The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-10-07

6lS worth of lead concentrates up to
1886, when the mill burned, and In
1886 the property was sold to the st.
Joseph Lead Company. Mr.. Firmin
Desloge, ST., then purchased the
Bogy tract and organized the present
company.
Extending the Lead Belt.
Along with the great improve
ments in the plants of these com
panies, extensive development work
has been carried on, from the sur
face as well as underground. Con-
siderable acreages lying outside Of
the proved district have been OPP
toned and drilled within the last
three years, but aside from this no
one of the companies has shown II
disposition to extend the boundaries
OF the section already known to be
rich in disseminated ore.
Residents and property holders in
the southern and eastern parts Of
the county have been considerably
elated from time to time by the TAX
ing Of options and by drilling opera
lions which seemed to portend an
early development of their sections.
Without being In the least unfair
to the companies which have taken
these options and operated their
drills upon the land and with no
intimation that they were acting
otherwise than in good faith, 1t may
be said without reservation that in
no instance have these options been
taken with the object Of buying at
any time in the near future, regard
less of what the drill cores might
show.
Undoubtedly the question will he
asked: Why should one of the lead
companies pay bonus of 81 or 81
per acre for the privilege of drilling
land which they do not intend to
purchase? There are about four
answers.
|. 1t is worth 81 or s. per acre to |
know where are the best bodies OF |
reserve ore. When the Flat River
deposits are exhausted, ms they will |
be in time, the company which
knows where the best deposits are
located will have an advantage and
will be in position to make an i'm
purchase without depending
upon preliminary development
work, or taking any chances on
what lies underground.
2. The optioning Of land, the drill
ng Of it, and the failure to purchase
Seakens the land beyond any doubt.
Competition from possible sixth
Ir seventh operating company is
rot only discouraged by options
Without purchase, but is practically
prohibited. Prospective operators /
n II mineral section are not attracted
o lands which have been optioned, II
irilled and never purchased.
). The custom of paying bonus
Ias made prospecting by an individ-
lhl al WHY fNIfHNlNt lllulltI, ana
bus the development of any section
wing outside of the district now
wholly in control Of the five com
'anics is practically precluded.
1. Land in the vicinity of Farm
ngtOn and Libertyville, where some
options have been taken and drilling
lone, is too remote from mills and
plants, as long as
here is II large quantity of unmincd
re In the vicinity OF Flat River or
Ieadwood. The transportation of
re from widely scattered shafts Is
expensive and even now is large
tenn Of expense in the Flat River
district.
Option a Strong Weapon.
The desire to retain entire control
Il district now wholly In their
lands is strong, and the most ef-
ective weapon is the option. The
of the bonus-paying
ustom has strengthened the posi-
ion OF the large companies and has
made the field very unattractive to
additional capital.
When the ore reserves In the Flat
river country have become low and
he minable rock is insufficient to
upply the necessary tonnages to
he concentrating plants, then the
and Libertyville sec
ions will be favorably considered
or development, provided there Is
re underlying these sections In
aging quantities. Until the short
ge arises in the Lead Belt proper, .
ther parts of the county will not
re developed, unless by another
ompany, and the advent of another
ompany is not probability.
Speculations as to whether or not
extensive ore bodies exist in the
and Libertyville areas
re not worth while. Drill logs and
ores are In the hands OF the com
'anies. Occasionally drill-men
make limitations as to what they
ave found, and sometimes the
landowners are permitted to see
he cores from their land. But this
lass of information cannot be de-
'ended upon.
1t has been currently reported that
ores from land in the vicinity of
Did Maids spring, just west of
II "A "A |