The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-01-28
THE LEAD BELT VS..
THE JOPLIN FIELD
Brief Explanation of the Injustice Of
Contrasting the Methods Of Working
These Two Great Mineral Fields

but that is not the principal in
dustry. 1t makes Americans and
it conserves Americin traditions,
in way to afford special ground
for pride to every Missourian.
st. Louis Republic.
What the Republic says about the
Joplin mineral district and that it of
fers opportunities to the poor man
that the Lead Belt district of st.
Francois county does not, is doubtless
true, but then it is little unfair in
contrasting these two great mineral
districts of Missouri. Conditions are
in every way so different that it is
impossible for the opportunities Of
fered energetic men of small or no
means in the Joplin district to obtain
in the Lead Belt.
In the former the enterprising
miner with pick and shovel may go
on the rich mans holdings and mine
for royalty, as Drawn and will to
do can there supply the place of cap
ital, and the holders of the rich min
eral lands there can we'll afford to let
them do this, for it probably brings
to the latter greater profit than if
they were organized into large enl-
ploying corporations.
This of course cannot be done in
the disseminated lead lands of South
east Missouri. The lead here is not
only disseminated with lime stone,
but it lies from 200 to 500 feet be-
meath the surface. To sink single
shaft to reach this disseminated ore
costs from $4,000 to $4,000, then
the rock must be blasted, hoisted to
the surface with expensive hosting
apparatus, and mills which cost up
into the millions have to be built to
crush the rock and separate the ore.
There is no conceivable way in
which miner of small means could
do this independently. 1t would take
multimillionaire to work any one of
the big mines in this county ON his
own initiative, hence corporations are
formed, stock sold and the money
raised to start and operate mine in
the disseminated lead district.
That miners working on their own
responsibility in mineral district
where the products are so easily and
inexpensively got at as they are in
the Joplin districts are more fortunate
than those who work for corpora
tions on a wage scale, must be con-
ceded. If they are thrifty and look
ahead, as many of them are and do,
they can build and improve their
homes and become permanent and sub
stantial citizens, rear their families
under the most favorable Circumstance
es and help to elevate the community
socially, intellectually and otherwise.
Conditions might be bettered in the
Lead Belt by the companies selling
surface-right lots instead of leasing
them-and this we believe some of
them are doing or contemplate doing
so that miners with families who
are thrifty enough may build up and
own a home of their own. 1t would
encourage the wage earners and give
them something to work and save for.
AS to Incorporating the towns in
the Lead Belt, we agree with the
Republic that this ought to be done,
for the sanitary conditions cannot be
much improved unless this is done,
and it would also conduce to better
order and law enforcement. But as
to schools, we doubt that the Joplin
district, with all of its natural ad-
vantages to encourage private enter
prise and thrift, is much if any ahead
of the Lead Belt district. Flat River
Desloge and Bonne Terre have splen-
did public schools and each has 0
High School affiliating with the State
University. Elvins expects this yeal
to have its High School and Lead
wood has two-year course of High
School training. These High Schoo
buildings are beautiful structures ant
modern in every respect, We hav,
not mentioned the Pennington Higi
School, one of the best and most up
to-date schools in the State, as Farm
ington, though the county seat-of St
Francois county, is not properly il
the Lead Belt district.
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