Wisconsin and Missouri Lead Region. 47 



enand 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 as a flux, but very little 

 however is used, a handful or so being thrown on at each stir- 

 ring. 



The following are two estimates of the expense of working 

 one of these furnaces. Being made at different furnaces, they 

 will be seen to difl^er somewhat. 



Expenses of blast furnace^ two shifts. 



Two smelters, f 1 54 per day, . 



Two back hands, 78 cts., 



Two assistants, 69 cts., 



Fuel, 20 bbls. charcoal, 12^ cts., wood, 50 cts.. 



Board, six hands, 35 cts., 



Ore, 6000 lbs. #15, . 



Hauling ore, ..... 



Hauling 4,200 lbs. lead to Galena, 



Daily expense, . . . . ,^116 72 



The hauling to Galena need not be more than 80 cts, per 100 

 lbs., |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 

 proprietors. 



Product, 4,200 lbs. worth |126.-^Slag worth . 



