The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-03-20
Products of the South.

Express writes:
I write, having noticed in your pa
per of Saturday an article headed
Excitement in Schuylllill, Pa" You
remark ''Black band iron ore,
hitherto stranger to all iron mines
in this country" &c, &c / think
you are in error in this. 1 think there
is one Of this character in North
Carolina. In 1860, travelling there, l
met with Scotch gentleman, who
said he had been an iron-master,
working the ore of this kind in Scot
land. He had been QUITO this coun-
try-the previous year, and had dis
covered this ore in North Carolina.
He returned to his home, and pre-
pared himself to again visit this coun-
try-and it was on this second visit
met him. He said he had brought
out tools and workmen, had pur-
chased tract of land and com
menced to work this ore, and that it
proved not only good, but superior to
the best Scotch.
He stated that square bar of one
inch would sustain so much weight
do not now remember the amount
the American Black band of the same
size would sustain a much greater
weight. He further said, the Scotch
Black band iron was, at that time,
worth S27 per ton in New York, in
the pig, and that he would be willing
to enter into contract to furnish the
iron in pig, and deliver at u shipping
port of North Carolina, for the price
of 50 per ton, and guarantee the iron
of superior quality to any imported.
| understood that he had built fur
mace on the tract lie had bought. He
stated that this ore was overlaid with
a strata of Goals some two feet in
thickness, SO that he had the Goals
for smelling theQee, and little expense
as to carting. In fact. the coal and
ore could be shoveled into the fur
mace, and from the bed
1t may have been u failure. as the
war commenced shortly afterwards.
and | have heard no more of it.
am in no way interested, other than
in developing the wealth Of ourcoun
try-but have frequently remarked
that the South was, in my view, the
richest in mineral wealth Of any por-
ton of the old States.
These lands could have been bought.
in 1860, for 81 to so per acre There
is, however, good lands to be had for
So, ana even less, and all that is re-
quired is capital, energy and labor.
No finer climate exists, not even in
Italy, than in North Caroiina-h
seen hytle of both With these, and
free labor, ten years would not pass
before North Carolina would be worth
millions more than even before the
war The soil is good would al
most say virgin soil, rs it has seldom
been touched. In most parts of it,
it is more or less overlaid by strata
Of sand, then loam-a planter seldom
venturing to put the plow in this vel
low dirt; yet all the fertilizers he and
generations may have used, has been
brushed through the sand, and stored
in this loan.
There is an abundant fertilizer
thero, in the shell marsh which
abounds. This, ton for ton, is equal,
if not superior, to the best guano,
and may be had for the digging and
cart.ng. In many localities, it is con-
ven.ent for shipping, and may be had,
del vcrcd on board vessel, for s. or
S6 per ton. 1t differs from guano in
that it does not spend itself in one
crop or one season, rs does guano-
bit it will continue, and, year after
ar, it will grow better for at least
four or five years, without any adli-
ton, and may then be cropped for as
:4aay more years before the land can
lie reduced to the low point it was
When this fertilizer was applied.
Stir up the young men to leave our
rowded cities and marts, and 90
where they may, to q certainty, ind
employment, and, by perseverance,
industry and economy, in a few years,
not only become well-to-do farmers
or planters, but men of influence.
There are vast forests, also, Of timber
suitable for ship-building, as we'll as
for houses, naval stores, good har-
bors, navigable rivers, water power,
etc. Say to our young men: "Why
stand you here idle all the day?"
I-t,,r,.