The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-23

cut, vhsu the rpSgs1pess Of the hills VIZ
b oyercowS, Though pesslbly 70 the detri-
u,snt af The hyating and ashflk ,-.
ELb9N WILL BE
4 FLoUR1sHJNG TOWN.
Tho construction Of the Rock Island link
between ST. LOUIS and Kansas City 10 this
largest railway undertaking nov In Misssu'
RI which 10 under way and assured Of cosn-
pletion. Its construction II both . dimcult
and expensive matter, and when in opera
tion 1t win be Of lMportanas both LEGALLY
and as factor In Interstate trafic.
Eldon will b division point AS a con-
boom. Building is progressing extensively
end land values have increased. At present
the population is about 500. Appearances
are that two years hence 1t will be q pros
peroul community Of from LOO to 2,900.
The movement which led to building ths
new Rock Island line originated In efforti
to open up the mineral resources. Thirty
years ego. when its market value was high
lead was mined In Morgan, Miller, Cole
Camden and Aaries counties. conveyed by
wagon to the Missouri or Usage rivers. and
transported by boat to market. The depre.
citation Of the mineral resulted In the aban-
doninG Of theae old shafts. because It aid
not pay to carry the heavy metal by wagon
over the hills to the railroads.
AAA nay ou0 VI khSo0 GcutI0l GOuukIGU py
driving into the hills may be seen what
appears to be encouraging lead prospects,
At depths ranging from Ave to 40 feet lead
V found and taken out. At what IS known
~ the 0ageviIle mine, which IL shallow In
depth and operated by q mule yindiass, III,
900 pounds has been mined since December.
It has mot been marketed, but u being held
until the railroad Il 90 far completed that
freight service can b had.
Thu IA 1AviIlA nhaff II nYnM04A 0fhAra
are similar. Though prophesyinx with ~
gard to mining, u about ~ unsafe q thing
as one could venture upon, certainly y
seems that this district one day win b
putting forth q wealth Of lead and zinc
Many Of tho best prospects, will continue g
bs from I'VE to twenty miles nom a rail-
road, but the presence Of the medium Of
transportation will encourage those whose
holdings are near II to undertake 70 sink
shafts to great depths and to install mod
ern machinery. A thorough test Of mining
possibilities will be made.
Coal veins Of enormous proportions have
been discovered in Morgan and Atles
counties. One OF thess y near Vsrsstlea
and is declared to be seventy-three feat IN
thickness. It II .kenner coal, which. 4
claimed to be especially valuable ~ . M
producer. Other vsinS OF both bitumipous
and the Kennel or candle" variaty have
been located. A curious geological fAct 4
worth noticing in this connection: When
the deposit undsrlies the prairie" Il u In
variab1y bttuminous coal: Hhan In the hills
1t is the kennel" grade. :.
The trip over the new linz u worth Whit
from the picturesque standpoint. ~ far
as Union the route Of the road and tha
service 1t renders are familiar. Under the
high-sounding titie, cet- Louis. Kansas
City and Colorado Railroad" the line hna
been In operation fifty-nine miles to. Union
for about ffteen years. The extension &c
the Gasconads river has been accomplished
within the last year, that from the Gascon-
ade to the osage Within the last few
months.
From the car windows you can gst q
good general idea OF the topography Of
the counties penetrated as In any othel
manner But the detail IL missed In such !
hurried trip. The outlook appears morg
discourag1ng than II the tact. From Union
West, through Franklin. Gasconade. and 8
part OF Maries County. the rpad follows thu
divide rbetrean the Missouri and Nera-
mec river water sheds. To the North ~
the creeks and streams lead TO the Nis-
souri, To the South. they empty Into thu
Meramec.
Upon the highest psint Of this FiAsn. ths
confgmation necessarily u mora broken
than on the slopes to the strsams. Thu
soil necessarily q less fertile than near thu
winter courses. Alang these VARIOUS cynsk,
and streams ar many yeFy enod faFms