100 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
water which reaches the mine from the surface is approxi- 
mately the same as that on the Mastin land. The unusually 
open character of the ground along Cooper hollow is par- 
ticularly favorable for an excessive drainage onto the South 
Side land from the southeast. In fact, the mines near the 
southeast corner have been worked with particular care, as 
ground water is excessively abundant during the rainy season, 
requiring a large pumping plant to care for it, while during 
the dry season the mines scarcely give water enough for mill- 
ing purposes. Different devices have been tried for prevent- 
ing a return of surface water to the mines below, such as 
piping it away for long distances, or hauling it in tank cars, 
as is now done from the South Side land, or building water- 
tight sluices, as was done at Short creek to prevent the creek 
water from sinking to the mines below. 
Mr. McClaire carried his investigations further and in- 
quired carefully of every company operating on the two pieces 
of ground above described regarding the influence of local 
rains. Near the Mastin land the proprietors of the Oronogo 
mine reported that they had to run their pumps day and 
night for a week after a heavy rain. The Columbia com- 
pany, just south of the Mastin ground, reported that they 
could notice the effect of a heavy rain within twelve hours. 
Warren brothers, on the Mastin ground, reported that they 
could notice the effect of a heavy rain within three or four 
hours. On the South Side land the Big Four company re- 
ported that rain scarcely affects the ground water. The Corn- 
wall company, just south of the South Side eighty acres, 
reported that the ground water was affected within a few 
hours after a heavy rain. Mr. J. R. Crow reported that he 
noticed very little effect by rain. One other company on the 
same land reported that they could notice the effect only 
by a week’s rain. 
The writer has made many inquiries of this kind in many 
different places throughout the entire mining district and has 
received a great variety of replies. Mr. George H. Playter, 
superintendent of one of the largest mining companies at 
Joplin, told him recently that he knew of two adjoining 
areas west of Joplin, one of which was not affected at all by 
