The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-01-17
MISSOURI LEAD BELT
PRODUCES $25,OOO,OOO
StFrancois County's Disseminated Dis
trict Shows Output for Year 1918 of
10000 Tons of Pig Lead
(By Special Correspondent of the St.
Louis Republic.)


The Southeastern or Disseminated
Lead Belt of Missouri produced about
10000 tons of pig lead in 1918 that
had an approximated value of $25 ,OO0,-
900. This is the first year that the
district has failed to show substan-
tial increase in its annual output in a
period of healthy, steady growth, ex-
tending over so years. The past years
lead tonnage is about Is per cent less
than in 1917, which latter marks the
crest in tonnage and value, when 1885,
900 tons were produced, that had a
value of about $35,000,000. The I'M
usually high value of the 1917 output
was due to the phenomenal conditions
created by the war, when for short
period lead reached the unheard-of
pinnacle of II cents per pound that
naturally stimulated a peak produc-
ton. The lead market during 1913
ranged from 7 to cents at st. Louis,
which under normal conditions, would
have meant phenomenal profits, but
under the extremely high prices pre-
vailing for labor and supplies, the
margin of profit was not as large as
the unusually high lead prices would
indicate. The district was very pros
porous during 1918, and the shrink
age in the tonnage was partly due to
working lower grade ores, partly due
to operating on tive-siXths time in De-
cember, and to less extent it was
due to the closing down of two miner
producers. The influenza also cur
tailed work to an appreciable extent
in the latter part Of the year, as there
were many absentees from the ''flu."
While labor was very high and diff
cult to hold to full time or efficiency,
there was no grave shortage, in spite
of the drafts made by the war.
Mostly From st. Francois
The output of 1918 was almost en-
tirely derived from St. Francois coun-
ty, as the Madison county production
was much below normal and the small
output from the gopher mines in the
adjoining Washington, jefferson and
Franklin counties was less than usual,
as the surface diggers iiocked to "the
big mines" in the Flat River district
to enjoy the big wages.
The only introduction of new par
ties into the district occurred at An
napolis, in Iron county, where a ST.
Louis company did large amount of
diamond drilling in exploring a small,
local limestone basin amid the por-
phyry hills, on the main line of the
Iron Mountain railroad. 1t is six miles
west of Madison county and is the
first deposit of disseminated lead that
has been found in Iron county that
promises to become of commercial inn
portance. 1t resembles the Madison
county deposits in general character,
and while it is reported that some
good cores were obtained, it is prema-
ture to estimate the probable size and
richness of the deposit. Arrangements
are now being made TO sink a shaft to
open up the property and the lead oc
ours at 204 to 500 feet in depth. This
property was also prospected by one
of the Flat River companies four years
ago, but the option was not exercised.
! Equalizing Wages
Although the lead market has re-
coded considerably since the close of
the war on November II, wages are
still continued on the abnormally high
plane that has prevailed for over two
years. An important step has been
taken, however, that will render it
easier to harmonic the labor market
with the lead market by shutting down
all the plants one day each week,
which will also tend to prevent over
production. At present shovelers are
paid $4.70 per shift of eight hours,
miners make S. to Sc and common la
Dor Sd,
The soldiers who have been encamp-
ed in the district since the outbreak
against the foreigners (mostly Hun
garians) in 1917, have been recently
removed. While at the outset there
was more or less lawlessness and in
timidation for a few days to scare
away the foreigners, it promptly sub.
sided when the soldiers moved in and
the continued presence of less than
one company of troops has been suffi-
cient to prevent any further trouble.
That this outbreak was inspired and
started by outsiders, if not by |. W.
W. leaders, it now well known, and
the fning or short Imprisonment of
some of the local participants in the
trouble has completely cooled off the
open antagonism to the Hungarians
and Italians who largely do the heavy
work of shoveling.
st. Francois County
st. Joe Lead COmpany-The grand
old St. Joe Lead Company continues
to maintain its lead in being by far
the largest producer in the district,
besides being the patriarch of the
camp, as it is over half a century old.
The original pioneer mine at Bonnie
Terre, which has developed the largest
ore body in the district, furnished a
large tonnage through the No. l shaft
that is concentrated at the local 1000
ton mill. The nucleus of the Bonnie
Terre mill was built in 1883 at q 500
ton plant, and as it has been operated
ever since, the removal
Of the tailings has become an impor-
tant item, when the st. Louis market |
fails to relieve it. For while heavy
tailing shipments are made to st.
Louis for railroad ballast, concrete,
,tc., the neighboring valleys have been
argely filled up by rail-haulage. AS
he dumping and spreading of the
chats" or tailings involves a large
mount of labor, a "tailing-stocker"
III ,,eth nay1 /