The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1901-01-26

long confinement of the dead animal
and vegetable bodies epeased within
the earth, as laboratory, where Ma
ture is ever at work preparing mat
ter, in new forms, from vitality that
once existed in an entirely different
state, it can be no improper presump-
ton nor visionary speculation to
suppose or even conclude that the
natural gas was converted into pc
troleum through condensation and
evaporation, and the latter was
further reduced to the condition of
solid coal. Sufficient evidences of
this are to be found in thelaborator-
les of both man and nature, If focal,
which is purely a mineral, owes its
origin to gas that was evolved from
deeaying bodies, and the shells ofthe
living creatures passed into lime
stones and marbles, why would it be
absurd to at least suspect that all
minerals were formed, in some man
ner entirely beyond our present
knowledge or power of conception
from the combination of gaseous
properties subsequent to when they
were evolved during the organic de-
cay, (and more probably when the
highest point of chemical or electric
al and magnetic action was set up,
by the expansive and explosive pow
er which finally rent asunder and
mineralized the containing rocks and
superimposed cover. and found es-
cape in that manner! That such
power still slumbers is proved by
periodical outbursts of earthquakes
and, as was remarked by one good
authority and faithful observer, the
time may come i'll the earth's future
when much of the lowlands to the
south and southeast of the Ozark
range will be elevated and rugged.
Such philosophizing can have its
merit at this time only in SO far as
respects depth to which ores can be
expected to extend.
Where shafting and drilling have
been carried to the porphyry, as in
Southeast Missouri, they continue
to that particular rock and, IN few
instances, penetrate the same in mar
row veins. 1t is also determined
that the richly disseminated rock is
confined to the Cambrian or basal
portion OF the magnetism limestone
of supposed silurian age. Hundreds
of feet above this, however enormous
quantities of lead have been obtain
ed from Openings in the everything
limestones, and millions of tons were
taken ont by the early French min
ers and their successors from grass
roots to the top of the rock which
f<fry fefefy= telHpreti4 u eHte4
In the Southwest, or Joplin, dis
trict mining was confined almost en-
tirely to the observation-disclosures form
alton directly everything the magnes-
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posed country rock and consequent
ly leaves all the subjacent mineral
bearing measures beneath drainage
and completely hidden from view.
The depth to which modern mining
must be conducted in order to reach
the lower treasures, together with
the necessity to judiciously prospect
by drill in order to determine the
presence of mineral before shafting,
have placed this district beyond the
reach of the less fortunate miner
In Northern Arkansas a great por-
ton of the magnetism limestones
with their contained ores are expos
ed in the sides of the eroded hills and
in plain view. 1t is not float miner
al, except where found in districts
covered by the subcarboniferous
strata that correspond to the coun-
try rock of Southwest Missouri
This float mineral is the remnant of
rocks that have degenerated into
clays and earths, and where in bas-
ms, cavities and other openings may
have come about by a reconstruct
ing process which would more prop
erly entitle it to the name of shallow
or surface ore They are confined
more especially to lower subcarbon-
ferrous measures. The county of
Marion, Arkansas, prominently
abounds in zinc, just as Southeast
Missouri is possessed of great bodies
of lead.
Referring to the outline map, the
various geological formations as
they occur on the surface as "coun-
try rocks" are designated by num-
bers, as follows; No. 1, primary or
crystalline, consisting of granite,
porphyry, etc. No. 2, the so-called
Cambrian. or basal members OF the
Lower Silurian Magnetism Lime
stones. No. 3, higher members of
Lower Silurian Magnetism Lime
stones. No. 4, Trenton. No. D, Mag
ara, No. IS, Sub-carboniierous. No.
IA, Carbouiferous. No. Is, Coal
Measures. Nc. 16, Cretaceous. No.
II, Tertiary. No. IS, Quaternary.
These numbers, according to the
geological scale, are in successive or
der from bottom upward and might
be compared to a pile of saucers, the
edges or rims being the exposed por-
tons
To practical purposes the granite
and porphyry are barren of mineral
and, in parlancc Of the miner, are the
bed rocks, although this is a term
they generally apply to any inter
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