30 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
miners, the wisest lot of unwise men known to the species, 
freely predicted that nothing of value would be found outside 
of the narrow bottom or flat along Short creek. In the crowd, 
however, was a man who to experience had added a study of 
the earth’s formations, and had found evidence of a break in 
the earth’s surface, which some writers class as a ‘wrinkle,’ 
causing a perpendicular formation such as the fissure and 
contact veins of the Western mountain territory. In mining 
parlance, such formations are often called the ‘mother vein’ 
or the ‘feeder,’ the overflow from which are the rich pockets 
or deposits in what were formerly the depressions caused by 
the upheaval, and that in and contiguous to such formations 
ore would be found in great quantities, and to a very great 
depth, and would make a great and permanent mining 
district. We would not call this man and others like him 
prophets—they are simple readers of the book of nature, 
which is open to everybody, and in this case the reading 
proved to be correct. 
‘‘The first discovery of ore outside the valley of Short creek 
was on the South Side Town and Mining Company’s land, 
just east of the town site of Galena. It was named the Ne- 
vada shaft, and is still being profitably operated. This dis- 
covery stimulated prospecting on the higher ground in all 
directions, until now there are over 2000 acres of developed 
ore-bearing territory, most of which is being profitably op- 
erated. It will require at least another generation of men to 
exhaust the ore bodies now ‘in sight,’ with more probability 
of finding ore below the present workings than there was 
originally of finding the ore now being taken out.’’ 
Following the historical period outlined by Miss Stone 
many interesting phases of development occurred, the most 
important of which will be given in the following pages. It 
may be stated here, however, that gradually better mining 
methods were introduced, better machinery installed, and bet- 
ter methods of extracting the ore from the gangue rock. 
Also, the production of the mines will be discussed in the 
proper places, which in itself will give a good idea of mining 
activity at different times throughout the entire period. 
