Excerpts From
Annual Bulletin on Mineral Resources of Kansas,
For 1898. Gold and Silver, Lead and Zinc, Coal,
Oil and Gas,
Gypsum, Building Stone, Clay Goods,
Hydraulic Cement, Salt.
by Erasmus Haworth
Department of Physical Geology and Mineralogy, University of
Kansas
The University Geological Survey of Kansas
Publication distributed from the University, at Lawrence,
Kansas
July 1899
.
Please note: While only a few of the sections of this book will be presented here, you can view all of the photographs in the book by clicking on "Illustrations" below in the Contents..
Contents.
Dr. F. H. Snow, Chancellor of the University of Kansas:
Sir - I have the honor to submit to you herewith my annual report on the mineral resources of Kansas for the year 1898, which will constitute the second annual bulletin of this series.
Yours most respectfully,
Erasmus Haworth.
Department of Physical Geology and Mineralogy,
University Kansas, June 30, 1899.
This report of the mineral industries of Kansas for 1898 has been delayed in preparation, due to unavoidable causes.
The year 1898 was an unusually prosperous year for almost all mining enterprises within the state. The output of zinc ore was the greatest in value ever known in the state; the output of lead ore fell far short of that of preceding years. But the combined value of the two was greater than that of any other year in the history of lead and zinc mining in Kansas. The zinc smelting business was unusually successful, due principally to the extended application of natural gas as a fuel in smelting; but the amount of spelter produced for 1898, great as it was, is much smaller than that which will probably be produced during 1899, as a number of smelting establishments began operations early in 1899.
During the year the two leading smelting furnaces at Galena were in successful operation more than half the time, so that we again have our Kansas lead ore principally smelted on Kansas territory. This is the first time that such has been accomplished for a long period of years, and is therefore exceedingly gratifying to all our public spirited citizens.
The operations of the Argentine Smelting and Refining Company was very successful throughout the year, particularly in their gold refining department, where the business transacted exceeded five million dollars. There was a considerable decrease in the amount of silver refined. The copper and zinc produced at the refinery was entirely changed into blue vitriol and white vitriol, instead of being marketed in the metallic form. In 1897 the lead at this factory was likewise very largely changed into litharge, but in 1898 no litharge was manufactured.
There was great activity in the coal industry during 1898. The total output of Kansas mines aggregated 3,860,405 tons; over half a million tons in excess of the output in 1894, which year but little more than in previous years, averaging for the entire state and for all kinds of coal a value at the mines of $1.08 1/2 per ton, giving a total value considerably over $4,000,000, which is larger than the aggregate value of any preceding year excepting 1894, when coal had an average value of $1.35 per ton. An interesting feature of the coal mining, however, was that there was a general decrease of production in all localities outside of Cherokee and Crawford counties, with a correspondingly great increase in these two counties.
The oil refinery at Neodesha consumed the total output of petroleum for the year. There is such a relation between the refining company and the Forest Oil Company (the principal producing company), that no more oil is produced than the refinery wishes to handle. The production was considerably greater than that of the preceding year, but probably not nearly so great as it could have been made had the refinery demanded more.
The production of natural gas during the year was much greater than that of any preceding year, due principally to the large demand for it as fuel in zinc smelting. The zinc smelters use it without measuring the amount that they consume, and it is therefore difficult to make a reliable estimate of the value of the gas thus produced. In the table which follows in the body of this report the value of the gas consumed by the various cities was taken directly from figures furnished by the several secretaries of the gas companies. That consumed by the smelters was estimated upon the amount of spelter produced at the gas furnaces by allowing three and one-half tons of coal slack to the ton of ore, and using the value for the slack as given in the coal-mining district. There may be serious objections to this mode of estimating the value, but it is the best method known.
The output of salt reached over 1,800,000 barrels, which is considerably larger than that produced during the preceding year, the nearest approach to these figures being in 1892. The value of the salt is unprecedentedly low, averaging for the year twenty-seven cents per barrel, making an aggregate value of nearly half a million dollars. To this sum the cooperage should be added, to express the correct idea of the magnitude of the salt industry. With a cooperage of twenty-five cents per barrel, the salt industry reached a total of nearly a million dollars. It is a curious fact that the value of the salt in the barrel was but two cents greater than the value of the barrel.
The gypsum and gypsum cement industry was not as active during the year of 1898 as in preceding years, neither was the value per ton as great. The Acme Cement Company has withdrawn from the state. Other plants likewise were, in general, less active than in preceding years. The new mills at Mulvane, now in successful operation, were not completed until about the 1st of January, 1899, so that their output does not affect the returns for 1898.
The hydraulic cement industry is still confined entirely to Fort Scott, where the two factories did a business about the same as in 1897, producing 160,000 barrels, with an average value of thirty-eight cents per barrel.
It is difficult, in fact almost impossible, to gather reliable figures on the stone industry of the state. The large stone companies respond very promptly in general to letters of inquiry regarding their output. But there are so many small quarries here and there over the state, the locations of which are not known to the to the writer, quarries which individually are of little importance, but which collectively amount to a great deal, that the sum total of the stone industry as given is, after all, a mere estimate. The writer would esteem it a great favor if every quarryman in the state who may chance to read these pages would send him his name and address, so that a correct directory of the stone quarries of the state may be compiled.
The year just past has been a prosperous one for the manufacturers of the various kinds off clay goods, particularly for the brick factories. The total product reached an aggregate value of nearly $400,000, which is far above that of any other year. The greatest increase was in vitrified brick, which are now so extensively used in street paving, the second greatest increase being in common building brick. With the increased demand for various kinds of building material already manifested for the year 1899, one may confidently expect that the brick industry in a short time will reach a magnitude very gratifying to all our citizens.
Table I. Showing Value of Each of the Mineral Products of Kansas for 1898, and Since Industry Began.
During 1898 the stone industry of Kansas was about on a par with other industries, compared with like industries for 1897. It has been impossible to gather accurate data regarding the total product for 1898. This is partly due to slight negligence on the part of some operators in failing to respond to letters of inquiry sent them, but is principally due to our inability to obtain a perfect quarrymen's directory. There are so many small stone quarries in the state that do a slight business, sometimes suspending entirely for a year or more at a time and again renewing operations, that it is exceedingly difficult to come in touch with nearly all of them. These small items in the aggregate constitute a very considerable proportion of the total stone industry.
The same general statement may be made regarding the sand industry and the lime industry. Sand is dredged from the Kansas river bed in great quantities at many places from Kansas City to Manhattan or beyond. In addition to this it is obtained in lesser quantities in many other places away from the Kansas river, particularly for local consumption.
Unfortunately we have no very good lime-producing limestone within our limits, and therefore the various lime producers generally produce a somewhat inferior grade of lime. That this is abundant is shown from the general market conditions. The lime dealers in almost every town in the state import large quantities of lime.
The following tables of chemical and physical tests are reprinted from the report for 1897, pp. 77 to 79 inclusive:
(The following Kansas counties are listed in the table below: Allen, Anderson, Barber, Brown, Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Clay, Cowley, Douglas, Elk, Franklin, Hamilton, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Nemaha, Norton, Riley, Wabaunsee, Jackson, and Woodson.)
Table XVII. Tests and Analyses of Kansas Building Stones - Limestone. (Note: this is a large table. It will take longer to load)
All of these limestones are fossiliferous in appearance. The surface appears to polish very well. Fossil outlines are very distinct in most of them. The prevailing color of the samples is a sort of gray, occasionally brownish. The polished surface of certain bluish-gray specimens is quite dark. The polish of some of these stones is very good indeed. The.table (above) is from the Sixteenth Annual Report of the U. S. Geological Survey.
The actual commercial importance of Kansas stone quarries for 1898 is shown in the appended statistical tables, in which is given the total output of the Kansas quarries for 1898 and preceding years.
It is impossible to estimate the total value of stone quarried in Kansas; so many thousands of cords have been taken out a little at a time by the individual farmers and by the local dealers to be used in the foundations of buildings and the construction of bridges and in many other ways, that nothing but the merest guess could be applied to them. It is well within the limits of probability, however, to say that more than five million dollars' worth of stone have thus been produced.
The future prospect of our quarries is dependent almost entirely upon the extent of internal improvements in Kansas and adjacent territory. The largest proportion of stone will come from the Cottonwood Falls series of limestone, as they furnish such excellent dimension stone. Should a demand be created, the quarries already in operation and other which would soon be put in operation would readily supply many times the amount they thus far have produced.
Table XVIII. Showing Value of Building Stone Produced in Knsas From 1888 to 1898. Figures for 1880 to 1896, inclusive, are taken from the reports of the United States Geological Survey.
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