Wisconsin and Missouri Lead Region. 



Fig. 2. 



a, Cast iron plate in front of the fire. 



b b. Cast iron blocks forming the sides and back of the fireplace. 



c Sloping hearth down which the melted lead runs into the pot. 



d, Pot to catch the metal. 



Across the whole front, 11 feet 6 inches. 



Depth, 8 " 9 " 



Height of furnace, 2 " 8 " 



Width of fireplace, 1 " 7 " 



Depth, " " 1 " 9 " 



Height above hearth, 1 " 4 " 



been prepared by breaking it up either with a hammer or between 

 a pair of cast iron rollers, into pieces about the size of pigeon's 

 eggs, and if mixed with much clay, it must also have been wash- 

 ed in a stream of water. It is allowed to remain a few moments 

 on the surface of the fire, while a part of the sulphur is burnt out 

 and carried off, in part combined with the oxygen, supplied in 

 large quantities by the blast, which comes in from behind through 

 the fire. When the mass begins to melt and becomes consoli- 

 dated, the head smelter with a long iron bar pries up the whole 

 body, working under the iron plate in front of the fire ; he then 

 finishes the operation by similar stirring above, and as he opens 

 the mass the back-hand throws a handful of billets of wood under 

 the whole, against the back wall and the tweer, and immediately 

 adds more charcoal and more ore. This remains on the surface 

 a few moments and then the same operation is repeated, and so 

 on. "When the material clogs up and forms lumps, they are beat- 



