The Arkansas banner., 1849-11-13
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We are pleased to observe that, To many ot the southern States. the people awakcDine to due appreciation Of the mineral wealth by which they are sarroaaded. The efforts mads in other parts of the country direct tho attention of capitalists io this subject, has made It cur dsty te remind oar ctizcps of the HndeveioPed mineral resources of Arkahsas. which. by the combination of small eaPi- ials and tho application of aa ordinary degree of energy. would bc a source Of nnl9nss profit to ihoso immediately interested and add greatly ts Ihe character of the Stais at large IL is matter of history that those countries, where the ssefai mine rals tsuch coat, Iron, lead. &e.) are found in abundance, are invariably the mos, ProsPerous ss- The development of these staples affords con tnual occupation for surplus labor, and gives an unwonted impetus 10 trade, manufactures, and all the productive interests of the country They are applicable. aud even essential, to most of the indus trial arts, and, unlike to the precious metals their increased productloa Is ever followed by greater demand, Occas.Oned by their introduction into new uses aud improvements of time aud labor-saving machines. and even to the safety and the comforts and the luxurles of our people.
 The possession of these minerals is an immediate source of wealth greater than that to be derived from the precious metals It js fact no less sin- guar than true that the value of the annual coal and iron productions of Great Britain alone is ten times greater than that of aH the gold and silver mines in the world From reliable statistics il has been computed that tho present annual product of gold and silver, including that from California, does not exceed 3O,O00 900. while the amount produced by the British coal and iron is sannnay $275 0O0 | When we take into consideration the eyer-in- creaslng demand for these eommSdities. their im- mense and innumerabe indirect benefits to our population, and the great quantity of irop which, notwithstanding our home supply, is annually i'm ported from England to the United States, will begin to appreciate tlc importance of building up, fostering and encouraging. our mineral interests. They are not only hc of immediate wealth the and operators but their beneficial ef-
 ects arc scnsibly felt by every branch of trade and i industry. To then VIC chiefly indebted for the multiplicity aud exteat of our internal improve menis. The Iehigh and SchaylkilI, the Jnaata, the Cumberland and the Missouri all teach us that none but the mineral interest ever could have justified l such extensive improvements and such great ex- penditures as were necessary for its development aud the transportaiionof its products. In Penn sylyania alone upward of S6O, O,00O,o0O have been expended upon railroads and canals fostereG and sustained by her mioeht productions, and enabled by this trade to pay profitable dividends upon the capital invested. Thu new sources of wealth. new and desirable investmists of capital and all 1ncFea
 sed demand for labOr,ar brought into existence; su 2eror inducementsare held out Tor industry and intellectual culture; the markets for agricultural productions are eniSged; the value of lands en- l hanced iu some instances to four or five hundred per cent and the country ut large materially bene- fitted. These nteests form of the principal sources of natural greatness and their cultivation Is one of the greatst evidences of national wisdom
 We much regr4 that the short-sighted and lni- tel views of our Legislature have denied to us the benefits of a geological survey of the State; but enough is already known to give us assurances that no State in the Union is more bouaiiuiis l supplied with lead, iron, coal, and ouier vau- able minerals. The recent opening os the lead mines city. the superior quality ot the ore, and the prospect ol insxhaustble and easily ac- eesslble supply, has began to attract the attention | of capitalists al home and abroad e 1 We have been informed too, that the unusual | rchueSS Oi the lFOu ore III ouf ced some of the enierprsinE iron men of Kentucky to make large investments here We know that there are extensive coal -6eds convenient to navi- gation in the basins of the Arkansas and White rivers and have every reason believe that copper exists in many oT our bills to considerable extent | Arkansas is like diamond in the rough. The rich, virgin soil of her vaes invites the labor of the adventurous husbandmani and her mountains are literally ,eeiuing silh ores more precious than the diamonds of Brazil or the gold dust of CaIifor
 nia. It needs only that these resources should be 1 known, their value appreciated, and development undertaken, 10 give her that rnk among her sister tates, which, by nature and geographical position, | she is destined to attain,
 It is principally 10 the culti'atiou of our mineral interests that we must look for the realization l of our desire to see Arksnsa iraversed in every direction by the many iniernsl improvements which are now eagerly called for. Ii is through these in lerests and the consequent increase of trade, sgr- culture, and manufactures that we must expect 10 obtain our future greatness and prosperity.