The incalculable wealth, which lies hid in the bosom of Mother Earth,
in our vast possessions of the West, is undoubtedly centered in the
State of Missouri; and the development of this fund of riches must
add to the national prosperity, not only by its immeasurable intrinsic
value, but by its affording occupation to armies of laborers, the
latter being the highest and most important consideration.
In 1852-3, a geological survey of the State was wisely decided upon,
and a liberal provision for its execution made. Two valuable reports,
by Professor Swallow, have been printed, in the year 1855, but the
notes of his subsequent investigations have not been made public.
In the session of 1869-70, further action, in this important public
work, was taken by the State legislature, and arrangements made for a
still more accurate and detailed examination, under the direction of
Professor A. D. Hager, of Vermont.
The distribution of metals all over the State will be seen in the
following figures, taken from the St. Louis _Journal of Commerce_,
which show the number of counties in which the various ores are found:
Iron in 46 counties, lead in 43, coal in 36, copper in 24, marble in
11, zinc in 27, fire clay in 16, barytes in 10, nickel in 6, granite
in 4, tin in 4, plumbago in 2, gypsum in 2, alum in 1, antimony in 4.
There is probably no country in the world so endowed as this. Of iron
alone, according to the State geologist's report for 1855, there is
ore of the best quality, sufficient to furnish 200,000,000 tuns of
iron; and this quantity lies in a small space, in the vicinity of
Pilot Knob and Iron Mountain, and within 100 miles of St. Louis.
The quality of the iron is highly spoken of by the manufacturers, and
the capacity of the smelting appliances has reached to over 150,000
tuns per annum. The coal is well suited for reduction of ores,
either by hot or cold blast treatment. The Scotia Iron Co. commenced
operations in January, 1870; and, although the materials for building
blast furnaces had to be carried 80 miles into a desert, the first
furnace was blown into blast in August, 1870. This furnace will run
about 24 tuns per day. The company procures ore from a hill, near the
furnace, in which there is an apparently inexhaustible supply of red
oxide and brown specular. This ore yields 60 per cent of pure metal.
The erection of mills for making wrought iron is contemplated, and the
high quality and prodigious quantity of the raw material will justify
and reward any outlay of capital in this direction.
The shipment of ore to other States goes on constantly, the last
year's account showing that 246,555 tuns were dispersed over Indiana,
Ohio, and others. The furnaces at Kingsland, South St. Louis, Lewis
Iron Co.'s Works, Carondelet, and Maramec are all well situated as
to coal and limestone, the Maramec Works having a most valuable
water-power. These latter works also ship about 40,000 tuns red
hematite ore yearly.
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