Waters, Barney

a large photo of Barney Waters displays chunks of pure lead taken from his highly promising mine operation Quapaw Oklahoma. The examples of pure lead is from a lead strike as exciting as those of pioneer mining days occurred when Barney Waters, independent operator began digging chunks of pure lead out of the mud of a newly opened shaft, two miles east of Quapaw. The lead is so pure that it doesn't have to go through the usual process of being crushed in a mill. The site once owned by Charley Quapaw Blackhawk, is a 72 foot shaft on an Indian allotment. It took Waters about six weeks to sink the shaft after a three year waiting period needed to raise the capital. The capital was found with an unnamed independent Tulsa Oklahoma operator. The first chunk of lead taken from the mine weighed seven pounds...next came one chunk weighing 125 pounds. Other workers at the mine include Herb Kevser, Odie Perry and Kenneth McGonigle. The new shaft is called Lead Boy Mine, and it is hoped this discovery will pump new interest in the now quiet mining field. The old Lead Boy which according to Waters, produced one million dollars worth of ore in former days. Waters was born and reared in Picher Oklahoma, but he has been employed in Tulsa and in California where he worked for U. S. Steel. However he feels he is definitely a miner. All the men hope this strike will be profitable, and return some of the glory to the mining field.