excitement and in
tcrest the boom days which come to every
mining camp, Joplin, Mo, now enjoys the
distinction OF being about the livelcyt town
In the middle west" says Charles Il.
Thomas who had just returned from
short business trip TO the Missouri city.
Joplin, and its tributary towns Of Webb
city. Galena, Cartersville and Carthage, are
all nourishing little cities and are the cosn-
mcrcal .enters OF the zinc and lead min
| ing districts Of southwest Missouri, In their
immediate vicinity the greater part OF the
worlds production OF zinc is mined. The
rapid increase In the value OF zinc within
the past few notwithstanding which time 1t
| has doubled in value-is responsible for the
great activity in Joplin and surrounding
| towns.
| "All the characters attracted by stories
! OF fabulous wealth to be gained by the
| zinc miners, and who usually flock to
| mining camp OF any description are to be
found in Joplin Some of them have money,
| but more frequently the boomers are suf-
| fering from a limited possession Of this nee
| esSary article. In the towns, however, money
| is free and easy. The bar-rooms are running
| three and four shifts during the day and
night. short hour shifts being necessary lest
the men who deal out the liquid refresh
ments become physically disabled from
overwork. Gambling is run wide open. and
the click of the chips is heard at every
| corner.
While was in Joplin it was practically
impossible to get a bed and the hotel land
lords were coping out all kinds Of coin.
People are living in tents and are glad to
accent any kind Of shelter. One thing | no
ticed was the presence Of great many
well-to-do young men, most of whom are
the sons OF wealthy casterners, who are
out in Missouri investing their wealth and
they are being shown everything they
want. There are many Omaha people
, there, E. A. Benson, A. c. Foster, Ed How
ell and Frank Carmichael being among the
| number.
at is not generally known, but is a fact
: that Missouri produces nearly three-fourths
of the zinc consumed in the United States.
The principal output comes from the two
g counties of Newton and Jasper, in which
t are located Webb City, having popula-
tion of 5000; Galena 10000; Joplin, $4,000;
r Cartersville 1000, and Carthage, 5000.
S These places are connected by street cars,
r and with the population adjacent there ID
q total reaching about $4,000.
Recent Discoveries.
THE zinc mines Of Missouri are only re-
cent discoveries. Fifteen years ago the site
of the principal mines of Webb City was
offered for SIS per acre, but the wife OF the
owner refused to sign the deed. NOW the
:, royalty on forty acres of this tract amounts
. | to $4,000 per year at the rate OF ~ per
| cent. On this same mineral belt there are
Z single-acre lots OF 200 feet square that have
produced in royalties, with no expense TO
:, | the owners over 500, ,000 A single mine,
S nine years ago, sold for 1925. Three years
+ ago it sold for $14, 600, and the present own
: ers have just refused $500 per acre for the
e forty acres.
# "At Galena, about ten miles from Webb
= City the entire tract was traded for pony
II not many years ago. Eight acres of this
y have paid the owner royalty of over $2OO,-
e 900 and an eighty tract adjoining has
|, made the owners immensely rich, having
paid them over $780, 900 royalty. This is by
IS no means the exclusive territory of the cor
70 poraton and the mining capitalist. 1t has
r. been well named, Poor mans country and
- | the rich mans paradise Without exception
n every dooryard is dump plea shaft in
- the center, with rope and windlass. Shafts
:. are worked at a profit on lots 25xlOo feet.
THE production OF zinc ore in the Joplin
. region has responded well to the active de-
" mand and high prices and has shown a very
- considerable increase. For the thirty-siS
70 weeks of the present year up to September
8 the quantity of zinc ore marketed was
" 36S 021, 800 pounds, increase OF &C, 1885, $50
~ pounds, or 81 per cent over the correspond
ie ing period Of 1898 This output represents
g about 40 900 short tons of speIter and indi-
= Gates n very large output Of the metal.
al Prices of ore have been well maintained and
the producers have generally adhered to the
IN schedules adopted by the Missouri and Kan
fe sas Zinc Miners association. The attempts
IN of the smelters to break down the assocl-
to alton have not been successful, and its rates,
tn based on the selling price of spelter In st.
v Louis, practically govern the market.
he Lead ore has not increased its output in
the same proportion that zinc has. The
e. demand for property in this region is still
r very active and sales of ore lands to out
of siders are numerous. Owners OF land and
sh lessees are realizing high prices. Buyers.
ss indeed. seem to be exercising very little
discrimination, and while some are doing
well others will find themselves owners of
barren wastes or worked out tracts when
'h the boom is over There is also much risk
OF overcapitalization OF many of the mining
'0 companies
be Many Mines Closed Temporarily.
c. "The Miners association has closed down
es so per cent of the zinc mines and intends
to to keep them closed for at least thirty days
d. or until the smelters pay the price fxed
n for ore-$43 for top grade Several smeltera
IN circumstances, it is probable that more will
he have to do the sane thing as the quantities
." OF ore on hands are light. In consequence
n higher prices are asked but consumers have
he not so far entered the market to any grea
he extent. As supplies are so limited, III,
a probabilities are that higher values will b,
an established
e- Joplin will hold street, fair opening OF
DIV the 23d, which promises to be the larges
we and best organization of any held in thu
,es west this year, The two fair managers ar,
lrs well known in Omaha. George b. Nickos
ch who looks after the ElSs' interest, wa
it manager OF Manawa for one season. an'
3 Mrs. Hattie Mccall Travis, who is assist
m ant manager, and who is also getting VI
,ut the flower parade, is the woman who man
he aged the Flower parade festivities at tn
all TransmIssssippi Exposition In Omaha las
ut. year.
he THE electric fountain, which was In tn