The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-01-05
ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY'S
INDUSTRIES AND RESOURCES
AS Seen by Francis Stewart, Special Correspondent
of the ST. Louis Star.

known to contain lead has been de-
velOped, the possibilities for the
production of lead in the future are
enormous.
Flat River District.
The greatest quantity of ore is
now mined in the Flat River dis
trict near the center OF the county.
| The population of the district is
nearly $4,000 and centers around the
towns Of Flat River, Elvins, Des-
lOge, Esther, bu: the section is 80
densely populated as almost to be
one town. In this district all OF the
lead companies have mines, al
| though one operates chiefly at
! Bonnie Terre, four miles north. The
| production Of this district il more
than 5000 tons annually Six lead
companies operate mines and en-
| plOy 5000 to 1000 men. The concen-
trating mills Of five companies OPP
crate in the districts.
rhe largest producing plant il at
Bonnie Terre and is owned by the
! oldest company (the St. Joseph
Lead Company, organized in 1864
1t owns or controls nearly 10000
acres and has produced apprOXi-
mately $40, 00O, 900 worth of ore. The
daily capacity of its mills is between
5000 and 5000 tons. The second
company in point Of age, the Doe
Run Lead Company, organized in
1881, formerly operated extensively
at Doe Run, but has its chief mines
now in the Flat River districts 1t
has produced about SO, 600, 600 worth
of ore, owns or controls 900 acres
of land, and its mills can produce
5000 tons per day. In 1851 also was
organized company lthe DeslOge
Consolidated Lead Company with
headquarters at Desloge, ut the
northern edge Of the district. This
company has mined near s. 800 600
worth Of ore and controls about
1000 acres Of mineral land. The ca
paCity of its mills is 900 tons day.
a fourth company was organized in
1898, st. Louis Smelling and Rein
ing Company. 1t has produced 49,
500, 900 worth of ore and controls L.
500 acres of land. Its mill capacity
is about 900 tons daily. A fifth
company, the Federal Lead Com
pauy, in 1902 purchased the Young
Central, Derby, and lroudalc Com
panIcs, and now controls about r.
900 acres Of land. Its mills have a
daily capacity of > 800 tons 1t has
produced near Sl2 900, 600 worth Of
ore. 4 sixth company, the Nation
al Lead Company, Is capitalized at
several millions Its holdings and
products ARE about equal to those Of
the other companies.
Good Home Market.
The large number Of miners in the
county makes the demand for agri-
cultural products great. The mar
kct for farm products is uueXCcllcd.
/ With the increase In the mining in
dustry comes also an increase in
/ the demands for farm products.
Nearly everything raised upon the
farms Of the county is consumed Mt
. home; some market products are
/ even imported. Probably less than
II fourth of the $1,000 people are en-
gagged in farming. About l00, 600 of
the 80, 900 acres are under cultiva-
ton. The soil in the farming sec
ton is exceedingly fertile and will
support many kinds of crops. 1t is
n rich red earth, supported by a deep
mining districts are used for farm
ing purposes, in some cases the lead
companies having control of only
the mineral rights.
Farming land, being highly pro.
! ductive is very valuable, the value
depending somewhat, also, on its
nearness to mineral lands or t.
shipping points, especially in regard
to location near Pennington, the
county seat. Farming land within
five miles OF Pennington produces
from twenty to thirty-hve bushels
of wheat or from fifty to seventy
five bushels of corn to the acre and
is valued at so to 800, according t.
productiveucss and distance Farm,
ing lands further out, though little
less productive If not as productive
can be purchased at $50 to $50 pei
acre. Mineral lands for farming
purposes are worth from so to 800
but for mining purposes sell at Sl0t
: to 81 900 or more. The wild lands
in the hilly and wooded sections car
he purchased forSj upward per acre
They are, for the most part, capable
of being used for grazing purposes
az "HH Fi'" y won ~ WV iiliAF ~
giOns.
Agricultural products are very
important part of the cOunty's out
: put. The yearly acreage Of corn II
from $4,000 to 5000 acres and tn,
average yield per acre is about thir
ty bushels. The total corn crop 70
the year, therefore, averages abOu
go 900 bushels. The amount Of lane
in hay varies from 1900 to 1900
acres, which, with an average yielt
of more than n ton to the acre, give
IA total yield of between $1,000 ant
1000 tons annually. About 1900
acres are planted in wheat ever.
year, and the total yield is some
thing over 200, 900 bushels. TIT
acreage In oats varies from 800 1,
800 acres, the total average yielt
= being approximately 10000 bushels
In other products St. Francois
county is at the front. In 1908 sh,
was first in the production of root
. and herbs for medicinal purposes
: her product being 3,6j2 pounds
Cordwood, also, Is an importan
product, some 10000 cords being Gu
annually. The raising of live stool
Is an important industry, but gen
orally is only incidental to farming
Yet more than Sl,000,000 worth o
live stock is raised annually. o