The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-28
Evening Chat


they have enjoyed for many days, in
their efforts to master the gentle art
ofriding the new motorcycle recently
acquired by this department. Before
the machine arrived they could all
ride It according TO the rash state.
ments made by many Of the overcon.
hdent cops. II looked easy and since
they have all ridden bicycles they nat.
urally concluded that they could also
ride the motorcycle. The new ma.
chine, which is the latest model In.
dian, weighs nearly 400 pounds and
the efforts OF the cops to preserve
their equilibrity and their dignity at
the. same time while attempting the
role Of expert rider are amusing. al
though frequently hazardous TO the
innocent bystanders.
Although the machine is capable OF
q speed OF eighty miles an hour and
q fair rider can easily ride three or
four hundred miles each day. the trips
fthe cops have SO far been limited TO
the space between the Fire Depart
mint headquarters and the corner OF
Main and Monroe streets, and the
speed OF the machine rarely exceeds
6 Amiles an hour. This is about as
allow as It will run when in low gear
Sand the clutch pushed about half way
out.
Shanghai" Kerns. as he is atfec.
tionately known among his friends.
has SO far proven the most daring OF
the would be riders and during one OF
his triumphant dashes over the course.
and while eagerly expecting the ap.
splause Of the envious watchers. COLI.
ded with the pile OF brick on Tom De.
yeny's lot, experiencing his first
fspill." That the machine was hope
lessly wrecked was the opinion Of the
Jealous officers who saw the catas.
trophe, but on examination It was
found that the bright paint had not ev.
en- been scratched. Shanghai, by his
maryelous length Of limb, Ia able to
keep his feet near the ground while
mounted on the machine and thus had
all day avoided the quick spills" ex.
sperlenced by the other riders. Officer
Edwards Is still the best rider OF the
lot although Howard Woodward OF the
Fire Department is close rival OF the
officers and thinks II they would let
him practice more he could outshine
any OF them In few days.
Many of the bystanders today. who
by their free advice materially assist.
ed the riders, were of the opinion that,
since the citizens of-the city who pay
the taxes will have to pay for the ma.
chine they should not be deprived Of
the pleasure of watching the cops
learn to ride. This matter will likely
be taken up with Mayor Bowen and an
attempt will be made to have the May.
or issue proclamation. calling upon
the citizens to observe from the fronts
Of their houses the new red machine
as the officers go speeding past at the
rate Of six miles per hour. Thus the
Officers, like Lady Godiva, may appear
on the streets a. certain stated hour
for the edi 7cation and pleasure OF the
beholder, and at last some bit OF hap
:piness may be received by the people
of the community from the efforts Of
our police department.
In the popular mind most metal min.
ing is associated with mountainous re.
gions. We know that coal Is mined
near cornfields, but how many, off.
hand, would locate lead and zinc de.
posts in grain fields? A recent pub.
,licatinn by the United States Geologi.
cal Survey describes a thickly settled
agricultural district in northwestern
Illinois where corn, oats. and hay are
raised on the surface and lead and
zinc are extracted from the rocks be.
meath the fields
The publication referred to Is one Of
the units Of the great geologic atlas of
the United States and describes the
,Galena and Elizabeth quadrangle, In
Illinois. The field surveys for this re.
port were made under cooperative
agreement between the United States
Geological Survey ard the State Of
Illinois. Eugene Wesley Shaw and
Arthur G. Trowbridge are the authors.
The area described lies in the extreme
northwest corner Of the State and is
in the "driftless area" which was not
covered by the continental glacier and
therefore contains no glacial drift. The
exposed rocks are wholly of sedimen.
.tary origin and consist Of hard rock
of ordovician and Silurian age and uu.
consolidated SURGICAL deposits. The
report describes these rocks. shows
the geologic structure or lay Of the
rocks, and gives the sequence Of
events in the geologic history Of the
area and an account Of the mineral
resources.
I Although agriculture is the principal
industry, several hundred men are en-.
gagged in zinc and lead mining. The
most productive mines are grouped In
certain ra.aer small districts known
as the Galena, the Sand Prairie, and
the Elizabeth districts. The produc.
tive ore bodies are confined to the Ga.
en- dolomite and the DEBORAH shale.
Most of the mines are 100 to 200 feet
deep. The production Of lead concen.
.trates In 1914 was valued at S2S,7ss,
and that of zinc concentrates at $780,.
.ol2. The lead sold from this region
since mining began has brought about
s6o,0000.000 and zinc produced since
about 1860 has been scld for about
S1o.00o,0o0. Prospecting for new de.
posits still continues.