Washington telegraph., 1851-03-12
From the N. O Bulfetin.
CeoIogv No. q.

Geology No. 2.
LEAD MINES OF ARKANsAs.-The object Of The
present number is to give account OF the ar
genterous lead mines OF Arkansas, and the rea-
sons for believing them to be worthy of attention.
These having excited considerable attention for
several years past; and various, and somewhat
contradictory statements and reports, have been
made, from time to time, concerning thsrl. The
consequence is, that the public mind has become
quite skeptcal as 10 their character for product
iveness, If not their very existence.
The writer has spent much time liz nvestga-
ting them. and watching their developments, as
far as it has proceeded, during the past years;
and in comparing them with other mines of a
similar character elsewhere, which have been
longer worked, and whose character for product-
iveness has been established beyond doubt, the
result is thorough conviction that they do iot
fall behind those of any other pat of our country
IN any OF the essential characteristics which in
dcate an abundance of mineral.
When any tract of country is first discovered
to contain mineral, it is always the first inquiry,
both OF practical miners and scientific men, what
is The mode of its existence, that is, whether it
exists in regularly formed veins or lodes, in dis
connected, isolated patches.
AS soon as it is ascertained that there is a reg
uar system of veins lodes, especially if they
run nearly east and west, one, who is either
practically or scientifically acquainted with min
ing, has any doubt of their capacity for product
veness, whenever they are judciously and ener-
gelicalIy worked There correspondence
running throughout all The works of nature, that
when certain characteristics are found, others
10 follow, as day aud night, or seed time
and harvest. The former, in judging OF the capa-
bilItjes Of certain soil, does not ask to see a
crop growing upon il before he will believe it ca
pabIe of produ ;ing one. When he sees what he
knows to be the essential characteristics OF good
soil, he knows, without further evidence, that il
he uses the proper degree of industry, with "a
genial season, the labor Of his hands is sure 10 be
rewarded.
The Creator has made the world for nan-its
mineral well as its agricultural resources: and
He has not placed the indications Of mineral
wealth before us, to mock curiosity, or to en-
lice us into ruinous enterprises, but guides
indexes to point TO the places of their deposit.
The principal difficulties that have hitherto at
tended mining operations in our country, have
been the from want of sufficient capital, and Of
that steady and patient perseverance, which is
requisite in every kind of business, to insure sue
There are few examples in our country, as
yet, where men have engaged in mining with the
Persevering energy that we witness in every other
pursuit. They are too much or too little excited
too hot, too cold they have the most eXtiav-
aaant expectations of Immediate wealth, or else
they are totally faithless of any success in mining
enterprises.
Now, it is not reasonable, nor is it good sense,
for TO expect that he is going TO make his for
tune in day, at mining, or in month, year.
But it is reasonable, and according to l, dictates
of good sense and sound judi gment, to expect that
where the essential characteristics Of good min
eral region exist, the patient and peTseverng pros
ecuton of mining operations, guidei by ths aids
which experience and science afford, will us GER
taiuly be productive of a satisfactory reward,
that of the farmer, the mechanic, or the manu-
facturer.
Nor is this al, in large operations Ike pping,
which require much capital well u rare
kind OF scientific and practical skill, the business
is not overdone, like those pursuits which are with
in the reach OF the generality OF inanhind con-
sequeniy the profits usually much greater.
This is proved by the most abundant and rea-
BILE documents from all the principal mining
tries of the globe. One of the principal sources
of the oyergrown wealth Of England has been
her mines. Whatever may be said Of tie fate Of
ther operatives, their employers have grown rich
almost beyond example. Mexico and South
America have filled the world with silver; and yet
their are, on an average no richer than those
of Arkansas The only doubt is to the guam.
titv But those who have seen both the Mexican
and Arkansas mines, declare that the surface
signs Of the latter us promising as those o! the
former, bnt the Mexcans are down from 1900 to
lSUU rect, WHlt we are SCdiCclS uofl AVO. HV
English obtain their lead principally from 800 to
600 feet deep. They scarcely expect to find more
than enough guide them in their course for the
first 20U feet. The same is true of their copper
and tin mines; the principal part Of these
obtained from 1900 to 1900 feet below the surface.
Disastrous failures have sometimes occurred in
mining, yet Whit business is there where they
have not! But when come to inquire into the
causes of them we shall fad them to be the same
IT, t,I,ox nth ind Of
Sometimes failure is owing 10 the want of
proper knowledge of the business, and sometimes
TO lack Of energy and skill in its prosecution,
or more likely TO both Of them combined An
other OF failure in mining IS the iHcompe-
tency, the untrustworthiness of the Superiu-
tendent; bat the most common of all, and the
most to be dreaded, Is the practice al gam
bling. When failures occur in mining, they are
almost always attributable to some one, or all of
the above causes, though the impression generally
is that they are the result of some inherent diff
Guilty or uncertainty in the business itself. But
the lrl,h is that there is no nhercnt uncertainty
about IL when It is conducted with skill and ener-
gy, aud persevering Industry, it is as certain to
reward the outlay OF lab and capital, as any
other business is. The difficulty, when there is
any, is almost always in the ignorance, or bad
management, or wickedness Of the nen who are
engaged in it.
My next will be u pom the coal measures.
3. LAWRENCE, Geologist
MrsstssIPPl IN GooD HUMoR The