USA > Missouri > Cedar County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 3
USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 3
USA > Missouri > Barton County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 3
USA > Missouri > Hickory County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 3
USA > Missouri > Polk County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
THE SOUTHEAST LEAD DISTRICT.
The Mine La Motte region was discovered about 1720 by La Motte and Renault. It was not, however, until this territory was ceded to Spain that any considerable mining for lead was done in this part of Missouri. Moses Austin, of Virginia, secured from the Spanish Government a large grant of land near Potosi, and sunk the first regular shaft; and, after taking out large quantities of lead, erected, in 1789, the first reverberatory furnace for the reduction of lead ever built in America. .
In all this region are found crystallized cubes of galena in the tallow clay, occurring as float. In Franklin, Washington and Jefferson Counties galena is found in ferruginous clay and coarse gravel, often associated with small masses of brown hema- tite iron and the sulphuret of iron; sometimes lying in small cavities or pockets.
The Virginia mine in Franklin County has produced by far the greater portion of lead from this section.
At the Webster mines, the silicate and carbonate of zinc are found always accompanying the lead. At the Valle mines silicate of zinc and baryta occur, as well as hematite iron ore. The 2
26
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
Mammoth mine was a succession of caves, in which millions of pounds of lead were found adhering to the sides and roof, and on the bottom was mixed with clay and baryta.
The Frumet or Einstein mines are the most productive ever opened in Jefferson County, and yield also large quantities of zinc ore. There are other valuable mines, in some of which sil- ver has been found.
In Washington County lead mining has been carried on un- interruptedly for a greater length of time, and more acres of land have been dug over that have produced lead than in any other county in the State.
In St. Francois County, lead deposits are found in the fer- ruginous clay and gravel. These mines formerly produced many millions of pounds, but have not been extensively worked for many years.
Over portions of Madison County considerable lead is found in the clay. There is lead in several locations in Iron County. In Wayne, Carter, Reynolds and Crawford Counties lead has been found.
Ste. Genevieve has a deposit of lead known as the Avon mines on Mineral Fork, where mining and smelting have been prosecuted for many years. In this vicinity lead has also been found as " float" in several places.
Lead exists in the small streams in several places in the western part of Cape Girardeau County.
In the region above described at least 2,000 square miles are underlaid with lead, upon which territory galena can be found almost anywhere, either in the clay, gravel openings, or in a disseminated condition.
The Central Lead district comprises the counties of Cole, Cooper, Moniteau, Morgan, Miller, Benton, Maries, Camden and Osage. During later years the lead development of Cole County has been more to the northwestern corner, passing into Moniteau and Cooper Counties. In the former several valuable mines have been opened.
The West diggings have been extensively developed and proved rich. The mineral is found in connected cubes in lime- stone rock, and lies in lodes and pockets. Lead has been found
27
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
in several places in Cooper and Osage Counties. The later dis- coveries in that vicinity, although not yet fully developed, give promise of great richness.
Camden County possesses considerable deposits of lead; a number of mines have been successfully worked, and, as the en- tire northern portion of the county is underlaid with the mag- nesian limestone formation, it may be discovered in many places where its existence has never been suspected. Miller County is particularly rich in galeniferous ore.
Paying lead has been found north of the Osage River. On the Gravois, Big Saline, Little Saline and Bush Creeks, and the Fox, Walker, Mount Pleasant and Saline Diggings have yielded millions of pounds of lead.
Benton County contains a number of lead deposits, the most important being the Cole Cany mines. Lead has been found as a " float " in many localities.
Morgan County, like Washington, can boast of having lead in every township, either as clay, mineral, "float," or in veins, lodes, pockets and caves. The magnesian limestone series of Morgan, in which the lead ores now are, or have all existed, are the most complete and well defined of any in Missouri.
The most extensive deposits of lead in Morgan County have been found south of the center of the county, yet in the north- western part are several well known lodes. We can not even name the hundreds of places in the county where lead is found. in paying quantities. There seems to be a region, covering 200 square miles, entirely underlaid by lead. These wonderful deposits are as yet but partially worked.
The Southern Lead Region of the State comprises the coun- ties of Pulaski, Laclede, Texas, Wright, Webster, Douglas, Ozark and Christian. The mineral deposits of this region are only partially developed. In Pulaski County lead has been discovered in several localities. Laclede County has a number of lead deposits; one about eleven miles from Lebanon, where the ore is found in a disseminated condition in the soft magne- sian limestone. In the southwestern part of Texas County, along the headwaters of the Gasconade River, there are considerable deposits of lead ore. Wright County has a number of lead
28
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
mines almost unworked, which are situated in the southeastern part of the county, and are a continuation of the deposits in Texas County. In Douglas County, near the eastern line, and near Swan Creek, are considerable deposits of galena. Ozark and Christian Counties have a number of lead deposits, zinc being invariably found in connection.
The Western Lead District comprises Hickory, Dallas, Polk, St. Clair, Cedar and Dade Counties. In Hickory County quite extensive mining has been carried on, the larger deposits having been found near Hermitage. In the northern part of the county and along the Pomme de Terre River, lead occurs as "float," and in the rock formation. The more prominent lodes are found in the second magnesian limestone, with a deposit occurring in the third. The lead deposits of Hickory County are richer and more fully developed than any other in this district. Dallas County has a few deposits of lead, and float lead has been found in various localities in Polk. In St. Clair County the galeniferous deposits are in the second sandstone, and in the ferruginous clay, with chert, conglomerate and gravel. Cedar County presents a deposit of lead, copper and antimony. Galena is found in the clay and gravel. In Dade County a considerable quantity of galena has been found in the southeastern corner of the county.
The Southwest Lead District of Missouri comprises the coun- ties of Jasper, Newton, Lawrence, Stone, Barry and McDonald. The two counties first named produce more than one-half of the pig lead of Missouri, and may well boast their immense deposits of galeniferous wealth. The lead mining resources of Jasper and Newton Counties are simply inexhaustible, and new and rich deposits are continually being found. Lead ore seems to have been obtained here from the earliest recollection, and furnished supplies to the Indians during their occupation. Formerly, smelted lead, merchandise and liquor were the principal return to the miner for his labor, as the distance from market and the general condition of the country precluded enlarged capital and enterprise. Since the war capital has developed the hidden wealth, and systematized labor, and rendered it remunerative. This, with the additional railroad facilities, has brought the county prominently and rapidly before the public as one of the
29
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
most wonderful mining districts of the world. The total produc- tion of lead in Jasper County for the centennial year was, accord- ing to the estimates of the best authorities, over half the entire lead production of the State, and more than the entire lead produc- tion of any other State in the Union. Later statistics show a steady and rapid increase in the yield of these mines.
One fact, worthy of notice, is, that Jasper County, the great- est lead producing county of the greatest lead producing State, raises every year, upon her farms, products of more value than the lead dug in any one year from her mines.
IRON.
In the mining, shipping, smelting and manufacturing of the ores of iron, there is, perhaps, more capital invested and more labor employed than in all the other metal industries of our State combined.
There are three principal and important iron regions in Mis- souri, namely :
The Eastern Region, composed of the southeastern limonite district, and the Iron Mountain specular ore district.
The Central Region, containing principally specular ores.
The Western or Osage Region, with its limonites and red hematites.
These three principal regions combined form a broad ore belt running across the State from the Mississippi to the Osage, in a direction about parallel to the course of the Mississippi River from southeast to northwest, between the thirtieth and fortieth township lines. The specular ores occupy the middle portion of this belt, the limonites both ends of it. The latter are besides spread over the whole southern half of the State, while these sub- carboniferous hematites occur only along the southern border of the North Missouri coal field, having thus an independent dis- tribution, and being principally represented in Callaway, St. Clair and Henry Counties.
Iron Mountain is the greatest exposure of specular iron yet discovered. It is the result of igneous action, and is the purest mass or body of ore known. The work of years has only just un- covered the massive columns of specular ore that seems to pass
30
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
down through the porphyry and granite to the source of their exist- ence. The region about is covered with the ore debris. The broken masses have the same general color and quality as the vein ore of Iron Mountain. The fresh fracture presents a light gray, tinged distinctly with blue. The crystallization is often coarse, presenting an irregular fracture. All the ore is more or less mag- netic. The streak is a bright cherry red, and possesses the hard- ness of 6. Analysis shows it to contain from 65 to 69 per cent of metallic iron.
The ore of Shepherd Mountain is called a magnetite. In some portions of the veins it shows itself to be granular, brown in color, and to have a clear black streak. Other portions present all the qualities of a specular ore. In portions of the specular, as well as magnetite, beautiful crystals of micaceous ore are found. The streak of this specular and micaceous is a dark red; the hardness is about 5, with from 64 to 67 per cent of metallic iron. The magnetic qualities of this ore are quite variable, usually the strongest at or near the surface, but this is not the case in all the veins. The ore of Shepherd Mountain is superior to any yet developed in Missouri, not quite as rich as that of Iron Mountain, but so uniform in character, and devoid of sulphur and phosphoric acid that it may be classed as supe- rior to that, or any other ore that we have.
The ore of Pilot Knob is fine grained, very light bluish gray in color, and with a hardness representing 6, with a luster sub- metallic. There is a most undoubted stratification to the deposi- tion, occurring as before indicated. The ore of Pilot Knob gives from 53 to 60 per cent metallic iron, and is almost free from deleterious substances. The ore below the slate seam is much the best, containing only about from 5 to 12 per cent of silica, while the poorer ores show sometimes as high as 40 per cent. There have been more than 200,000 surface feet of ore de- termined to exist here.
The Scotia Iron Banks, located on the Meramec River, in Crawford County, are most remarkable formations. Here the specular ore is a deep, steel gray color, with a metallic luster. The crystals are fine, and quite regular in uniformity. This ore is found in the shape of boulders, sometimes small and sometimes
31
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
of immense size, resting in soft red hematites, that have been pro- duced by the disintegration of the specular ores. These boulders contain a great number of small cavities in which the ore has as- sumed botryoidal forms; and upon these, peroxide iron crystalliza- tions are so formed that a most gorgeous show of prismatic colors is presented. The hardness of this ore is about 6; the soft red ore, in which it occurs, not more than 22.
In these banks there are some carbonates and ochraceous ores, but not in any quantity to deteriorate or materially change the character of the other ores. Many of the boulders present a soft red mass with a blue specular kernel in the center. This ore is found to be slightly magnetic, and gives from 58 to 69 per cent metallic iron.
Simmons Mountain, one-half mile south of Salem, Dent County, is about 100 feet high, and covers nearly forty acres. The second sandstone is the country rock and at the summit is uncovered, and mixed with specular and brown ores. Down the elevation larger masses of ore are met with that have the appear- ance of being drifts from the main deposit higher up. Shafts have been sunk in this elevation determining more than thirty feet of solid ore. The ore is a splendid, close, compact, brilliant specular, very hard and free from deleterious substances. The ores of this mountain do not show nearly as much metamorphism as many of the other banks in the second sandstone of this re- gion. The ore is quite strongly magnetic, and gives a bright red streak. This is the largest specular iron deposit, with the exception of Iron Mountain, that is known in the State.
Some of the most extensive red hematite banks in Missouri are located in Franklin County. Along the Bourbense there are thirteen exposures of fine red hematite iron ore. Near Dry Branch Station is an elevation, capped at the summit with saccha- roidal sandstone, beneath which there is a large body of red and specular ore. The red hematite, however, predominates, and is remarkably pure and free from sulphur or other deleterious sub- stances. The sinking of a number of shafts upon this hill reaches the deposits in several places, in all of which the red hem- atite shows itself to be the prevailing ore. This ore will be found to work well with the hard specular and ores of the siliceous character, like Pilot Knob.
32
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
In Miller, Maries, Cole and Camden Counties, also in Bol- linger, Stoddard and Butler Counties, along the line of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, there are a number of red hematite banks of considerable promise. There are simi- lar banks in the northern part. of Texas and Wright Counties, and in Morgan, Benton, Cedar and Laclede.
In Wayne County there are over seventy different limonite ore banks. In Miller, Maries, Camden, Cole, Moniteau and Cal- laway Counties there are very extensive banks of the same kind. In Morgan, Benton, St. Clair, Cedar, Hickory and Vernon Coun- ties, considerable brown hematite has been found.
In Franklin, Gasconade, Phelps, Crawford, Laclede, Chris- tian, Webster and Green Counties, large limonite beds have been found. In the Moselle region very large deposits have been opened and worked for many years. In Osage County there are a number of promising brown ore banks, as well as fine specular and red hematite.
It is impossible, in the brief space at our command, to de- scribe the number of banks, rich in iron ore, which are situated in the above and other counties of our State; but a glance at the tables found in the works of prominent geologists of the State, will give some idea of the resources of Missouri as an iron pro- ducing region.
ZINC.
The ores of zinc in Missouri are almost as numerous as those of lead. They are distributed throughout almost all the geolog- ical strata, and scattered through nearly every mineral district; but the principal supply of the metal for commercial purposes is obtained from a very few ores, the more important of which are zinc blende (sulphuret of zinc), the silicate of zinc and the carbonate of zinc, and these are furnished by a comparatively few localities.
In reference to their geological position, the ores are in two classes: The first class includes all zinc ores which occur in the regular veins of the older rocks, and hence are associated with other metalliferous ores. The second mode of occurrence, and the ore by far of paramount importance in Missouri, is that of the third magnesian limestone of the lower silurian series, where
33
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
it usually occurs in association with galena in the cave formation.
Zinc blende abounds at Granby and Joplin, and is found at many other mines of the southwest. It also occurs at the lead mines of Franklin and Washington Counties, and at some other points in Southeast Missouri.
The pockets of coal in Central Missouri nearly all contain zinc blende. The lead mines of the same section also sometimes carry it.
There are quantities of silicate of zinc at Granby and Joplin, and the ore is found at most of the lead mines of the southwest, and occasionally in Central and Southeast Missouri. Carbonate of zinc occurs at Granby, Joplin, Minersville and Valle's mines. It is in the Granby, Joplin and Valle mining districts that zinc ore is principally worked.
COPPER.
Several varieties of copper ore exist in the Missouri mines. The copper mines of Shannon, Madison and Franklin Counties have been known for a long time. Some of those in Shannon and Franklin were once worked with bright prospects of success, and some in Madison have yielded good results for many years.
Deposits of copper have been discovered in Dent, Crawford, Benton, Maries, Green, Lawrence, Dade, Taney, Dallas, Phelps, Reynolds and Wright Counties, but the mines in Franklin, Shan- non, Madison, Crawford, Dent and Washington give greater promise of yielding profitable results than any other yet dis- covered.
NICKEL AND COBALT.
These ores abound at Mine La Motte and the old copper mines in Madison County, and are also found at the St. Joseph mines.
Sulphuret of nickel, in beautiful hair-like crystals, is found in the limestone at St. Louis, occupying drusy cavities, resting on calcite or fluor spar.
MANGANESE.
The peroxide of manganese has been found in several locali- ties in Ste. Genevieve and other counties.
34
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
SILVER AND GOLD.
Silver occurs to a limited extent in nearly all the lead mines in the State. Gold, though found in small quantities, has never been profitably worked in any part of Missouri.
MARBLE.
Missouri has numerous and extensive beds of marble of vari- ous shades and qualities. Some of them are very valuable, and are an important item in the resources of the State.
Fort Scott marble is a hard, black, fine-grained marble, with veins of yellow, buff and brown. It receives a fine polish, and is very beautiful. It belongs to the coal measures, and is common in the western part of Vernon County.
There are several beds of fine marbles in the St. Louis lime- stone, of St. Louis County.
The fourth division of encrinital limestone is a white, coarse- grained crystalline marble of great durability. It crops out in several places in Marion County.
The lithographic limestone furnishes a fine, hard-grained, bluish-drab marble, that contrasts finely with white varieties in tessellated pavements.
The Cooper marble of the devonian limestone has numerous pellucid crystals of calcareous spar disseminated through a drab or bluish-drab, fine compact base. It exists in great quantities in some localities of Cooper and Marion Counties, and is admira- bly adapted to many ornamental uses. There are extensive beds of fine, variegated marbles in the upper silurian limestones of Cape Girardeau County. Cape Girardeau marble is also a part of the Trenton limestone, located near Cape Girardeau. It is nearly white, strong and durable. This bed is also found near Glencoe, St. Louis County.
In the magnesian limestone series there are several beds of very excellent marble. Near Ironton there are beds of semi- crystalline, light-colored marbles, beautifully clouded with buff and flesh colors. In the third magnesian limestone, on the Niangua, is a fine-grained, crystalline, silico-magnesian limestone, light drab, slightly tinged with peach blossom, and beautifully clouded with deep flesh-colored shades. It is twenty feet thick, and crops out in the bluffs of the Niangua for a long distance.
35
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
There are numerous other beds in the magnesian limestones, some of which are white and others so clouded as to present the appearance of breccias.
The Ozark marbles are well known, some of them having been used to ornament the Capitol at Washington. Wherever the magnesian limestones come near the igneous rocks, we may expect to find them so changed as to present beds of the beautiful variegated marbles.
1182924
SULPHATE OF BARYTA.
In its pure white form, this mineral is very abundant in Mis- souri. It occurs in large beds in the mining regions, as the gangue of our lead veins, and as large masses, especially in the magnesian limestone of the lower silurian rocks. It is utilized as a pigment in connection with lead, and may be made valuable for the same purpose in connection with some of our ferruginous and argillaceous paints.
CLAYS.
Fire clays, possessing refractory qualities, suitable for making fire brick, occur beneath most of the thicker coal seams.
Potter's clay is abundant, especially among the coal measure elays. It is also sometimes found associated with the lower car- boniferous rocks.
Kaolin is only found in Southeast Missouri, where porphyries or granites prevail.
Brick clays have been found and worked in nearly all the counties where there has been a demand for them. The argilla- ceous portions of the bluff formation make good brick, as shown in the brick yards all along our large rivers. Some of the ter- tiary clays will make the very best brick.
ยท CAVES, ETC.
There are several very interesting and quite remarkable caves in the State. Hannibal Cave, situated one mile below the city of Hannibal, and about a quarter of a mile from the Mississippi River, is approached through a broad ravine, hemmed in by lofty ridges, which are at right angles with the river. The ante- chamber is about eight feet high and fifteen feet long. This
36
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
descends into the Narrows, thence through Grand Avenue to Washington Avenue, and through the latter to Altar Chamber. This is a ferruginous limestone formation, and crystal quartz, carbonate of lime and sulphate of magnesia abound. Stalactites and stalagmites are continually forming by limestone percola- tions. In Bat Avenue Chamber the bats may be seen hanging from the ceiling in clusters, like swarms of bees, some of them fifteen inches from tip to tip. Washington Avenue, over sixteen feet high, with long corridors of stalactites and stalagmites, is the largest division of the cave. It contains a spring, and a deep pool, in which are found the wonderful eyeless fish. The Devil's Hall, Alligator Rock, Elephant's Head, two natural wells filled with limpid water, Table Rock, and numbers of other curiosities, will amply repay the tourist for his exploration.
Cliff Cave, thirteen miles below St. Louis, has been utilized by the Cliff Cave Wine Company as a wine cellar.
There are several caves in Miller County, the largest of which is on Big Tavern Creek, in the bluff near its confluence with the Osage River. The entrance is about twenty-five feet square, and is situated thirty or forty feet above the river, in a solid lime- stone bluff. During the civil war it was used as a retreat by the bandit, Crabtree. The stalactite formations are of strange and fantastic appearance, some of them looking like colossal images of marble, and the whole effect by torchlight is weird and solemn.
Phelps County contains several interesting caves, the most accessible of which is Freide's Cave, about nine miles northwest of Rolla. Its mouth is 60 feet in width and 35 feet in height. It has been penetrated to a distance of three miles without find- ing any outlet. The Stalactite Chamber is a beautiful apartment 200 yards in length, varying from 15 to 30 feet in width, and from 5 to 30 feet in height. The Bat Chamber contains thou- sands of wagon loads of guano, which is extensively used by the farmers of the neighborhood. The cave also contains quantities of saltpetre, and during the war large amounts of powder were manufactured there.
There are also caves in Christian County. The principal one is two and a half miles northeast of Ozark. Its entrance is
37
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
through a rock arch 50 feet across and 80 feet high. About 400 feet from the entrance, the passage is so contracted that the ex- plorer must crawl through on his hands and knees. A fine stream of water, clear and cold, gurgles down through the cave.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.