The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-06-20
IRON ORE.
JACKSON COUNTY

district Of country, and Of
quality equal 10 ,ha, Of Tennessee, which
is now wrouah, with such advantage and
for length Of time has furnished iron to
crea, portion Of the Western States.
To JNo. J. ToMLlNsoN, Esq, Of Canton,
Jackson CO., we are indebted for mass OF
Iron ore Of the stalac,ical form termed pipe
ore, that beautiful variety which the emil
oent eeologis,, David D,le Oven, says,
..exhibi,s a miniature resemblance TO the
basal,ic columns Of Slatfa, or the Giants
Cansewsv."
Tho specimen VIC hare received is the
compact brorn oride. ltperhaps contains
from 33 to 10 per cent Of metal, not being
60 pure az the hcnsatite, a peroxide, the
most productive form Of the hydrated brown
oxide, occurring generally in enormous
masses. which also abonnds 10 this county.
Heated in = common smith forge the former
soon becomes highly magnetic.
The richness Of tho veins in jackson
county cannot accurately be determined
until they shall have been opened. II is
remarkable that this has never been done'
but we presume it to arise solely from the
fact. that the existence Of such beds Of iron
ore are unk nown to those who would avail
themselves Of them were they acquainted
with their existence. In the language Of
D. D. Owen, "morc encouraging or more
numerous surface Indications Of an album
dan, supply Of this useful metal can hardly
offer themselves to the notice OF the geolo-
eisl.'' Ile adds that sin n country more
thickly settled, and with skill aud capital
TO spare. these would speedily cause and
justify the employment Of whole villages Of
workmen."
These reflections were made in the year
lS49, ono year after the organization Of
The Territory ofIowa, and at a time when
il contained population Of only $4,000
souls. In lS47, Jackson county alone had
n population Of 4,639 and a, pro rata in
crease since, j, would now number 1851,
but as the emigration has been much moro
rapid, we have every reason to believe that
its population will now nearly reach TO-
300. In the localities where the iron ore
is found most abundant are to be obtained
in tue largest quantities the material for
the metal from its combination.
Fuel, water power and the lime stone for
fux are al hand.
We are not aware that iron to any extent
has been found in either this or Clinton
but that i. does exist is well known
and has been satisfactorily determined BY
Or. John Locke Of Cincinnati. In 1889
he made scientific examination Of this
region Of country, with view Of ascertain
ng tho existence Of mineral wealth.
From Davenport nor,hwardly about ,hir-
~ miles," he says, ''the magnetic dip in
rreases with great rapidi,y, after which II
actually dIminshes." He adds that this
increase Of dip corresponds to an increased
quantity Of iron in those regions. He says
that ",he most remarkable mngne,ical phe.
nomenon developed by this survey is
point Of local attraction on the river Waub-
ssipnecon, nearly in the centre Of the
,reat bend Of the Mississippi river, from
Dubuque 10 Davenport" "rhere is prob.
ab!y,n he adds, sat an unknown depth,
mass Of magnetic iron ore in this pIace-a
sub,erranean ''iron mountain like those
n Missouri; il may lie too deep for explo-
alton. A more particular magnetical sur
icy might determine more precisely IFS
'xis, and point gu. the exact place for bo-
ing, or for sinking shaft, with the hope
i reaching the ore in places
in this era Of the world when the con-
ttuSstou VI IuliIOduS Jus tnau6 Inc 0ema no
Or iron SO enormous, when Great Britain is
urning out us the produce Of her iron fur
,aces thousands Of millions OF pounds an
,ually and, under the suicidal policy Of our
finding n yearly market for
% .OOO, 900 worth in the u States, to the ru
q OF our iron masters ia the East, the above
knowledge 10 the latter may prove Of i'm
nense practical importance, and at the
anne time develop tho natural resource.
Il these counties in this branch OF com
nesce. While Illinois has sent to Europe
Or the iron to construct her Central Rail.
DAD, we would love 10 see Iowa build her
central Road Of iron tho production Of her
wn ferrusinous soil.
ATTENTION! is requested to new adyer.
isements Of Alessrs. r. Y. Blakemore and
w n0IIom Naw etoroa 80