Our Fluorspar history goes back to the1800, some early items in The Crittenden Press tell of some of the activities of the mines. In Dec. 1880, the Frances community iems tell that the Yandell spar mines are in operation again, and Mr. Yandell is washing spar and delivering it at Dycusburg for $5 per ton for the finest. The Yandell Mine was the first to haul their spar to Dycusburg to be loaded on barges on the river.
Jan. 30, 1902 - Fluorspar mining was a much needed boost for the Frances community as it had no money paying jobs available for the men. With the boom of the mining Frances became a veritable bee-hive of miners, prospectors and capitalists all in a rush to bet for their financial condition by developing the spar mining business.
Almost a stone's throw from Frances was located the Asbridge mines, which was opened about 1898. This mine worked by four or five men, and the profit from this mine in a year was over $8,000.
Within eight feet of the Asbridge mine is the McClelland mines, which promised to be even a great producer of spar than the Asbridge. The mine was opened in December 1902 by Mr. F. A. McClelland.
The Hodge mine said to be the largest and best paying spar mine in the world is only one and a half miles from Frances. It puts out from forty to sixty tons a day. Mr. Johnnie Hodge, upon whose land this mine is located it is said gets three thousand dollars a year as royalty, while the owners of the mine receive from this property and some other mines in the county a net income of more than four hundred and fifty dollar per day.
The Yandell and Tabb and the Tabor are the names of some of the other mines, all within a radius of three miles of Frances, or Needmore. They are all doing a fine business and new mines are being opened every week.
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