e 
42 Wisconsin and Missouri Lead Region. 
on government land should by law be subject to.a tax of ten per 
cent., paid in lead by the smelters,.and the lands are not subject 
to entry. But since the year 1835 none of these dues have been 
collected, though a government superintendent has always been 
appointed for this purpose, and now no attempts are ever made. to 
collect the ore rents, neither are any questions asked at the land 
offices whether or no the lands about. to be entered are.known to 
contain mineral. It is generally believed that a law will be 
passed taking off all restrictions on mineral lands, both as to entry 
and subsequent claims for ore rents. . 
- The smelters. are nati the most part, a distincs class from, shi 
miners. . They ar 1 of a little: capital, who expend it in es- 
ephslinthies one or more furnaces in what they judge a suitable 
locality, bot! nee of water power and proximity to 
mines that promise to be permanent in their supply of ore... Their 
business is to visit the mines, and every day bargain for so much 
‘mineral, sometimes of one set of miners, sometimes of another. 
The ore is weighed out by the miners, the smelter sends his. 
teams for it, and has it weighed again at the furnace... The price 
fluctuates with the price of lead, with the greater or Jess amount 
of competition, either among the smelters or miners, and varies 
with the distance from the shipping port, which is now Galena 
v Ail _ As the smelters generally have no capital to spare, — 
ey must either sell. their lead as they make it for what it will 
bring, or if they ship it themselves they are compelled to cease 
their operations until. they receive. their. returns, for they are 
obliged to pay for their mineral in cash, to secure the good will. 
of the miners, and it may be ten months before they receive the 
proceeds of their lead sent to. the Eastern market. .On this ac- 
count, and fromthe unsteady character of the miners, who wan- 
der about, as their fancy directs, from place to place, there are 
few furnaces that keep in blast for a great length of time ; they 
=m a week, or a month, or six months, and stop as imregularly, 
. of pepscak ie ever bought up ) when. it is low, though 
en kept stacked up, waiting a higher. price, and the fur- 
“aan bla t for, want of means to bay.more ore... 
mnaces. are mek improved. within a few years ok 
d.do % 
