The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-14
MINES, IDLE 20
YEARS, MAY Be
PROSPERITY KEY
Rich Deposits in Missouri to
Be Reopened to Pro-
vide Jobs.

Situated near the heart % the tri-
state lead and zine mining area. one Of
the largest deposits ~ this ore in the
world. Is Webb Ci;v. Mo. For two dec
sdss the rich veins IN that vicinity have
heen abandoned. Today u faces a
vivzi brought about bv business man.
miner. uho thinks the relief problem
can hest be solved nv providing a chance
for tn. small rntreprrneur. In the fol-
lowing story. first Of series Of two
articles. the United Press presents
sketch II the area and summary If
conditions a. ascertained hv staf re-
por,srs for the Springfield MO- Leader
and Press.
b. rnifcd Press
WEBB CITY Mo. Aug IA dis
tant chug-chug Of pumps is break
ing the silence that envelopes the
white chat hills Of the Oronogo
bottoms these sitting August days.
For decades this expanse that
once supplied a large part Of the
nations lead and zinc stocks has
been abandoned. Lonely rolling
chat hills. high as 2 house. dot the
landscape. Weeds have grown up
around concrete pillars that onre
supported busy mills. In one place,
broken sidewalks stand as the mon
Ument of a ghost village.
Deep in the desolate reaches of
this ghost field is a large lake of
azure water II fills a depression
from which once came tons of ore.
Il is 230 feet deep and II holds the
story Of this sector of the tri-state
mining area
In 1918. the rich Picher COkla)
field was discovered. The Webb City
field IS Of rock formation. Ore lies
generally in horizontal strata. AT
Picher. ore is found in vertical for
nations and softer earth and recOv-
cry Is easier. less expensive.
Operators hOcked 10 the Oklahoma
field. As each left his mine it filled
with water. As mine after mine
was abandoned it became more diff
ficult 10 keep the water pumped out.
Finally the field was abandoned ex-
cept the Circle Mine. Last year it
was left idle and became the deep
blue lake which rose to the surface
from the ocean Of underground
water.
The water pumps that chug buSlly
now are removing this surface water.
This step toward rehabilitation is
the plan OF miner who made for
tune in zinc. Reports are current
that ore reserves around Pitcher are
running low and that demand soon
will cause a boom here. All of this
has given new optimism to residents
here. hundreds of whom have vivid
memories of the field from the date
of its discovery in 1849.
Before the Civil War, John G.
Webb came here from Tennessee
and staked a claim. Some ten years
later. wearied by the heat while
blowing. he found rest beneath a
tree by a creek. A bright object
caught his eye 1t was ore. Exam
ination revealed the ground strewn
with the metal
The strike brought prospectors and
miners flocking to the farm. In 1875
Webb City, II blocks of it, was
staked out. II proSpered and the
big boom came the first Is years of
this century. Webb City became a
hustling city of 10000. Mills oper-
sted around the clock and processed
5000 tons of earth daily. Wages for
iahorers went to $50; for skilled
labor to $50 a week. Piano boxes
became homes. Seventeen saloons
were open.
Any man known as honest could
get a grub stake He worked for
wages for a while. then usually be-
came an operator
On Saturday night the workers.
known as track monkeys. screen
apes. tub hookers. railing hookers
swarmed into town
Then came Webb City's depression.
Just Is years before the general de-
preston struck the nation. The
population dwindled to 1000, the
present approximate figure.
tTOmOrrOw-HOw a miner who
got tired of seeing old friends idle
on relief plans to revitalize the
ore field