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(Above Photos taken by B. Warner)
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Efforts by the Mineral Area Community Elks Lodge to raise funds for a monument in memory of people who died in mining industry accidents are "proceeding well," according to Jim Hahn, chairman of a special committee planning the memorial to be placed at the Missouri Mines Historic Site.
"It appears we are about 75 percent toward the goal," Hahn said Monday, "with contributions still being received."
The lodge is still accepting donations to the special fund, Hahn pointing out that any money in excess of the cost of the memorial will be donated to the historic site for maintenance of the monument and preservation of other historic mining pieces. Contributions may be sent to Mineral Area Elks #2583 in care of the Miners Memorial Fund, 1438 East Chestnut St., Desloge, Mo., 63601.
It appears everything will be ready for an Oct. 7 dedication of the monument, Hahn said. Plans are being made for a public ceremony with a complete program to be announced within the next few weeks.
The monument of Missouri red granite is being prepared by Keystone Memorial Co. at its facility in Elberton, Ga., Hahn said. The granite was shipped from Keystone's facility in Iron County to Georgia. The lodge was adamant that a unique, native stone be used for the monument.
The design for the monument was prepared by Clinton Randolph, resident of the Ironton area. It was approved by the lodge and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) before the stone was shipped to Georgia for engraving.
The monument is a cooperative project of the Elks Lodge and the DNR, Hahn stressed, with a great deal of support and cooperation from Missouri Mines Historic Site director Warren Wittry.
While the mining era is a thing of the past in St. Francois County, the last mines closing down operations in the early 1970s, Hahn said announcement of the memorial has made it clear that many remember the era well. There have been many responses from people who formerly worked in the area's lead mines and from families who lost loved ones in mining accidents.
"Some of the responses have been very touching," Hahn said. "Particularly from people who have vivid memories of when mining was the main and almost only industry in this area."
The lodge originally considered establishing a memorial to victims of local mine accidents but, realizing the museum located at the old Federal mine and mill site deals with mining history throughout the state, it was decided the monument should recognize mine accident victims from across the state.
Mining has played a major role in the history and economic development of Missouri, Hahn pointed out. Many of the first major settlements in Missouri stemmed from mineral exploration and mining operations. Rich deposits of lead and iron attracted settlers to the region more than two centuries ago.
When announcing plans for the memorial more than a month ago, members of the Elks Lodge said local residents naturally tend to think about lead mining -- particularly since the region was the world's leading producer of lead -- but even in this area there have been and are other types of mining. To the south and west there have been large iron mining operations. Lime is still a major industry in Ste. Genevieve. To the immediate west in Washington County strip mining for barite, better known locally as tiff, became a major operation that has also become a part of history.
What some area residents were not familiar with was the fact that northern Missouri has been the scene of extensive strip mining operations for both iron and coal. Southwest Missouri also was a major mining area for lead and other metals.
Mining continues to be a major industry in what is known as "the new Lead Belt" to the southwest in the Ozark Mountains foothills. Mineral explorations continue in that region and have become a controversy between the industry and environmentalists.
There is a local monument to lead miners in the Bonne Terre City Park, but the memorial
being planned for Missouri Mines Historic Site is the first dedicated to victims of mine
industry accidents throughout the state.
An effort was made to compile a list of mining accident victims, the Elks explained, but
incomplete records made an accurate list impossible. It was decided rather than have an
inaccurate list, to dedicate the memorial to all victims.
