Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-01-07

In Wisconsin assay less than one-half
of this figure. The result is that a
further operation is required with the
Wisconsin ores, and after the iron is
separated the weight of merchantable
product cleaned up is not, on the av-
erage, more than 10 per cent of the
weight of ore treated, and the increas-
ed cost of treatment about balances
the increased richness of material
handled.
Lower Rates for Labor.
Wages average $l.75 for miners in
/ southwest Wisconsin and $500 at
Joplin, but the greater efficiency Of
the Joplin miner makes this advant-
age more apparent than real. Joplin
has further advantage in the matter
of transportation Almost every mine
of Importance in the Joplin district
has Il railroad switch that brings coal
direct to the bin. Supply houses are
located conveniently near the mines,
making 1t unnecessary to carry large
stocks of fittings and other materials.
Southwest Wisconsin is remarkable
for its inaccessibility, The mines are
more scattered than in southwest Mis-.
souri,, and thus far the railroads have
put in no extra switches to aid the
| mi nnpG nlthnnnh IL Hoi
constructed to the Hoskin and Ken
nedy mines. 1t Is true that the Chi
cago and Northwestern runs through
the zinc district, and the St. Paul
touches its northern edge. Down at
Galena the Illinois Central gives an
outlet to Chicago, but the operator
used to the facilities of the Joplin dis
trict finds the condition in southwest
Wisconsin almost intolerable. Alto
gether, there is little to choose between
a per cent mine in southwest Mis-
souri, and 20 per cert mine in south
west Wisconsin.
| have been asked by number of
the operators in southwestern Missouri
to give my opinion of the future out
look of the Wisconsin district. That
there is zinc ore in large quantities in
southwestern Wisconsin does not ad-
NIT of argument, but the development
Of such u camp as this must be carried
on by men of means.
1t Is not, like southwest Missouri, a
poor mans camp. A satisfactory
plant, including rooster and magnetic
separator, costs not less than $40 600.
Hand juggling is only possible in rare
instances, rs in the old Blende mine,
near Benton, where perhaps 5000, 900
worth of ore has been culled out by
hand and sold out to the smelters.
The development, therefore, will be
slow and the setbacks many. Some
companies will underestimate the
amount of money needed to carry their
operations to n successful stage; some
will become discouraged and abandon
the district. Those mines where only
the pitches " and flats " can be
worked will rarely last long enough to
return the investment for plant. 1t is
the great cores of disseminated ore
that must be depended upon to furnish
u continued output. The present
weekly production is about $50 tons
OF concentrates.
In my opinion period of from five
to ten years will elapse before the
Wisconsin fields will become serious
rival of the southwest Missouri dis
trict, but by that time it is probable
that the output will be ten times as
great. have examined the Tennessee
and Arkansas deposits, aud am OF the
opinion that neither need be cousid-
cred seriously. The Wisconsin fields,
howeAer, will in time become an inn