The Harrison times., 1915-04-24
NORTH ARKANSAS FIELD
FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
No Development as Yet to Prove Big Ore
Deposits, but Their Presence
Not DlsprOyed.
Joplin Globe

wv AN'i W 80 h''Ao'A' i'liilAlE us
trict is booming Just now as never
before More ore has been shipped
from that field since the first of the
year than has been shipped in any
previous year in its entirety, and
there is great activity in almost
every one of the several camps max.
ing up this field.
For several reasons the North
Arkansas field is Of particular in
terest to zinc and lead operators Of
the Observation-Disclosures dis
trict, For one thing, it is SO close
as almost to be considered a par OF
field Moreover, practically all the
ore produce has to be shipped
through Joplin on its way
to the smelterS, And lastly,
many Of the operators in the Ark
ansas field were formerly from
Joplin,
1t is fair to say that the general
impression concerning the Arkansas
field is that the mines down there
are only prospects as yet, and that
it remains to be proved whether
there are any large deposits Of ore
sufficient to make large mines, Not
only is this theimpression, but this is
the case, There is one mine in
Marion county that Just now is
making four cars of high grade
carbonate concentrates per week
But it has only been making this
amount Of ore for two weeks and
likely will not continue to make it
long after the surplus ore that has
been piled up through several
months work has been exhausted
Not long since John T, Fuller state
geologist Of Arkansas, made
a thorough examination Of the zine
and lead mines in Boone, Marion,
Searcy aud Newton counties and
pronounced it "poor mans camp
He is of opinion that success will
only be obtained through numerous
small mining plants, because there
are no blanket ore formations, as in
the Joplin district, While he backs
up his opinion with good authority,
the enthusiasts Of the North Ark.
onsas field still cling to the hope
that some day there will be dis.
covered there vast ore deposits at
deep levels which will make their
section the biggest zine mining dis
trict in the world, This hope
certainly has not been proved as yet,
but just rs certainly has it not been
shattered There has been no sys.
tematic, determined effort to find
what lies at the de per levels in this
field, and until such an effort has
been made it may well he claimed a
reasonable hope
Joplin operators are frequently
invited to visit the Arkansas district
and many Of them are doing So
now, when ore prices good and
there is particular activity in that
section, Most Of the mines there
are hard to get 60, being Oft Of the
railroads, bnt it is possible to cover
the district pretty thoroughly in
three or four days by using n cowbi.
nation OF railroad, automobile and
horse and buggy service Such a
method was employed by oreprrsen'
tatiye of the Globe last week, and he
returned with the impression that
the Arkansas field is full Of interest.
ing possibilities, to say the least
A good way 60 visit this field is to
take the Missouri 4 North Arkansas
road TO Harrison from Joplin,
There are no mines right in llarri.
son, but there are none right in any
Of the town that can be reached by
railroad, But at Harrison may be
found Captain Newman, editor of
the Harrison Times aud one Of the
veteran boosters for the Arkansas
zine and lead fields, aud Jay Kerr,
general passenger agent Tor the
NJ, Il N A. either of whom will be
glad to advise visitors IN 60 where
TO go and how 60 get there
Newman has been in Harrison since
1870 and doesn't regret It, and Kerr
IL the youngest gnccrol passenger
agent for n railroad In the world
and had he live one 60 get the Job,
Three miles east Of Harrison IL
what is known as the Crooked
Creek district Here Several pros.
pcct tunnels have been driven into
the side Of a steep bluff, the main
one being known ~ the North Star
mine, They are not being worked
at present but the dump contains
many tons of apparently rich blende
dirt that looks as irit ought TO run
! 60 9 per cent at least IL Ia said
the workers at this property were