The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1906-06-28
GOLD GALORE IN THE OZARkS
A Springfield Man CorrOborates Results
Obtained by Local PrOspeCtOrs.

oScH uIdhlilS tNlcnSlNt Investigations
OF the Ozark region and its resources.
ut has long been known that the
Ozark region of southwest MiSsouri
and northwest Arkansas was prospect
ed for precious metals by the Span
iards from one to three centuries ago, "
caid Mr.. McManima. "Whilc there is
but little rccOrd.evdcncU to show the
results Of this prospecting, evidence is
by no means lacking to prove that
gold, silver and copper were found in
commercial quantities in various por.
tions of the O2arks, The Spaniards
were shrcwd prospcc,ors and seemed
to possess an unerring instinct that led
them To gold and silver deposits, as
has been proven many times in Mexico,
Arizona and New Mexico, where old
Spanish mines are still being di,cov-
cred and found to he very rich. The
Spaniards mined gold in Georgia aud
the CarOlinas three centuries ago aud
yet it is only within very recent years
that the people Of those states really
believed that gold and silver were to
be found there in paving quantities,
but such is the case.
"All students of the Ozark region
know that traces Of gold and silver
have been found in more than score
Of counties and in some cases the
quantity was sO apprcciable that the
Investigators are sure that mining
would be profitable, but in all such
cases the capital was wanting. 1t
costs money To open gold or silver
mine and capital is notoriously limid
until absolutely shown, aud this the
prospcctur was unable to do for lack
of means.
"At no less than two points in
Greene county, within less then ten
miles OF the Springfield poetoficc
crude cruCiblcs or smcltcrs were con-
struCtcd, the rock crushed by slCdgcs
and gold separated in them. The writ.
er hereof has seen single button of
pure gold larger than the ten dollar
gold piece that was secured from
smcltcring in this crude way from
rock taken from the Sac river hills less
than ten miles from Springfield. Dat
las, Camden, Webster, Douglas, Chris
tian, Tancy, Stone and other counties
can contribute to the Intelligence on
this point, and yet there are those who
doubt these reports and are inclined
to ridiculc them.
twill be recalled that the famous
Cripple Creek mining region Of Colo.
RADIO was passed over by thousands
of prospectors for more than a gen
GRAFTON before gold and silver were dis
covered, The same has been true Of
many other famous mining ccnters. 1t
was true as to zinc ore at Joplin and
both lead and zinc at Aurora. 1t was
also truo as To the iron ore which is
so abundant in this vicinity which has
been kicked about and abused IT. a
worthless rock until within the past
very few years. The fact is that the
Ozark region hae hardly had its sur.
face scratched and the most expert
mind has but Il vague idea Of what
our resources really are. The fact that
some gcologisls assert that the for.
nation is not right for gold or silver
proves nothing, for gcolOgists have
been at fault many times before and
may be in this case.
"SOme discoveries were recently
made in Stone and Taney counties at
point something more than thirty
miles from here, nearly due south of
Springfield - discoveries that may per-
haps mean much for the whole Ozark
region and rcvOutionizc existing ideas
and conditions. and prove to the world
that Southwest Missouri has not only
the greatest lead, zinc and iron dcpOs-
its of the world, but is almost equally
rich in gold and silver. Tradition, if
not actual written history, tells us that
during the eighteenth century the
Spaniards mined both gold and silver
in the Ozark region aud foated the
ore down the White aud other rivers
to the Mississippi and thence to Spain.
Where these old mines were was
wrapped in mystery. as Spanish dom
inatiOn was brought TO Il speedy end
when this territory was ceded back u
France in 1900, and since that time
there have been no general Spanish
operations. In several Of the border
counties Of Arkansas and Missouri
traces of ancient mines have been dis.
covered, but these discoveries were
never followed up.
within the past month two OF
these old miues have been discovered
and entered, one in Stone and the 9th
er in Taney county, but within less
than three miles of each other. Simeon
Brink, well known citizen Of this