The Harrison times., 1912-06-29
Story of Our Mines.
Early Discoveries of Zinc and Lead, and
Subsequent Developments.

AN EXAMPLE OF WILDCATlNG.
An example of wildcat mining IS
given in a certain rich jack mine n
Searcv county. 1t is one Of the rich
est properties in the entire district.
The ore was found beginning at the
surface and merely had to be blasted
out to be carted by gravity to the con-
centrator. The land had been ac'
ouired for a mere pittance from the
original homesteader and was then
sold by the promoter to a company
for 100000, A 1O0-ton mill was
erected at enormous cost and so rich
was the ore and so easily was 1t mined
and milled that Notwithstanding the
heavy freightiug charges the output
of the mine was disposed Of at a good
profit, and its stock sold away above
par. In competent or even careful
hands this mine would have naid large
dividends, but the company officials
sent out inexperienced men from the
East to operate It, and instead OF
profit and dividends for the stockhoId'
ers, In a short time the mine, or
rather the company, was completely
wreclod, and today It is standing idle,
its costly machinery falling into de-
cay, and the mine shaft filed with
water and debris, and yet Of this prop
erty we'll known mining engineer
who visited it recently declared that
II It was 100 miles nearer Joplin II
would be worth a quarter OF million
dollars. The history Of this mine is
that Of scores Of others throughout
the district, and responsible for the
sneer that greets the man nowadays
who seeks money for the sale or deyel'
opment Of an Arkansas mine,
The Missouri.Kansas operator ap'
preached on the subject, Is prone to
shake his head and inquire "lf you
have such good thing down there
why don't you get out the ore?" He
loses sight Of the fact that 1t was
nearly half century after the discoy'
cry o. lead and zinc In his district be-
fore there was anything much doing
even in that favored region,
THE TURN OF THE TIDE,
The discovery Of zinc In North Ar
kansas dates back but a few years,
and only with the recent building OF
the Missouri & North Arkansas rail-
road. -and-1he. -cnmDletion- -durlng-ipe,
esent year Of the White River
nnch Of the Missouri Pacific, has
2 district secured the transportation
,ilItIes absolutely essential to min
Al development,
'rhe arrival Of the railroads and the
egraph put q speedy end to wildcat
omotIng, and started the district
on an era of actual development,
d then It was discovered that certain
Sc ones, both at home and abroad,
,ose faith In the district had never
lvered had quietly secured large
ldIngs Of mineral and timber lands, :
,Ich they now set about developing r0
earnest Drills were shipped into d'
g country and systematic eSplorl' u
N OF the district was undertaken by b0
perenced men who have developed IT
mes and made fortunes out OF them u
the Missouri and other fields, III
oney Is being spent judIciously and dl
o development work Is being car dl
I'd on with system ana understand sc
g, The result Is already apparent, u
number Of mines which have long 4
n idle are being rehNbilIt0ted, mod
n machinery installed ana the worb u
mining Is being done In n business III
4 mIner.Ike manner, Many tracts ~
We been proven by the drills new oil
lls are being erected, and spirit m
activity and confidence Is replacing u
@ uncertainty and ldlcness which III
4 40 long held back the development u
the country NJ
Men and companies who have eS' u
nded a few thousand dollars In de- tt
lopment work and then quit dis II
urnged bocausc n fortune dld not dI