Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-01-17
MARVELLOUS GROWTH
N THE PAST YEAR
Mining Industry In Baxter
Springs Territory Becomes
A World Beaten In
Production
By C. B. GORDON

mining booms ever experienced by
any mining camp in the country.
Early In the year q few venture
some drill rigs pushed their noses ov-
er the Oklahoma line into Kansas
which was considered wildcat terri
tory at that time, except In the inn
mediate vicinity Of Blue Mound,
where the Kenefick interests, under
the leadership Of Lucius Buchanan,
had drilled out and developed . mill
site on what IL now the famous Blue
Mound Mine At that time very few
people had any faith in the north ex-
tension of the Picher District, and
those who commenced development in
the Baxter District in 1917 deserve
special mention IS pioneers, and at
the head Of the list Of these hardy
individuals should be placed the name
of ]. w. Barnes, locally known as
"Jim" Barnes, who had secured leases
ON some 1000 acres lying west Of
Baxter Springs. The Commerce
Mining and Royalty Co., and the
Vinegar Hill Zinc Co., secured leases
on considerable acreage west of Blue
Mound as q wildcat investment. Be-
fore the middle of the year, from the
small amount of development which
had been completed up to that time,
it became evident that Baxter Springs
had one of the greatest mining fields
in the United States right at its
door. Drill strikes were made al
most daily ons lands which gave no
surface indications Of the hidden
wealth, and which had been ignored
for years as o mineral producing ter
ritory.
It would be hard to give complete
list of all the strikes during the year,
but those on the following lands are
worthy Of mention:
Thomas, Hartley, Ebenstein, Fan
cher, Baily, Ballard, Clark, Embrey,
Owens, Lindsay, Brewster, Kane,
Moore, Gilmore, Maddux, Sparlin,
Cooper, Naylor, Weber, Pigg.
A large number Of concentrating
plants were completed, or commenced,
during the past year, although but
three entered the producing class,
viz: The Blue Mound and The Blue
Diamond Of the Kenefick Co., and the
Barr Mine of Vinegar Hill Zinc Co.
Plants which were completed, or
partially constructed, during the year,
but did not enter the producing class
were:
Inspiration, Naylor, Barndollar,
Kansouri, Lucky o. K, Lucky Jack,
Merrill, Pennington, Lead Boy, Red
Eagle, Good Luck, Diamond Joe,
Lucky Jim.
The indications are that there will
be a very large production from these
plants during the ensuing year.
On a number of tracts in the Bax-
. ter District, shaft sinking is we'll un-
der way but the properties are not
to the point Of mill construction.
Among the properties which are I'M
der development by shaft at the pres
ent time are the Kane, Brown &
Head, Brewster, Lindsay. Hartley,
Huntley.
Ordinarily, the developments Of the
various camps of the Joplin District
are undertaken by individual COM
panies operating single properties.
The rapid development and bright fu-
ture which the early development OF
the Baxter District indicated has at
tracted to it one of the greatest min
ing companies in the country, viz:
The American Metal Co., Ltd, which
through it subsidiary, the Chanute
Spelter Co., has acquired leases on
several thousand acres Of land in the
vicinity Of Baxter Springs, and has
undertaken development on a large
scale. This one fact alone insures a
long life and permanence for the Bax-
ter Springs field, as this cOmpany's
operations will moe be subject to the
weekly fluctuatiOn Of the ore mark
ct, as Is the case Of the individual
operators having q small margin of
capital to work upon.
One Of the largest acquisitions OF
the Chanuts Speltsr Co., was the pur-
chase of the holdings Of the Miami
Zinc Syndicate, which has subleased
and partially explored the Barnes
p leases Immediately west Of Baxter.
The consideration for these leases
has not been made public but was un-
dOubtedly one Of the largest ever
paid for q group Of mining properties
in the joplin district. The deal was
contaminated about the 18th Of De-
csmbsr, and immediately upon the
transfer Of the property, CONSTRUCTION
ola l,OOO-tOn mill was begun on the
Hartley lease, Immediately west OF
= = g.. - anlana ara hainQ