The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-12-09
GYPSUM in
THE TERRITORY
Prof GOnld Says the Sup
ply is Almost In
exhauStible
Norman spaeIaI o the Nanaaa cIty

Norman special to the Kansas City
star
Attention mas been called lately to
Oklahoma as a factor in the cement
industry BY the newspaper statement
that the territory contained rich
gypsum beds. Prof. c. n. Could Of
Norman. who has been investigating
the subject says:
"In Oklahoma there are no fewer
than four large salt plains, besides
several smaller ones. These plains
are fat. as level as a floor for miles,
and are covered with fine sa1t crystals
that glitter in the sun and blind the
eye like a snow field. About 200 feet
above the level lt the salt plains
there are several thick ledges of mas
siye white crystal gypsum that are
level and extend for long distances
across the country. OF these there
are too much larger than the others.
yhese are each from ten to thirty
feet thick and separated by ten TO
twenty feet Of red clay shale. Both
below and above the gypsum the red
clay is also found
1T is these heavy lodges that form
the gypsum hills The hills are all
hills OF erosion The soft clays below
the gypsum lodges are readily acted
upon by water The lodges them
selves are relatively much harder and
consequently resist erosion. The
slope of the country is to the east,
while the ledges lie comparatively
level.
The Extent Of the Ledges.
"The lodges of gypsum described
above extend north and south through
Kansas and Oklahoma, for more than
200 miles. The northern limit so far
as / have been able to observe, is III
hte northwestern part of Barber
county. Kansas, on the north bank of
the Medicine river near Sun City.
From this point the hills trend couth-
east and approach within six miles Of
Medicine Lodge The line of hills
crosses the Salt Fork of the Arkansas
at the state line and approaches the
Cimarron in the northeastern part of
Woodward county, Oklahoma.
"Throughout nearly its entire course
in Woodward county, distance Of
forty miles. the Cimarron flows in a
narrow valley between the hills. In
places the valley is little more than
a canyon. with PERCEPTIONS walls 100
feet or more in height. capped with
the gypsum lodges.
Gypsum products, particularly ce-
nent and plaster, are coming more
into demand. While deposits OF this
rock are not particularly rare in the
United States, the fact remains that
in the states Of the plains available
deposits near lines of railroad are be-
ing rapidly exhausted, In Kansas, for
example such exposures have for the
most part been worked out and num-
ber of the mills have either been
abandoned or removed to other locali-
ties, notably Quanah, Tex. The de-
posits in the vicinity OF other mills
are practically exhausted and it is but
a question of a few months when the
mills must shut down. The largest
deposits in Kansas. however, are prac-
tlcally untouched. l refer 10 those in
Barber county, where there are thou
sands OF millions OF tons of massive
white gypsum.
one Mill Already Built
'Until within the present year
there has been but one mill in okla
homa that obtained It's material fron
the lodges describe. This mill Is at
okarche. between Kingnsher and FL
Reno. The chief difficulty in the way
of establishing mills has always been
the lack Of transportation facilities.
both OF fuel and Of gypsum itself,
Heretofore there has been but one
railroad which penetrated the gypsum
hills in Oklahoma. Within the last
few months. however, several lines
haye been built and others are In
process OF building in this region.
The supply Of gypsum in Oklahoma
is practically inexhausuble, II VIII
supply the world for thousands Of
years AS more and more railroads
penetrate the hills. and especially as
more roads are built connecting the
coal fields Of the Indian territory with
these deposits the utilization OF this
product can but increase. Il is but a
matter Of time when the gypsum from
the gypsum hills win become one Of
Oklahoma's most Important sources
Of income"