Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-03-14
BASSFORD'S LETTER.
Mexico Man Writes of a
Great Coming Mis-
souri, Industry-Robt.
Row1ey's Discovery.

Homer Basssfofd, son Of Hon.
J. O. Bassford Of Mexico, staff
correspondent Of the st. louis Re-
public. wrote that paper the fol-
lowing letter a few days ago from
Louisiana, Pike county, Mo-:
Louisiana. Mo-, March Al
Thousands upon thousands of dol
lars in low grade mineral wealth |
lies along the banks Of thu Missis.
sippi river from st. Loud a Han.
nibal.
BOYS CALL 1T SOAR STONE.
The low grade mineral is moth
ing more or less than high grade
limestone and high grade shale, or
slatey clay, known to all school
boys of most all time in America
as "soapstone."
The money comes when this
limestone and shsle are turned
into the cement. the Portland ce-
meut of commerce which is begin.
ming to take the place of wood and
natural stone in building opera
tions of every sort.
1t would not be too much to say
that the material Of the future is
> to be cement, since, we'll made, it
3 is very strong, relatively cheap,
aud as to supply quite unlimited.
I Every county in Missouri has
.f6e of the kind of limestone OF
eh Portland cement is made,
u will be many years before
q the exposed deposits along the Mis-
8 sisslppi river will be reduced sc
that it will be necessary to 60 int
q theground Of the interior counties
q flor the purpose Of getting thi
4 necessary material.
d One great plant is now ready 70
y work here aud another is planned
e One company has bought option
n on vast tracts of land. some o
v which it has actually acquired. An
other advantage Of the situation
along the river is that the righ
quality of clay or shale is fount
y close to the carbonate Of lime beds
IL carbonate of lime being the othe
i. name for limestone.
oi Some of this stone in the vale
II region from Hannibal to st. LOui
ID runs about SO per cent pure.
y The stone aud the silica al
ID crushed aud mixed and brought I
'S a great heat. When reduced to
nc powder it becomes cement. an
ne when treated with water it sets
!" and becomes very hard-an artit
'g cial stone with some advantage
e. over the natural product Of Il
NC earth.
az Nothing could be more interes
IN ing than the little romance
=. trade and manufacture, mike
Ill with science and vacation, tn
up brought out the fact Of the il
nu mense richness Of these hills of c
ment.
FOUND BY A TEACHER
leo There seems to be no question
ter to who is entitled to the cred
The whole town knows the mar
TO Of the man. and proclaims him
.eu the discOverer Of this great field
in wealth. Cement makers, all ON
raj the country know of him, a
,dy when it comes to the geOlogis
ne most of them agree that Robert
Rowley. principal Of the louisa
lge High School, knows every RI
Gu that is worth knowing. For
4 a good many years, say thirty, 4
in Rowley, or Prof Rowley, as be
better known here, has tramI
er, thelMississippi valley. up and dov
tbs az summer vacation. With hs
rar. mer In hand he has looked into
Of Of the formations. from mp in IL
to down about the swamp lands
ms, Southern Missouri. he knows
gas. Of the faults. all Of the dips. al
Eins the geological peculiarities Of
ars. valley and OF other valleys.
sas. Naturally, living in Pike eouI