Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-08
MENA. ARK, MAY SOON ne TRANS
FORMED.
RICH ORES FOUND IN PLENTY
MEN OF WEALTH ARE INvEsTIGAT-
ING CAREFULLY.
Gold, Silver and Tin Said to Be Found
in Paying Quantities Through
Developing Work Done on
a Small Scale-An Ad-
vance In Realty.

MENA, ARK, June 7.-(Special) This
city is believed to be on the verge of a
mining excitement 1t has been known
Tor more than fifty years that the mount
aims in this locality contained extensive
veins of low grade ores, but they were not
developed for two reasons-their inacces-
sibility up TO the time of the building of the
Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf railway, and
the impossibility of interesting capitalists
who, through lack OF information, believed
these ores could not be profitably worked.
Until recently no shafts were sunk, and
the only color" obtained was from ore
bearing rocks found upon the surface or
in outcroppings along the mountain valleys.
But within the past few weeks two shafts
have been sunk the deepest to the depth of
15O feet, from which ores have been taken
that have assayed beyond the expectation
of the most sanguine of the miners.
About six months ago J. d. Wilson, who
has had years of experience in the mines
of Colorado, came here as the representa-
tive of a syndicate for the purpose of thor
oughly prospecting. That he has done SO
is shown by the numerous specimens of
gold, silver, copper and lead bearing ores
that he now has on exhibition.
Later came Messrs. Durham and Batson,
the latter wealthy resident of North Da-
kota, who has been engaged in mining
operations for many years. These men
have spent their own money and devoted
their time to developing the mineral re-
sources of this region, and they believe
they are now about TO reap a large reward.
They have sent several specimens of the
ores found within eight miles of Mena to
assayers in Denver, Chicago and other
cities. and have received certificates show
ing that the ores We're rich in gold, silver
lead.
Capitalists Interested.
Within the next week or ten days a num-
Der of wealthy men will be here to in
vestigate the situation, and If found sat
tsfactory they will put in enough money
to sink shafts and build smelters The
machinery for one smeIter is now on the
way. The building is finished, and as soon
as the machinery is in place a thorough
Messrs. Wilson. Durham and Batson be-
neve II will be successful. Their assays
snow that some of the ores contain from
two 10 three ounces of gold and from a
Other ores show as much as from 200 to
800 ounces of tin to the ton.
isese ores occur in metamorphic rocks.
and talcose schiSts. The surface indica-
tons are quartzite. which show veins of
gold. silver, copper and other substances.
Some veins are found in conjunction with
lead sulphides and carbonates. Mr.. VIII
son says while some of the rock bearing
ores are new to him. still he recognizes
some old acquaintances. The mineral of
the Cripple Creek district, he says, is both
native gold and in the form of gold tel
luides, the best of which averages three
ounces of gold to the ton.
Cyanide Process VIII BE Used.
The men who are proposing to make of
this city a great mining camp, say the
ores are of such character that they
cannot be treated by the time honored
smelling process, and they intend to make
Use OF the electro-cyanide of Potassium and
chlorination processes. Cyanide of potas-
sium and chloride gas are solvents of gold
and have been used successfully in extract
ing both gold and silver from ores that
had been thrown upon the dumps after
being smelted by the fire process. They
Claim that by either the cyanide or chlor-
ination process they can extract as high
as ss per cent of the gold and silver at a
total cost not to exceed $50 per ton.
In anticipation of the coming boom, the
residents of this city are stiffening the
prices upon their improved and unmproved
real estate. There are some who predict
that the population of Neaa will reach
10000 within the next six months OF
course, there is possibility of collapse
of the mining schemes, but II now looks
as though many fortunes will be made and
lost in mining operations in Polk county