Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-06-24
FREE ORE AT 900 FEET.
The Most Wonderful Discovery Ever
Made In the District.

| Shs3S ~ sssS otoess@es
Perry Croseman, of the drill firm
of Crossman Bros. brought In
word from Hell's Neck last evening
of the most wonderful drill discov-
cry ever made in the district Gays
the Joplin News. At noon yester-
day their drill had penetrated 32
feet into body of free zinc ore, at
292 feet below the surface.
Mr.. Crossman was seen by News
reporter soon after his arrival in
town and learned from him the
story of the rich find that is already
creating an intense excitement
among property owners and in.
tending investors. The discovery
is on the property of Messrs. Nor
gan & Johnson of Muncie, Ind. The
firm had we'll developed surface de-
posits on two levels, on the strength
of which they erected a mill, at the
same time sinking for water. As
there wae still a lack of sufficient
water TO successfully run the mill
they engaged the Crossmans to
drill q well for them. Passing
through 80 feet of flint the drill
broke into open ground and ore at
900 feet. Chunks of zinc half as
large as an egg were brought up in
the sand pump. II at once became
necessary to case the we'll. This
was done and as each foot has been
drilled the casing has been driven
down TO the bottom. The opening
has been of the same character of
ground the entire 32 feet, and hard
rock has not yet been encountered.
Mr.. Crossinan says this deep ore
deposit 10 similar in every way to
a surface deposit of free ore, only
that It is apparently of much great
er extent.
An eight-nch we'll was started in
order to furnish a strong flow of
water when IL was reached, and IL
has required Mr.. Crossman no little
effort to gather together enough
casing of this size to extend from
the surface TO the bottom of the
we'll. ..
This discovery of so rich a depos-
Il of zinc ore on the 800 foot level 10
in the nature of boomerang to old
theories. Many geologists have
held that there was nothing here
but pocket deposits near the sur.
face-volcanic erdptions they called
them-and denied the possibility of
sedimentary or strata deposits at
lower levels. Practical denonstra.
tione, partially by intent and in
some cases, as the above, by acci.
dent, have established fact that
overthrows all these theories. The
Crossmau chart has demonstrated
that there 10 a well developed ore
stratum, occurring at 800. 500. 400 and
1000 feet, proven by records of wells
drilled TO these levels. This well at
Hell's Neck. proving not only de.
posit on the 800 foot level, but one of
free ore and of apparently unlimited
scope, enlarges upon the possibil.
iiies Of deep mining. Heretofore
drills have shown only dissemin-
ated ore in deep wells, but they
were of such thickness as TO guar.
antee permanency, and rich enough
to warrant accepting the cuttings
40 ample proof of their existencc.
In regard to probable demonstra-
ton of the Heii's Neck deposit, Mr..
Crossman says he 10 willing not
only to stake his reputation, but
money, that il is the richest bed Of
ore into which he has ever drilled
in the Joplin district, is considered
by those who know the gentleman
TO be about beyond question.
u is understood by the News that
there is q grologisi here now of en-
inrnce who proposes to incorporate
IN report to the people whom he
is here representing. the results of
the deep wells drilled by the Cross.
mans as shown in the chart pre-.
pared by them for the Joplin Club.