The Western Journal, September, 1850, pages 411-412
New Madrid, Mo., September 12, 1850.
To the Editors of the Western Journal:
GENTLEMEN: Knowing the deep interest you feel in regard to the development of the natural resources of our giant young State, I have taken the liberty of saying something about a recent discovery of very rich and valuable lead ore in the south-western extremity of our State, where I spent the past summer. Messrs. Moseley, Oldham & Co., are working a very valuable lead, about five miles west of Neosho, on Shoal creek, sixteen miles above the Grand falls, as it is called, and about twenty-five miles from Grand river, a very good navigable stream, as far as it has been tried -- there having been a number of flatboats taken out of it in the past three years. This company have taken out with six hands, since the 1st of April up to the 20th of July, about 100,000 pounds of ore from two shafts, which have been sunk to the depth of sixty feet. They have now nearly completed a druming furnace, which will be in successful operation by the first of October, and which will smelt 3000 pounds per day. Messrs. Tingle & McKee, sixteen miles north-west of Moseley's diggings, near a stream called Turkey creek, have made a fine discovery, and have raised about 50,000 pounds, and are now smelting in a log furnace. Messrs. Murphy & Co. have struck a fine lead, on Turkey creek, about five miles above Tingle & McKee's, and have taken out 25,000 pounds. The ore found at Moseley's mines has been assayed in your city, and it yields 85 per cent. Several valuable deposits of coal have been found in Newton county -- one about four miles from Moseley's mines, and another six miles from Neosho. From the specimens of ore from Tingle & McKee and Murphy & Co's mines, I believe them to be of equal richness to the ore assayed.
The only obstacle to the rapid development of the mineral resources of south-western Missouri, is remoteness from navigation, or at least, certain navigation. You are aware that south Grand river flows entirely through the Indian country, emptying into the Arkansas about five miles below Fort Gibson. If that small wedge of land belonging to the Senecas, Seneca Shawnees, and Quapa Indians, lying west of Newton county, was attached to the State, it would add greatly to the growth of that part of our State, and rapidly increase the growth and development of one of the finest sections of south-western Missouri. A fine flourising border town would grow up; steamboat navigation of Grand river would take the place of road wagons; and thousands of acres, now lying waste, would soon yield up their hidden treasures. From actual inspection and observation, I am satisfied that in the course of time, south-western Missouri will be one of the richest mineral countries in the State. It is the intention of the different mining companies in Newton county to charter a steamer to come up to the mouth of Cowskin (in the Seneca country) next spring, and carry off their lead. I will keep your readers advised of the progress of the mining business of south-western Missouri.
Your ob't serv't,
Wm. S. Moseley.
The Western Journal and Civilian, January, 1855, pages 119-122
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We are indebted to G. W. Moseley, Esq., of Neosho, Mo., for the following interesting account of the Lead mines, mining and lead trade in Southwest Missouri. We value this document the more highly because it is evident from its tone that it is not written for effect. From our knowledge of the author we feel assured that be is no speculator in mineral lands and fancy mining stocks; and it is quite refreshing to contrast the primitive, honest method by which mines have been opened and metal smelted in Southwest Missouri, with the mining stock speculations which have been projected in other parts of the country for some years past. We trust the time is not far distant when the principal cause of discouragement to mining in that region will be removed. The construction of the Southwestern Railroad will be the means of removing that cause and of developing the most extensive and perhaps the richest lead region of the United States.--Ed.
Neosho, Newton co., Mo., Nov. 25, 1854.
Messrs. TARVER & COBB.
Gentlemen:--I have just been making out some accounts for Professor Swallow in regard to the minerals and mining operations in Southwest Missouri. I have thought that you would like to have a correct account of the amount of mineral raised and smelted in this new mineral region of Missouri. The following statements may be relied on. I have put myself to a good deal of trouble to collect the facts, and if you deem them of sufficient importance to give them a place in your valuable Journal, you will oblige me, and save me a great deal of trouble in answering letters of enquiry from various places.
The first smelting of Galena -- Lead ore -- in Southwest Missouri was commenced in the year 1850 by Mr. A. Spurgeon, on section 32, Township 26, Range 32, in Newton County. Mr. Spurgeon raised from this section 226,000 pounds ore, which he smelted in log furnaces in the years 1850 and 1851. The log furnaces used in this country were generally constructed on the side of a hill. They were made 8 feet wide, 10 feet long, 6 by 8 feet in the clear, and the walls about 5 feet high. In the front of the furnace was an eye, say 2 feet square, through which the fire was stirred, and out of which the lead run when melted. The bottom of the furnace was laid with flat stone, the wood was prepared by cutting large logs to drop in the furnace, together with some dry wood, the mineral being mixed with the wood, after being washed in a common trough made from a hollow tree. The furnace being charged in this way, the fire is kindled, and the melted lead caught in a common dutch oven.
This mode of smelting produced some 80,000 pounds of lead, sold for $4,000, and yielded about 35 per cent. This lead was generally peddled out in the small towns and in the Indian country on our western border.
In the year 1850, Moseley & Co., of Nesoho, built a furnace known to smelters as the Drummon furnace, situated near to Moseley's mines. On this furnace G. W. Moseley & Co. smelted from their own mines on section 35, township 26, range 32, in Newton county, 250,875 pounds of lead ore, and 25,000 pounds purchased at other mines. The mineral smelted in this furnace yielded a fair per cent; (the lead being shipped to New York and Boston.) In the fall of 1851, G. W. Moseley & Co. commenced building a blast furnace, with two stacks, propelled by water-power, and on the 9th day of February, 1852, they completed this furnace, at a cost of $3,000. They smelted from the Moseley's mines 142,500 pounds of ore; from Center creek, in Jasper county, 99,074, and from Turkey creek, in Jasper co., 95,073.
In July, 1853, this blast furnace went in to the hands of the Moseley Lead Manufacturing Company. They smelted from the Moseley mines 110,500, and from Oliver's Prairie, in Newton co., and Center and Turkey creeks, in Jasper co., 93,000 lbs. of ore.
In Jasper county, Mo., Mr. Harklerodes erected a blast furnace, single stack, in the early part of the year 1853; and from the best information that I have, has smelted since he commenced from Center and Turkey creeks, in Jasper county and Oliver's Prairie, in Newton county, some 300,000 pounds of ore. The amount of mineral that is at present on hand, and which will be ready for delivery by the 20th of December next, is estimated at 200,000 pounds.
Since the commencement of the lead business, in 1850, up to the 20th December, 1854, we show of the ore raised 1,551,022 pounds. Until this last spring the lead has been transported say from Moseley's furnace to Moseley's Landing, on Grand river, in the Seneca nation, by wagons, at 25 cents per 100 pounds, and thence by flatboats to Fort Smith, at a cost of 40 cents per 100 pounds, and thence to New Orleans by steamboat. G.W. Moseley & Co. had their lead always insured on flats, with privilege of reshipping, at a cost of 2 1/2 per cent. on its value at New Orleans. The usual price of freight from Fort Smith to New Orleans is fifty cents, per 100 pounds. G.W. Moseley build their own flatboats, and hawled the lumber fifty miles. The three years that they shipped their lead down Grand river, their bills of lading date in May and July in each year, they have shipped from 800 to 1,000 pigs of 70 pounds each, upon a single boat. It is said that boats could go with much larger loads; one season they shipped on 30 feet water. There are several objections to shipping by Grand river: first, its location in the Indian country, secondly, the great difficulty of getting lumber, and thirdly, the river can only be relied upon in May and July of each year.
If persons engaged in the lead business had a sufficiency of capital to purchase mineral and hold on to the lead until these periods arrive, say May and July in each year, lead could be sent much cheaper than by Boonville to St. Louis. For instance, the same boat that carried 1,000 pigs to Fort Smith, could be made with very little additional expense to carry 2,000 pigs with equal safety. Since the Seneca country has been treated for by our government, mills will be erected to saw lumber; all these things will still lessen the expense; and I think without a doubt that lead can be delivered at New Orleans from this country for 80 or 85 cents per l00 pounds by this route. The Moseley Lead Manufacturing Company sent their lead to St. Louis, last spring, by Boonville; transporting it to Boonville on wagons, at $1 per 100 pounds, and thence by steamboats, at a cost including charges of sterage, receiving, forwarding, insurance, freight, &c., of 25 cents per 100 pounds.
It is a safe calculation to say that 1,000 pounds of good lead ore, smelted in the blast furnace, will yield 650 lbs. of lead; this at the present prices in St. Louis, 6 cents, will be $39.00. Cost of transportation to St. Louis, at 1 1/4 cents per pound, will be $8.12 1/2. The 1000 pounds of ore in the Galena mines, in Illinois, will yield the same 650 lbs., and be worth in St. Louis $39.00. I suppose that lead can be shipped from Galena at 30 cents per 100 pounds; this would be $l.95 for each 1000 pounds of the ore: this will make a difference of $6.17 1/2 in favor of the Galena smelters. For example, if in Galena mineral is worth $30.00 per thousand pounds, it is only worth here in southwest Missouri $23.82 1/2. Thus it will be perceived that, should lead turn down to a price that would depress the value of mineral at the Illinois mines to $15.00 per thousand pounds, it would be worth only $8.82 1/2 per thousand in Southwest Missouri, which would be discouraging to the miners of this region. Yet so long as we have to hawl in common wagons to Boonville, this state of things will exist. Furthermore it is only a limited amount of lead that can be sent to St. Louis, even at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per hundred pounds. For instance, I say to a wagoner, sir, I have a load of lead to send to Boonville, and I would be glad you would start in three days. His reply is, have you a back load? I answer, no. Then, he says, I cannot hawl it unless I can get a load of goods to hawl back for some of the merchants; if you are very anxious for your load to go, and I cannot get a load to hawl back, I will take your load, if you will pay me $2 per 100 pounds, the Boonville prices to Neosho at this season of the year; but if you will wait until my team can live on grass, I can afford to hawl for $1.50 per hundred. These are prices which the owner cannot afford to pay, and of course the load remains on hand.
G. W. Moseley & Co. have sold their lead in Boston and New York, where they obtained the same prices paid at the time for Illinois lead. Our best mineral, when analysed, is found to contain 85 per cent.; no other district in the United States, I believe, produces richer ore. I should think all assayers would be satisfied of this, were it not for what I once saw not a hundred miles from our city. A gentleman who had been traveling through our section of country, and also through the Washington and Madison county mines, and had lived for many years near the latter, was exhibiting to the President of a corporation the different specimens of ore, and among them one from Moseley's mines, of this country. While the President was carefully examining each specimen, the gentlemen called his attention to one from his own favorite home, and said, this is the best specimen I have seen; this will yield 90 per cent. of pure lead. I sat in silence, and thought to myself that the President would correct the gentleman, but he did not.
Our mineral region embraces the counties of Jasper, Lawrence, a portion of Grundy, Barry, McDonald and Newton, in Missouri, the country claimed by the Quapaw, Seneca and Shawnee Indians, the northeastern portion of the Cherokee country, and through Northwest Arkansas. There can not be a doubt but this country is the most extensive mineral region in the United States.
I have endeavored to give you a fair and honest expose of this country, representing it as it is, with its advantages and disadvantages. Give this country a railroad, and its mines when fully developed will send more lead to St. Louis, than Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois send to that and every other market.
Yours, respectfully,
G.W. MOSELEY.
G. C. Swallow, The First and Second Annual Reports of the Geological Survey of Missouri
(Jefferson City, 1855), page 163
NEWTON COUNTY, MISSOURI, November 25th, 1854.
Prof. G. C. Swallow,
State Geologist
DEAR SIR,-- By your request, I give you the information desired, in regard to the mineral operations in this part of the State.
The first smelting of Lead Ore in this county, was on the rude log furnace, by Mr. A. Spurgeon and others, in the years 1850 and 1851. The ore, raised on Spurgeon's Prairie, Newton county, was dug from Sec. 32, Town. 26, R. 32. The amount smelted from this section on log furnaces, was 226,000 pounds.
Second. - The next furnace, generally known as the Drummond, was erected by Moseley & Co., of Neosho, in 1850, on G. W. Moseley & Co.'s lands, near their mines. On this furnace they smelted, in 1850 and 1851, from Moseley's Mines, situated in Sec. 35, Town. 26, R. 32, Newton county, 259,875 pounds of the ore; 25,000 pounds from Spurgeon's and Turkey-Creek Mines.
Third. - In the fall of 1851, G. W. Moseley & Co. commenced building a blast furnace (double-eyed), and on the 9th day of February, 1852, lead was run from the first ore ever smelted on a blast furnace in the South-West. 0n this furnace we smelted ore raised from our own mines, in Sec. 35, Town. 26, R. 32, 142,500 pounds; from Center-Creek Diggings, in Jasper county, 99,074 pounds, and from Turkey-Creek Mines, in Jasper county, 95,073 pounds.
Fourth. -The Moseley Lead Manufacturing Company commenced operations in October, 1853, and smelted, on the blast furnace erected by G. W. Moseley & Co., and situated on Sec. 22, Town. 26, R. 32; ore raised from the Moseley Mines, on Sec. 35, Town. 26, R. 32, 110,500 pounds; from Oliver's Prairie, Newton county, and from Center and Turkey-Creek Mines, 93,000 pounds.
From the best information that I can get from the blast furnace in Jasper county, built by Mr. Harklorode in 1853, they have smelted from the different mines, Oliver's Prairie, Newton county, Center and Turkey-Creek, in Jasper county, about 300,000 pounds.
From the best information, sought by me amongst the miners, I have set down 200,000 pounds as the amount of ore, at the different mines, ready for delivery and that may be delivered by the miners up to the 20th day of December next.
| Total amount raised at the different mines: -- | lbs. | lbs. |
| Spurgeon's Mines, in 1850 and 1851, and smelted on log furnace, | 226,000 | 226,000 |
| Amount on the Drummond furnace, by Moseley & Co, and from Moseley's Mines, | 259,875 | |
| From other mines, | 25,000 | 284,875 |
| Smelted on the blast furnaces, up to the present time: -- | ||
| From Moseley's Mines, by Gwin & Co., | 142,500 | |
| From Moseley's Mines and Lead Manufacturing Company, | 110,500 | 253,000 |
| From Center-Creek, | 99,074 | |
| From Turkey-Creek, | 95,073 | |
| From Oliver's Prairie, Center and Turkey-Creek, | 93,000 | 287,147 |
| Supposed amount smelted by Harklerode, | 300,000 | |
| Supposed amount ready for delivery and up to 20th December | 200,000 | 500,000 |
| 1,551,922 |
Until this last spring, all the lead made in this country was sent to New York and Boston by Grand River and Arkansas, and through the Indian Country to Fort Smith, and thence, by steamboat, to New Orleans.
Respectfully, yours, &c.
G. W. Moseley.
G. C. Swallow, The First and Second Annual Reports of the Geological Survey of Missouri
(Jefferson City, 1855), page 161
Moseley & Co.'s Mines are located in Town. 26, R. 32, Sec. 35. More systematic mining has been done at this place than at any other locality visited in the South-West. Three shafts have been sunk; Main Shaft 48 feet, Pump Shaft 68, and Third Shaft 50, besides about 400 feet of drifting. All the shafts and driftings are very large and the mines are kept dry and well ventilated. The efficient conductor of these mines, Mr. John Ryan, accompanied me through the mines, and gave much valuable information, as to the location and thickness of the veins worked out. These mines were opened in 1850. From February, 1854, to November of the same year, he worked, on an average, three hands, and raised from 140,000 to 150,000 pounds of mineral, of a very superior quality. The whole amount raised at these mines is estimated at 562,875 pounds; the workmen estimated it as high as 800,000.
These mines are opened in the side of a bluff, of Carboniferous Limestone, which crops out on both sides of them; but the shafts do not strike the limestone, as they commence in and pass downward in the cherty conglomerate above described. Large veins of reddish and white clay, which, in appearance, very much resembles tallow, cut this conglomerate in various directions; and they sometimes accompany the lead.
Oliver's Prairie Mines are located on Oliver's Prairie. There are numerous diggings on and near this prairie, in the same character of rocks, cherty conglomerate and Carboniferous Limestone.
At Richardson & Brock's Diggings, three hands have worked eighteen months, and raised 70,000 pounds.
At Davis & Cole's Diggings, three hands worked two months, and two hands, two months, and raised 15,000 pounds.
At Richardson & Foster's, four hands worked three months, and raised 24,000 pounds.
At Vickory & Johnson's, two hands worked three months, and raised 3,500 pounds.
There are a great number of shafts sunk in many places in this neighborhood, and the produce of all the mines here, has been estimated at 208,000 pounds.
Spurgeon's Prairie Mines, three miles from Moseley's Furnace, were not visited; but they are represented as very productive, and in the same geological position as the other mines. Their produce is estimated at 276,000 pounds.
Baxter's Lead Mines are about one mile south of Grand Falls, and have produced some 3,000 pounds.
Strickland's Mines. -- The ore raised and smelted on a log furnace sold for some $2,500.
Centennial History of Newton County, Missouri
(1876, reprint 1996), page 15
In the spring of 1847, Thomas Shepherd and Simpson Oldham went to work in earnest to search for lead on the southwest quarter of the Southwest quarter of Section 25 [35?], Township 26, Range 32, and soon found it in considerable quantities; the "diggings" soon developed into the famous "Mosely Mines" from which such large quantities of lead have been taken. In the same year lead was found in paying quantities on Cedar Creek prairie, about three miles from the other discovery. These discoveries attracted some attention and led men to believe that there were stores of wealth worth digging for, which could not be reached by the ploughshare. At first the lead was smelted in log-heaps; but this was a slow, tedious and expensive process. About the year 1850, Levi Gilstrap and others built a small air furnace, some four miles northwest of Neosho. This was the first furnace built in the county. This was somewhat imperfect; but was an improvement of the log-heap of years before. In the year 1851, George W. and William S. Mosely, with John Ryan put up a blast furnace on Cedar Creek, using two pairs of bellows instead of fans; the bellows being run by water power. This was a partial success and stimulated mining to some extent. In the years 1851, 1852, 1854, large amounts of lead were sold from the Mosely Mines and smaller diggings in the vicinity, the total product of which we cannot now actually give, as the books and accounts of those who smelted the lead are not within our reach.