The Harrison times., 1900-12-15
PROGRESS OF OUR ZINC BOOM.
A Bit OF Personal History in COnneCtll
With Its Early Promotion.

lhOSe who have not promoted
the development of mineral territo
as extensive as the Arkansas he
can form no adequate idea of
tax it imposes upon the individua@
who undertake it, in person and
public print
1t is all well enough, the plaudi
"well done, good and faithful
want" when the undertaking has
tanned degree of success, and
end is assured in discoveries brod
to light during the progress of.
movement But, as In the history,
all business achievement worthy of
the name, there are times when it is
necessary to take counsel from diff
Culties and discOuragement; there
are also periods in the history of the
promoters in such cases, when it is
necessary to take courage from the
faith that IS in them, which is that
of patience and perseverance oyer
coming all things.
1t is also we'll enough, in the pro-
motion of such development, if both
the public and the territory affected
are ready for it But to keep on
struggling tor success when the pub
lie as well as all of the affected ter
ritory are not in opposition, and
when business conditions of the time
do not invite such effort, is to do so
either in full assurance of conditions
that cannot be eain-sayed, or be-
cause the directing spirits of the un-
dertaking possesses more courage
than discretion.
Hence, both patience and persc-
verence having played part in the
effort to direct public attention to
| the Arkansas zinc field, the cOnse-
quent interest of the public has gain
ed steadily, because it stands to rea-
son. in affairs Openl v and frankly in
viting investments of labor and cap
ital, that there must be fire where
| there is so much smoke And it is
in consequence of these facts that it
may be explained that it has not
been SO much a genius for such
things which has fairly won the hight
| for Arkansas zinc resources, as it
has been the stern logic of facts, con-
stantlv repeated, which has been
made the more irresistible because
humble men in their several spheres,
had made 1t possible for the promo
ter to act and speak for them in no
uncertain manner. Thus proving
that truth will prevail though the
heavens fall; and also that the pub
llc is never loath to give its approval
when the disinterested action and
testimony OF witness to its excel
lence points the fact, that a certain
territory of which far too little is
known merits its confidence to the
fullest degree.
| More than many will realize do
these facts carry argument of the
mineral value of our section. AL
though the active interest of the pub
lie at the present time has been pre-
disposed to the mineral resources of
the state only since July 1898, it is
not to be taken for granted that the
period given covers the history of the
present development, accordingly as
ii has been grounded in fact and rea-
son,
There are four ante-dating periods
to the history of events leading to
the present activity over the Arkan-
sas mineral field, in which the late
Col NJ. L. DeMalher has borne
prominent part
First: a superficial exploration
of the country over thirty years ago.
A second period. twenty years ago,
when, as a preliminary step to more
serious consideration of its mineral
resources, attention was publicly
called to the region as a mountain
system, and presumably rich in min
eral and marble. A third period fol-
lowed, three and four years after
wards, during which Col. DeMalher
devoted himself exclusively to the
discovery of mineral in the counties
of Boone, Marion, Baxter, Searcy
and Newton counties
The fruit of the last undertaking
was the discovery at the time of
sulphide zinc ore in quantity at a
point in Marion county, now known
as the Beatty mine. near Dodd City;
and also the discovery, or identifica-
ton, a t the time, of the carbonate
ore of zinc, in the same county at the
point now known as the Morning
Star mine And Iatiu0 from, theSa