_ Wisconsin and Missouri Lead Region. 47 
en and broken with the shovel or poker. The little slag which 
is produced is thrown up in the corner of the furnace, to be brok- 
en up and mixed with the ore, or reserved for the slag furnace. 
It is important neither for its quantity nor its richness, this meth- 
od of smelting being found very effectual in reducing the ore. 
The metal soon fills the basin at the bottom of the fireplace and 
then runs out.down the groove in the sloping hearth in front into 
a pot, where it is kept in a melted state by-a fire of chips under 
the pot, and is ladled out into moulds whenever convenient. 
The whole inside of the fireplace, is lined with heavy blocks of 
cast iron made for the purpose, and generally brought down the 
Ohio river. Considerable skill is requisite in managing the fire, 
and it is only by long practice that one learns the true method of 
stirring up the charge, so that the metal shall run freely and 
steadily. The lime is supposed to act asa flux, but very little 
_ however is used, a handful or so being thrown on at each stir- 
ring. i 
The following are two estimates of the expense of working 
one of these furnaces. Being made-at different furnaces, they 
will be seen to differ somewhat. , : 
Expenses of blast furnace, two shifts. 
Two smelters, $1 54 per day, 6 Aol wile 
wo back hands, 78cts, Bg 
| Bro aosistnts, 69 ets. 1g 
_ Fact, 20 bbls. chareoal, 124 cts., wood, 50 ets, 300 
~ Board, six hands, 35 cts, 10 
Ore, COU I Ia te cB citer we 
Healing Ore, te ee eee» 5.00 
Hauling 4,200 Ibs. lead toGalena, . . 12 60 
Daily expense, : : : ; $116 72 
_ The hauling to Galena need not be more than 80 cts. per 100 
Ibs., $8 40 instead of $12 60, making a difference of $4 20. 
The charcoal may be made for less on one’s own land, and one 
fifth of the price of the ore might be saved if the whole was 
mined on one’s own land ; four fifths of the discovery too was the 
_- Product, 4,200 Ibs. worth $126.—Slag worth —, bai 
