The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-05

one by one. and the result is great gaping
holes all through the field from caVe-ins.
A congregational Church near the out
skirts of Joplin was last week declared un-
safe because of a cave-in near by.
The mines and shafthouses are on all
sides of the city, but no pockets have been
found in the city proper. In Galena, on the
other hand, the best-paying shafts were
sunk in front. side and back yards. n
now the town literally totters over great
holes. One of the best-paying pockets
struck in Galena was through a shaft sunk
in the yard OF the only schoolhouse i'm the
town. The town has put up and paid for
two new school buildings out Of the royalty
received from that one mine. There are
thousands OF shaft holes i'm the field and
hundreds of still shafthouses, but it is not
because there is no business.
SEASON OF HIGH PRICES.
1t was about two years ago that Joplin
unloaded it's worthless mines. Zinc jumped
to $45 and $50, and Eastern dollars rushed
TO the field by the million and clamored
for investment. Mine leases on land were
bought at unheard of prices; mine lots were
sold for 100000, and one very large hole
from which everything of value had been
taken, sold for &l,O0.O 600. Three companies
sent out improved machinery and high
Salaried officers. and shut down i'm a few
months. A fortune is represented by steam
crushers which have been idle for over "A
year. Some of them c6st $4,000. The Jop-
RDAN
out the dead mines.
1--WE didn't tell them TO come OUT he
says. THE price went up. and your smart
Fastener came out to buy US out. He
bought property. he paid for it, and he
owns II yet'-and a hearty laugh ends IL.
MANY of the mines are owned bv Eastern
people or corporations and are paying well.
A good mine is owned by a Fort Wayne
company. A mine is profitable when ore Is
$40 to So. and when il reaches the price of
two years ago it is profitable TO work over
the tailings. Just now the market is rather
quiet, and yet the production of zinc for
the week In the Joplin field was 9.99s. 4SO
time the lead production was 1.3i0.S20
pounds. valued at S1.lSl, or a total for the
field of 151.69o. The three leading districts
are Joplin, Carterville and Galena, with
productions during the week In Joplin of
:, 745,50 pounds of zinc, valued at $36,$1S,
and 461. 400 pounds of lead, valued at SO. 729,
or a total of $47,107; CarterYille, 1,33S,040
pounds of zinc. valued at Sic. 3S7. and Az. $40
pounds of lead. valued at 1882, or a total
of $24, 979; Gaiena, 1.4H, 40 pounds of zinc,
valued at SIG. 259, and 175. 100 pounds of lead,
valued at s4.071. or a total of 2O.34O. The
next total value is Webb City, with 1901,
and from that the fifteen other districts de-
Aurora. sS,14S; Neck City, So. 1885,; Zincite,
s6.916: Carthage. s3,0l6: Spurgeon. So. 449:
CRANKY. 2,6S1; Carl Junction. $2.235: Went
si.4S: Peacock City ,7O3: Cave Springs.
s1,047; Central City, 1928, and RANG
Springs, 1908. The annual production ex-
ceeds 100000
MINE WORKERS AND OWNERS.
The men who work in or own mines are
as interesting as the mines. TIL miner re-
ceives about So a day, but men here work
in pairs. One digs in a mine and supports
both while his "pard" prospects. If he
shows a pocket they may sell their mine
lease for any amount from $4,000 up, and
they are always going to strike il 'to-mor-
row. Inc miners are probably as wei
educated as any in the world. for a sur
p~risingly large per cent. of them are young
physicians, lawyers, civil engineers and
OF other professions who have not found