The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1906-11-30
KENTUCKY FLU0RSPAR
LEAD AND ZINC f!
Under Date of NOV 22, the Manufacturers Record Con-
tanned the Following Report By Albert PhenlS, Who
Recently Visited this District.

No other part Of the United States
has a more unique history in the
way Of mineral Development than
the section hereabouts, and in none
are these development undertakings
Of more interesting character.
Nevertheless, | presume | am safe in
saying that the preponderating ma
jority Of the people in this world
know no more OF conditions in this
section than | did when an invita-
ton came to me to come over here
and see what is being done in the
way Of Aourspar, zinc and lead de-
velopement. | had seen fuorspar
specimens at the magnificent State
exhibit made by Kentucky at the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition in
St. Louis, and had vague ideas Of
the lead and zinc deposits Kentucky
was said to contain. But when Ma
rion was mentioned the name convey.
ed to me so little of intelligence as
TO what | would find down here that
the results Of my Investigations are
altogether in the nature Of revela.
tons to me.
| find in fuorspar this section is
producing practically everything that
comes from American huorspar mines
To-Day, and is seemingly destined to
largely supply not only the entire
American demand for this product,
but to ultimately ship its output to
foreign ports as we'll. Also that
there are geological aud mineralogi.
cal reasons for believing that this
district will become a great and per.
manent producer Of lead and zinc,
rivaling the famous Missouri lead
aud zinc sections, while there are
likewise expectations that there will
be an important revival in iron ore
production here, as we'll as a deyel.
oPement in the mining Of barytes aud
other minerals, including cobalt, a
substance so important in electrical
work that Edison has declared be eau
tremendously reduce the cost Of elec.
eric automobiles by its use. Cobalt
Is a new find here, but il is said to
have been found in promising qusni.
ties, aud it is hoped that by further
prospecting 1t may develop into a
commercial proposition. Barytes is
found here 10 several counties in
quantities sufficient to justify mining
operations, aud some Of il runs as
high as 99l per cent. pure.
IL is On other minerals, however.
that the section bases its claim TO
consideration, especially auorspar
aud zinc, and while the present iron
production is Of minor importance,
too, is counted on too add to the
development aud wealth Of the sec.
ton, aud is iron which gives to the
district its most unique historical as.
pect. For iron has been mined here
for ihree'quarters ola century, and
one Of the mines was owned aud oper.
ated By Andrew Jackson, aud 4.
known to this day as the Jackson
mine. In this district also, on the
Cumberland river in Crittcndeu
county, was the site Of the Kelly
furnace, where the 6rst Bessemer
steel ever made in the world vas pro.
duced for il is q matter Of record
that some years before Bcssomer an.
nounced in England the process, Of
making steel, to which bis name &.
irrevoOably Fixed, William Kelly had
discovered the same process over here
and had entirely perfected the pro.
cess Of manufacture on idcntically
the same lines for which Bcssemer
has received such universal credit.
There were dozens Of furnaces In this
district before the Incorporated by
charcoal fuel aud by slave labor and
in Lyon county there are still two
or three charcoal furnaces 10 opera.
ton to this day.
There is lack Of railroad transpo.
ta,ion here, however, aud in compc.
tition with modern methods the iron
mines Of this district have little