USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 14
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46,264 10,000 85,440
J. R. Crow Coal Company
72 mile southwest of Turck.
65,800
-
.
1% miles west of Weir.
34,518
2 miles southwest of Turck.
Bennett & Crowe.
314 miles northwest of Weir
J. H. Durkee Coal Company. ..
1%% miles northeast of Weir.
14 miles northeast of Weir.
1 mile northwest of Weir
1% mile southwest of Weir Junction
L. S. Myers & Son
2 miles northeast of Weir
Barrett & Hayden
North of Weir
30,000
12 mile west of Scammon.
Inter-State Coal Company
1 mile south of Scammon
Allen Coal Company .. ..
Southeast of Scammon
M. C. Guy Coal Company
Scammon.
1,118
James Stone.
North of Scammon
Henry Jenkins.
Southwest of Weir.
Mackie Fuel Company
1 /2 miles northwest of Scammon
Pullen Sons & Holman
1 mile north of Scammon
L. J. Hisle
Scammon
Eastern Coal & Coke Company
Cokedale
Humble Coal Company.
1 mile northwest of Turck.
Edwards Coal Company .
134 miles southwest of Turck
Fidelity Land & Improvement Company.
2 miles north of Mineral.
S. D. Scott
1 1/2 miles south of Mineral
1,058 70,885
Southwestern Coal & Improvement Company ..
Mineral.
1 mile cast of Mineral
146,734
S. W. Baxter & Sons
11/2 miles west of Weir.
Scranton & Son ..
] mile south of Weir ..
13,000
J. C. Graham Coal Company.
Scammon.
6,981
George Roeser.
2 miles west of Turck.
400
Columbus Coal Company.
Stippville
150
Southern Kansas Coal Company
1/2 miles south of Cherokee
14,861
Strip Pits not Reported.
Estimated.
7,000
645,679
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
1 mile southwest of Weir ..
11,432 2,689 67,780 9,740
Hamilton Coal & Mercantile Company
40,000 5,366 10,560 1,526
North of Scammon
9,500
9,821 4,500 2,027
5,587 28,268 3,625 12,356
1 mile west of Mineral
18,565 636 3,676
1 mile south of Scammon
8,800 26,430 12,195 6,262
Northeast of Weir.
Location not given.
1 mile west of Weir.
11/2 mile north of Scammon.
A
ד
Coke Works at Cokedale
Lead and Zinc Mining Shafts and Crushers, Galena
I2I:
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
A number of mines are not given in the table, for the reason that they have been opened since the publication of the last report of the State mine inspector, and because there are no figures from which to make a showing of the output of these new mines. The Flemming mine at Mineral City is one not included, for the reasons given, and there are others whose names and locations have not been obtained in time to be embodied in this chapter.
Notwithstanding the vast increase in the output of coal in Cherokee County, prices to local consumers have advanced nearly 100 per centum in the last 15 years, and this without any apparently just reason. There is no reason for it, only that the operators have simply ad- vanced the price, for the gain which it brings. If prices to all other consumers have been ad- vanced as they have been to the consumers in Cherokee County, the value of the output of the mines in the county, if it could be given here, for the last few years, would show a great ad- vance over any like number of former years.
GAS AND OIL,
Which arise from the deep coal beds far be- neath the surface of the earth, have been found in large quantities in Southeastern Kansas, west of the Neosho River, in the counties of Labette, Montgomery, Chautauqua, Elk, Wilson, Neo- sho and Allen. It is not believed that either will be found in large quantities in Cherokee County. The gas and oil are found above what is known as the Mississippi limestone, which geologists say, crops out in this county, but pitches toward the west and northwest. How- ever, oil in small quantity has been found in Neosho township, in this county, and it is be- lieved that it may be found in Sheridan town- 7
ship, both these townships lying along the Neo- sho River, on the east side, and just west of the general trend of the coal deposits. If, in the ages gone by, the oil exuded from the coal, through the tremendous pressure of the earth resting upon it, and was drained off in a north- westerly direction on the Mississippi limestone, as water courses over a slightly tilted roof ; and if the upper edge of this slightly tilted limestone crops out in Cherokee County, it is a reasonable presumption that there is no oil in the county, and that there is not much of it in Labette County, which is immediately west of, and only a little removed from, the coal fields.
THE LEAD AND ZINC MINES OF THE COUNTY.
It is conceded by those best qualified to judge of such matters, that, in mineral re- sources, Cherokee County is the richest county in the State of Kansas. Within several years next preceding the present a good deal has been published concerning what is called gold-bear- ing shale, found in some of the northwest coun- ties of the State; but nothing has come of the effort to find gold in paying quantities. The people of Cherokee County, as well as very many who do not reside here, know that its mineral resources, in the process of their de- velopment, have passed the experimental period. Many millions of dollars have been made out of the rich deposits opened; but it may be truthfully said that only a beginning has been made. This is particularly true of the lead and zinc. It is possible that one-tenth of the coal, in the strata now being worked, has been taken out; but no deep mining has been done. As to lead and zinc, not one-tenth has been taken out, even in the districts which have been most thoroughly worked in what may be
122
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
called the upper lodges of ore. Very little deep mining has been done for these ores; but suffi- cient has been done to show that the lowest lodges reached are the richesth, in both quality and quantity. Operators who have had large experience in lead and zinc mining say that the store house of these ores, in what is known as the Galena district, are so nearly inexhaustible that the youngest generation now living will remain to see no more than a beginning made in their development.
BIG REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
Before entering upon a description of the mines of Cherokee County and a statement of the output from them, it is deemed not im- proper to speak of some of the big real es- tate transactions, the records of which may be found in the office of the register of deeds at Columbus; for some of these transactions have grown out of the undertakings which have been in course for the development of the mines in the county, while others have incidentally grown out of such interests.
May 1, 1896, The State Trust Company funded bonds for The Cherokee Lanyon Spel- ter Company, to the amount of $300,000, the bonds being secured by a first mortgage of the company's real estate. The recorder's fee in this transaction was $48.65.
September 28, 1896, The Mercantile Trust Company funded bonds of The St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Company, in the sum of $5.666,500, taking a mortgage on the com- pany's real estate in Cherokee County, with real estate elsewhere.
In January, 1902, The Central Coal & Coke Company negotiated with The Pennsylvania Company, for $2,500,000, and in security they
passed 37,000 acres of land in Missousi, Kan- sas, Arkansas and the Indian Territory. The record of the mortgage covers 90 pages, and the recorder's fee was $51.60. In January, 1898, the same company had negotiated with Edward E. Stansbury, under mortgage, for the loan of $800,000.
January 1I, 1904, James Murphy and others, by quitclaim deed, sold more than 1,000 town lots in Empire City, to The Murphy Min- ing & Realty Company, for the consideration of $60,000. The fee for the recording of this deed was $158.65.
Perhaps the largest individual transaction in real estate ever made in Cherokee County was that in which W. S. Norton, of Columbus, sold certain coal lands to The Fidelity Land & Improvement Company, in consideration of $84,000.
These transactions cover considerations amounting to $9,410,500, a large part of which pertains to Cherokee County; but they do not include all the transactions which have imme- diately grown out of or incidentally pertain to the mining interests of the county. Other transactions, of more or less magnitude, if sought out in the records, would be found to foot up many hundreds of thousands of dollars in the county.
THE MINING OF LEAD AND ZINC.
Considering the area over which the opera- tions have been extended, the mining of lead and zinc since the year 1882, has been the most profitable industry in Cherokee County. The location of these mines is in the southeastern part of the county, along Spring River, chiefly on the east side of the stream. extending to the east line of the State. The city of Galena, so
123
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
named on account of the mineral which is so abundant there, is in the midst of the great mining region. Empire City lies just north of Galena. For many years next following the discovery of mineral there, a brisk rivalry was maintained between the two towns, each en- deavoring by every possible means to lead the other for the honor of designating the mining district. Galena early gained the ascendency, and it has constantly held it. In the reports showing the output of ores the region has come to be known as the "Galena District," and it is probable that it will so continue to be desig- nated.
THE DISCOVERY OF LEAD AND ZINC.
As is stated elsewhere, in the chapters de- voted to the history of Galena and of Empire City, lead and zinc were discovered in that lo- cality in the spring of 1877. Up to that time 10 uncovering of the rich deposits had been made. As far as human habitation was con- cerned, the region, in almost every respect, lay in an untouched condition; and as for agri- cultural purposes Nature never designed it to be at all attractive. But from the year 1877, on down to the present, it has been one of the busiest regions in the world, in the activity con- stantly kept up in the operations necessary to bring to the surface of the earth the rich metal ores which are lying beneath.
STATISTICS OF LEAD AND ZINC PRODUCTION.
The annual output of ore has not constantly increased, each year greater than the preced- ing one, either in quantity or in value; for the activity has been intense or slack, proprtionate to the demnad for the product of the mines.
However, in a general way, taking any partic- ular series of years, there has been an advance, and a great one, too, since the first few years of the industry. The quantity and the value have not changed proportionately ; for in 1896 the mines yielded 62,232 tons of zinc, worth $1,401,307.83, while in 1897 the yield was 59,451 tons of zinc, worth $1,492,663.04. In the latter year the yield was 2,781 tons less, but the value was $91,355.21 more, the increase in value being due to the higher market price. I have before me a table showing the annual output of lead and zinc, in the Galena district, from 1886 to 1901, inclusive. The table is taken from the "Annual Bulletin on the Min- eral Resources of Kansas," for 1900 and 1901, prepared by Erasmus Haworth, of the depart- ment of physical geology and mineralogy in the University of Kansas. It had been my aim to get information on the two years following 1901, but this is lacking.
The table shows that the quantity of zinc mined is much larger than the quantity of lead. But it also shows that the price of lead is higher than that of zinc. For the 16 years covered by the table, the quantity of zinc taken out and sold was more than six times as much as that of lead ; but the value of the zinc was less than four times as much as that of the lead. For this series of years the greatest output of zinc was in the year 1898, when 74,852 tons were sold ; but the greatest output of lead was in the year 1897, when 15,184.68 tons were sold, for $762,- 469.96 The largest amount realized for zinc, within the time covered by the table, was for the output of 1899, which amounted to $2.313,- 831.00. For the 16 years the mines yielded the enormous quantity of 633.683.63 tons of zinc ore, which was sold for $15, 144.640.70, and 105,178.46 tons of lead, which was sold for
124
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
SHOWING OUTPUT OF ZINC AND LEAD ORES, GALENA DISTRICT, KANSAS, From January 1, 1886, to December 31. 1901, inclusive. Data since 1895 from the Engineering and Mining Fournal; others from Russell Elliott, Galena.
ZINC ORE.
LEAD ORE.
YEAR.
Tons (2000 lbs)
Average price per ton.
Value.
Tons (2000 lbs)
Average price per ton.
Value.
Total value of output.
1886.
31,768.00
$18 50
$587,708 00
2,962.14
$59 00
$174,766 38
$762,474 38
1887 ..
32,795.00
19 00
623 105 00
3,073.19
52 50
161,499 98
784,604 98
1888.
33,391.00
21 00
701,211 00
2,624.00
31 00
81,344 00
782,555 00
1889
32,950.00
24 00
790,800 00
3,992.50
46 00
183,655 00
974,455 00
1890.
21,675.00
23 00
498,525 00
4,173.96
42 28
176,176 28
674,701 28
1891
20,641.00
21 51
454,102 00
3,602.21
50 32
182,271 83
636,373 83
1892
23,811.00
20 00
476,237 78
7,188.17
42 00
301,903 14
778,140 92
1893.
25,028.00
18 85
471,789 00
5,139.59
38 00
195,314 42
667,103 42
1894.
28,670.00
17 10
490,257 00
5,817.49
33 64
195,794 66
686,051 66
1895.
41,232.00
19 68
812,792 00
12,537.64
38 56
482,548 75
1,295,340 75
1896
62,232.00
22 51
1,401,307 83
14,061.58
32 04
450,529 90
1,851,837 73
1897
59,451.00
25 17
1,492,663 04
15,184.68
50 20
762,469 96
2,255,133 00
1898.
74,852.00
26 64
1,994,230 55
7,918.28
42 04
352,798 45
2,347,029 00
1899
64,708.48
38 54
2,313,831 00
6,723.40
52 62
354,311 00
2,668,142 00
1900.
46,501.35
30 28
1,238,237 13
4,938.44
48 80
240,995 87
1,479,233 00
1901.
33,977.80
27 95
797,844 37
5,238.19
46 94
245,880 63
1,043,725 00
Totals for 16 years
633,683.63
$373 73
$15,144,640 70
105,178.46
$705 94
$4,542,260 25 $19,686,900 95
$4,542,260.25, making, in all, $19,686.900.95. It must not be thought that this is all profit ; for, as a matter of fact, a very small part of it is clear profit, to any individual or company. The expenses of mining are always very great. While the output, when sold on a good market, brings in a vast amount of money, it has to be distributed among a large number of men, of various classes, which diffuses the benefits of the operations. Foundrymen, machinery build- ers, engineers, laborers, helpers, teamsters, shaft bosses, time keepers, clerks, bookkeepers ; all these come in for their wages, salaries and accounts, and they must be paid. Then, if the mine is on leased ground, as many of them are, the owner of the land comes in for his royalty, which is the easiest money made in all the under- taking. He has nothing to do but to accept his
-
check and go to the bank and have it added to his account.
The product of zinc ore, when the ore has been passed through the furnace and has been brought out in the metallic form, is called spelter. The furnace is called a smelter, and the operation of reducing the ore to metal is called smelting. The lead and zinc ores mined in Cherokee County, Kansas, are nearly all shipped to other places to be reduced. For- merly there were some smelters at Weir City, where coal is abundant ; but they were discon- tinued. A much larger number were at Pitts- burg, but many of them were moved to Iola, Kansas, on account of the abundance of natural gas. Recently, since the gas pressure has be- come weaker and insufficient to meet the de- mands as fully as desired, the smelters are being
125
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
brought back into the coal fields, where the supply of fuel is ample and will remain so, any- how for the next fifty years.
In Mr. Haworth's bulletin, referred to in this chapter, he says that during the years of 1900 and 1901 the zinc smelters of Kansas yielded the largest amount of spelter ever pro- duced in a like time. They produced 57,856 tons of metal in 1900, and 81,542.3 tons in 1901. The average price of spelter in New York, for the year 1900, was $87.80 a ton, and for the year 1901 it was $81.50 a ton, a decline of $6.30 a ton ; but the quantity put upon the market during the latter year was so much greater than the quantity for the former year that the value was greater by $1,516,864.65, the value for the first year being $5,028,832.80, while the value for the second year was $6,645,697.45.
In the year 1900 the total amount of spelter produced in the United States was about 123,- 000 tons. Kansas produced nearly one-half of this amount. It is claimed by some that much of the ore smelted in Kansas is brought into the State from other places ; that the Joplin district sends a large amount of ore to Kansas, to Iola, LaHarpe and Cherryvale, all of which are situate in the gas regions. This may be true ; but it may be stated as true, also, that as much Kansas ore is shipped out of the State, to smelters in Missouri, Illinois and other States, as that which comes into the State from the Joplin district. Anyhow, it is within the bounds of truth to say that, of the lead and zinc ores smelted in Kansas, nearly the entire amount is taken out of the earth in the Galena district, which includes all the mining opera- tions for zinc and lead in the State of Kansas.
The following table will show the amount and value of the zinc produced in the State of
Kansas, annually, from 1882 to 1901, inclusive, the table covering the product of 20 years :
YEAR
Amount in short tons (2000 pounds)
Price per ton in New York
Total Value
1882
7,366
$110.60
$ 814,679.60
1883
9,010
90.60
816,306.00
1884.
7,859
89,60
704,466.40
1885.
8,502
86.80
837,973.60
1886
8,932
87.90
785,122.80
1887.
11,955
92.80
1,109,424.00
1888.
10,432
98.34
1,025,902.88
1889.
13,658
100.20
1,368,531.60
1890.
15,199
108.75
1,652,891.25
1891.
22,747
108.82
2,475,336.90
1892.
24,715
89.78
2,218,912.70
1893.
22,815
80.3712
1,733,755.63
1894.
25,588
70.43
1,902,162.84
1895.
25,775
71.04
1,831,056.00
1896.
20,759
79.70
1,653,592.30
1897
33,443
82.40
2,755,703.20
1898
38,543
91.40
3,508,524.27
1899.
52,664
115.00
6,056,360.00
1900.
57,876
87.80
5,028,832.80
1901
81,542.3
81.50
6,645,697.45
Total.
499,380.3
$91.19
$44,824,932.23
The table does not cover the product of the mines of the Galena district, from the time of the discovery of lead and zinc ores there, in 1877, up to the year 1882. By those who are best qualified to judge, it is estimated that the spelter produced in these five years was of the value of about $3,000,000, which added to the figures given in the table is seen to make up the aggregate value of $47,824.932.23, or an an- nual average of $2,391,246.61.
The world's production of zinc metal has constantly increased, and very rapidly within recent years, due to the increased uses to which it is put. It enters into the composition of brass and other yellow compositions, into the cyanide processes, into the manufacture of sheet metals and very largely for electrical purposes. Fifty per centum of it is used for galvanizing purposes, twenty per centum for sheet metals, fifteen per centum for brass and other yellow
126
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
compositions and fifteen per centum for sundry other purposes. It is indispensable in the manufacture of brass, and nothing else has been found that will take its place in electrical appliances. It is said that in America the greatest demand is for galvanizing purposes, in the manufacture of wire for fencing and other uses. and of galvanized iron for construc- tion purposes.
Belgium and the Rhine district, taken to- gether. produce more zinc metal than any other district in the world. Silesia came next. in former times, with America third, Great Britain
fourth, France and Spain fifth. Austria and Poland seventh: but more recently. America has gone ahead of Silesia, and is now second in the zinc-producing countries of the world. and it is not far behind Belgium and the Rhine dis- trict. The following table will show the world's output of zinc metal, for the years from 1884 to 1900. inclusive. In the last year the Bel- gium and Rhine district produced 189,994 tons ; Silesia produced 102,316 tons and America 122.885 tons. The next year, for which the output of other countries is not given, America produced 155,206 tons :
YEAR
Rhine district and Belgium
Silesia
Great Britain
France and Spain
Anstria
Poland
Total foreign
America
Grand Total
Per cent. American
1854
127,240
66,116
29,259
15,341
6,170
4,164
260,290
34,414
294,004
5.56
1855.
129,754
79,623
24,299
14,847
5,610
5,019
259,152
36,329
292,659
8.05
ISS5.
129,020
S1,630
21,230
15,305
5,000
4,145
256,330
38,072
294,402
12.93
130,995
81,375
19,839
16,028
5,385
3.550
257.155
44,946
302,101
14.57
ISSS
133,245
83,375
26.783
16,140
4,977
3,785
265,305
49,913
318,218
15.68
1:59
134,615
S5,665
30,506
16,785
6,330
3,026
277,248
52,553
329,801
16.23
1890
137,630
57.475
29,145
18,240
7,135
3,620
253,215
57,860
341,105
16.96
1891
139,695
87.080
29,410
15.360
6,440
3,760
284,745
72,208
356,953
20,22
1892.
143,305
87,760
30,310
18,602
5,020
4,270
289,327
71.910
367,237
21.21
1893.
149,750
90,310
25,375
20,555
7,560
4,530
301,110
70,385
371,495
19.93
1894.
152,420
91,145
32,065
21,245
8.5~0
5,015
310.470
67,257
377.727
17.50
1895
172,135
93,620
29,495
22,895
S,355
4,960
331,460
80,077
411,537
19.45
1896
179,730
95,875
25,580
29.450
9,255
6,165
315,355
72,767
418,122
17.43
1897.
184.455
94,045
23,430
32,120
8,155
5,760
347,995
89,265
437,203
20.41
1895
191,836
99.233
27.635
32,649
7,229
5,664
364,246
103,515
467,761
22.10
1899.
192,994
100,160
32,223
33,482
7,305
6,325
372,496
123,194
495,690
26.87
1900.
189,994
102,316
30,30%
44,200
6,836
5,969
258,525
122, 885
411,375
29.55
1901
155,206
It would take more time and space than can here be given to name all the individuals and firms that have been engaged and are now en- gaged in the mining of lead and zinc in the Ga- lena district. During the 27 years. since the dis- covery of these ores in that district. many have come and gone, and only a few of the companies which were among the first are still operating. From the Galena Times of July 28. 1904. some information is taken as to a number of the
operators. Those mentioned are The South Side Mining & Manufacturing Company. The Pittsburg Lead & Zinc Company, The New Century Zinc & Lead Mining Company. Mur- phy. Freil & Company, The Merger Mining Company, The Clara Louise Mining & Milling Company. The Galena Smelting & Manufac- turing Company, and The McNeal Mining & Milling Company.
The following table shows the output of
127
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
The Southside Mining & Manufacturing Company, from 1877, the beginning of mining operations at Galena, to and including the year
1903, and also a supplemental showing of the output for the first five months of the present year ( 1904) :
OUTPUT OF SOUTH SIDE MINING & MANUFACTURING COMPANY
YEAR
LEAD ORE
SOLD FOR
ZINC ORE
SOLD FOR
1877
112,455
$ 2,372.52
1878
3,570,003
63,911.82
271,130
$ 2,169.09
1880.
9,553,204
215,939.59
1881
7,703,234
220,518.49
2,283,480
18,267.84
1882
5,007,410
115,591.66
4,650,250
37,202.04
1883
2.368,808
69,092.66
3,525,690
28,205.55
1884.
1,351,847
97,066.03
3.054,320
24,434.75
1885.
1,282,661
31,169.07
8,227,690
65,821.50
1886.
1,671,813
49,659.20
14,475,180
115,801.47
1887.
1,803,775
47,458.46
10,101,690
80,813.52
18SS
1,329,277
20,604.51
14,579,770
116,638.16
1889
1,904,083
43,810.29
13,378,070
107,024.56
1890
1,070,360
25,146.28
3,977,890
38,823.12
1891
1,016,003
25,781.09
8,458,400
67,667.20
1892.
1,018,229
21,815.44
7,615,110
60,920.88
1893.
1,569,380
29,728.03
2,582,760
18,079.32
1894
1,272,090
21,185.80
3,249,450
16,728.86
1895.
538,200
9,307.76
2,821,450
14,633.45
1896. 1897
1,613,260
32,273.06
10,431,080
43,707.27
1898.
1,121,470
24,926.40
14,399,240
78,269.55
1899
1,081,648
28,537.25
14,124,860
174,426,64
1900
1,712,031
41,705.55
12,503,980
132,593.23
1901
2,262,830
51,551.75
9,477,370
93,060.60
1902.
732,070
16,758.54
6,886,700
91,925.95
1903
660,770
16,693.31
7,203,316
93,304.83
TOTALS.
64,654,338
$1,571,567.32
180,642,366
$1,532,846.39
OUTPUT FOR FIRST FIVE MONTHS 1904
MONTH
LEAD ORE
SOLD FOR
ZINC ORE
SOLD FOR
January
102,780
$2,098.51
575,786
$ 5,290.59
February
197,050
4,199.43
633,826
8,558.83
March
231,720
6,391.88
886,986
12,243.91
April.
159,580
4,397.49
937,845
9,773.95
May
222,030
5,605.00
636,636
7,307.70
TOTALS.
913,160
$22,692.31
3,671,079
$43,174.98
1,036,136
15,640.92
2,363,490
14,327.21
1879.
10,291,291
233,320.84
The figures of quantity in the table indicate pounds instead of tons. It may be presumed that the Southside Mining & Manufacturing Company's output is an average among the
principal mining companies operating in the district. If so, it indicates the wonderful ac- tivity which has been kept up since the discov- ery of the rich ore deposits in the lead and zinc
I28
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
area of Kansas, and which has brought so much wealth to the people engaged in the mining operations.
THE OPERATION OF THE MINES.
In taking out lead and zinc ores the opera- tions are so different from those employed in the mining of coal that it is deemed a matter of interest here to make a brief statement, so that the reader not acquainted with the dif- ferences will have a better understanding of them. Coal nearly always lies in strata or layers, varying in thickness, from a few inches to several feet. These strata are sometimes level ; oftener they are slightly tilted, and some- times much so. In the coal fields of Southeast- ern Kansas the strata incline slightly down- ward toward the northwest. If one owns a tract of land on all sides of which shafts have been sunk and a stratum of coal found, he is almost absolutely safe in the presumption that he has the same stratum lying under his land, and at about the same depth of that of his neighbors, making allowances for the surface variations and the general tilt of the stratum. This is not true with respect to lead and zinc. These ores lie in pockets or lodges, or they may be scattered through the earth very irregularly. sometimes "good stuff." sometimes "poor stuff." according to the per centum of ore, com- pared with the rock and earth to be worked. The ores can never be depended upon to lie in strata ; and, on this account, one can not judge from surrounding operations, only in a general way, whether he will find ore or not. His neighbor may find the richest of deposits; but he may not even get a "shine," although he may sink his shaft close by.
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