LEAD. 341 



souri, Illinois, and Wisconsin, where lead has been successfully produced. 

 "Rule of thumb," guess work, and theoretical practice of persons unable to 

 work out geologic structure will, however, damage this district, as in many- 

 other instances. What is needed is careful and thoughtful observation by 

 trained eyes, explorations wisely conceived, and plans of development exe- 

 cuted under skilled management. It may be many years before the usual 

 process of discovery will determine the value or lack of value of the district, 

 but comparatively little well directed effort under competent guidance would 

 soon settle the question whether lead bonanzas exist in cavities in the lime- 

 stone. As preliminary, this Survey will undertake to determine the coming 

 season, if possible, the geologic relations of the strata in which the lead has 

 already been found. We know now that the galena occurs in beds which lie 

 somewhere between the base of the Potsdam limestone and the Deep Creek 

 Division of the San Saba Series, and it is more than probable that the horizon 

 is very close to that of the Galena Limestone of other States. As in other 

 districts of the Central Mineral Region, perhaps in less degree, the structure 

 is confused by faults and dips of different ages, and therefore no one who is 

 not accustomed to such mining problems can expect to succeed in following 

 the complicated veins or dislocated deposits. The practical difficulties will be 

 great enough for the highest engineering talent, although the key outlined in 

 this Report will enable a good geologist to start understandingly upon the 

 investigation of local details. 



West of Lone Grove, between the road to Llano and that to Valley Spring, 

 there is a vast exposure of quartz very similar to that traversing the Baby- 

 head District. In this a very little galena and chalcopyrite {copper pyrites) 

 have been found, but I have been unable to detect any indications of a de- 

 posit of ore of any importance there as yet. 



While working in the canyon of Bluff Creek, Mason County, Mr. J. H. 

 Cay lor brought me some very choice specimens of pure galena, larger and 

 better than any which have come under my notice as products of any part 

 of the Central Mineral Region. He afterward guided me to the locality 

 from which he claimed to have taken the ore. The spot is about on the 

 divide between Little Bluff and Honey creeks, eight miles west of Mason, 

 south of the Junction City road. Here the rocks are badly jumbled, several 

 of the ancient trends appearing, and faults and contortions producing a cha- 

 otic structure. It is possible that the conditions existing upon Beaver Creek, 

 Burnet County, are repeated here, but there is no certain evidence of this, 

 and, if so, the confusion is much greater, so that it might be a herculean task 

 to develop any ore bodies which may lie in the tangled rocks. In the bluffs 

 south of this point the work would be easier, provided the rocks are the 

 same, which may be the case. The peculiar topography southwestward is 



