The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
ZINC AND LEAD KL0NDIKE.
FORTUNES MADE IN THE BOOMING
Observation-Disclosures CAMPS.

FORTUNES MADE IN THE BOOMING
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CAMPS.
Farmer John Nswiin's Lucky Stop in Joplin
on His Way tn ArkansRs-Decidbd to Try
Mining aud struck II Rich the First Time
Others Who Have Quickly Become Rich.
sPRINoFIELD. Mo-, May 26.-The unpreee-
dented increase in tho price OF lead and zinc
has brought to the mineral belt OF southwest
Missouri and southeast Kansas, to which this
city is q gateway, all the romantic elements OF
the Rocky Mountain mining camp. There has
been mining In this district for many years,
but until a few months ago lead and ZiAc were
regarded as too coarse to attract the attention
OF gold and silver Arospectors. But when these
ores jumped to $50 per ton "a phenomenal boom
was started. and II is now ahead Of anything ever
recorded in the history Of Cripple Creek or
Leadville-not that the output Is Of greater
value. but by reason OF the fact that lead and
zinc mining is a game at which the poor as
well as the rich may play. 1t is like the placer
mining OF California in 40 so far as capital 10
concerned. OF course II the prospector has
funds with which TO apply machinery in tho
sinking Of his shaft his labor is lightened and
his chances are better. There are. however,
many examples to-day Of men who started with
barely enough capital to purchase a pick and
shovel. Some Of these are rich now.
III pElnclpul camps III tHiS ulStTlcJ are JOD-
lin. Webb City, OronoGo. Carteryillc. Aurora,
Central City,. Dunweg. CRANKY. Stotts City.
Carthage and Neck City in Missouri and Ga
lena and Empire in Kansas. Since Jan. ].
| 1892, the aggregate value OF the lead and zinc
OUTPUT of this district has been S3,SS1 .704.
These figures represent the total value Of the
product mined and sold from the first day OF
the year up to May g.. Twenty-Five years ago
zinc ore sold for 50 per ton. Now it is from
$40 to 500. That is why the Missouri Kan
sas mineral belt has become a veritable
klondike. There is much moro certainty Of
success in mining lead and zinc than in gold or
silver. Notwithstanding the difference in value
of the respective products. While Stratton
made his millions at Cripple Greek. manythou-
sand prospectors tried and failed and walked
away from the camp In disgust. In this Mis-
souri-Kansas Klondike there seems to be moro
OF an equal distribution Of luck or fortune or
whatever it may be called. OF course all
Farmer John NewIin of Iowa drove into
Joplin last November in a covered wagon
farmed rented land in Iowa for many years
with Indifferent success, and at last had de-,
landin Arkansas. When he reached Joplin he
saw saw for the first time IN his ne a lead and zinc
%'as n he h I'D aR Ssa SsIy n2 Iit aE9T monsy. of , ths
enough. by, close economy. to buy food Tor his
family and feed for his horses until he
{IiG stenea raise sS seno 'F? %Ropd 5e AFkp s'efiss H oi
hoy poor men had become milliopairss
their het IS sts Y in JiopIin that Ia he was gGing to try his
search of land. They were then very near the
Arkansas line, apd she declared her husband
SNsSTfI%ie can 'T wear Worth 1Sr sEhT e6wns f f9 she N iiEt so for
her husband struck pay dirt and counts his
A pick and shovel were Newlin's only tools.
He leased the land upon which he made his
mann. FRI his m s'r%sk the of Fsg nsa and dh ie is sq m5% one h oi
easily worth half a million and is growing
lin is the typical farmer. News OF his rich strike
reached his former home in Iowa; and now
lin is branching out. and with the latest ma
chinery he 4 sinking several other shafts;
quarter Of a century ag@, ' Hee had d' a few SG hun a
ssSfn dS' Ia is aad e He san iGG5ss tGs Is to inS sf Irn his
s5to 81! per- ,s%q acre a' lie ieu says ' now Ya tRat IA he 1r ann
ticipated the great mineral discoveries that
weTe ,s tG is d9ll9 9Ts oi Mbnrpih Gy,d is now ", 2 N %qi ,hs
He made his fortune and is still increasing it
by the ROYALTIES paid by men who secured
Pat MURPHY. ior he reseiyf%s trom 10 to '236op per-
cent Of the OUTPUT yielded by his land
able abb ' to hold Els own at The ih.aq rough ia LABOR SaS Of f4 min.
could md nothing else to do, BY hard saving
ne afSum u,ate % enough nno m9ney to send Tor his
Two nTotnerS tt DECATUR. Iney were ulgRerS.
The, Bennett brothers are row owners Of the
year amounted to $4,000
Those are stories. OF. men who have made
riches. Hundreds OF others might be recited.
Andonem might also mention hundreds who have
tried and failed. Not every man who enters
this Klondike is a winner when he quits the
they begin. but they. lack the patience neces-
sary to make a winning.
Authentic statistics show that the consump-
tion OF zine Is gradually on the increase. The
manufacturer is finding many uses for this
metal that were not known a few years ago.
The zine product Of other countries is decreas-
ING. Europe now draws upon America for
output of the tmines in, this district there
seems to be no accumulation. There is no
stagnation in the markets. II appears that
there is no end to the resources OF this Mis-
souri-kansas Klondike. 1t is reasonable to
believe that the boom now started will con-
It's present high figure. but it is not likely to
fall enough to materially discourage the pro-
ducers.
The scene at Joplin and other leading camps
Is well worth, seeing. The old gold miner from
Cripple Creek, Dead Mans Guich. Placerville.
Leadville or any other n the roaring camps
finds himself in a homelike atmosphere when
Here he will find the open gambling house
ness with a bank he doesn't necessarily
have to transact 1t during daylight. for In
order to keen pace with conditionsit 1.-THE banks
stay open until 10 O'Clock at night. He will
but he will have to stand in line and await his
| turn for drinks. for the bartenders are unable
to keep up with tho orders.