The Harrison times., 1912-06-29


century that lead existed in consid-
cradle quantities in certain sections
of the Ozark mountains in North Ar
kansas, and as long ago as 1860 1t was
mined on Sneed's creek in Newton
county, from where it was freightel |
across the mountains and marketed at
Fort Smith, hundred and fifty miles
away Since that time explorers have
located numerous bodies Of the metal
in parts of Boone, Newton, Marion
Searcy and Baxter counties, In many
instances It has been found outcrop'
ping in the limestone bed OF creeks
where It has been mined casually by
the farmers and hunters Of the region,
but little or no effort was made for
many years after the discovery Of
such deposits TO make use of them.
Within recent years considerable
deposits Of the free ore have been dis
covered by prospeCtors at various
depths, ranging from the grass roots
down to a depth Of sixty feet, usually
in clayey pockets, in which the ore -
often found in Jumps weighing hun
dreds OF pounds, A number Of lead
mines of this character are being de.
veloped at the present time, notably
in the Cave creek section Of Newton,
at Elixir In Boone, and near Dodd City
and Kingdom Springs in MaricA
county, while rich deposits Of botn
lead and copper have been located in
the St. Joe district Of Searcy county
Until quite recently, owing to lack
Of transportation facilities these lead
deposits have remained undevelopeI,
but at the present time several strong
companies have entered the field and
are opening up the mines already
known and prospecting for other de-
posits
The discovery that zinc ore also oc.
Cured in the Arkansas O2arks did
not follow until long years after the
pioneers first grubbed chunks Of lead
out Of the creek beds for their mu22lA'
loading muskets, but some time after
, the discovery Of the vast deposits of
zinc in the Missouri Kansas district
attention was directed to tNe fact that
there, were many outcroppings Of Jack
and F"rbcnates In the mountainous re-
gicn of Arkansas a hundred miles
As2al o. the. ,MlsourL Aeld-,rha
tate sent It's biologists to the region pl
nd an exhaustive report of the mia. bT
raj lands comprised In the above IN
AIMED counties was made, These re' ia
orts proved concluslyely that both or
,ad and zinc ores existed In almost
very section of nm area covering to
bove 5000 square miles, The reports pI
ere given the widest publicity ami III
,eir pub 'ic0tion was followed by n al
rand rush to the new zinc Edorad1, W
nd there ensued an era OF wildcat eY. W
oitaton by unprlncIpled men, the W
lighting effects Of which are felt to IL
lis day. "
Fabulous sums were paid for mines In
hich were scarcely more than me"e III
,les blasted into the mountain sidas, III
,stly mills were erected far from o'
cans OF transportation, tho East was m
,oded with glowing prospeetuses OF IN
inc stock which was not worth the N
Iper II was printed upon, speculation III
as the thing and mining except for ri
Iokers was of small Importance In
,me ore was taken out and frelghtel A
ng distances over mountain roads Ia
I'd finally barged down White river ct
the railroad Many companies were OF
gani2ed and Incorporated for the NJ
'le purpose Of selling stock, and hi
hen the public grew Wise and no m
ore could bo sold, mining operations Of
'nsed entirely or the company was II
,lberNtcly wrecked, the property HI
lssing into the hands OF the wreck OF
y, who In turn sold II TO bonahde
irehasers and pooketed the proceeds, Pc
aturally such methods could on'v W
Id in disaster aud they did &C