The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-26
Ths Blue Ridge RaIIroad. :
S FoRT HILL, June 80, 1868.


General IL, w. Harrison, President of
tie Blue Ridge r. r. Company: 81
1t affords me pleasure to comply
with your request to inform you in a
letter of the agricultural and mineral
resources of Pickens District. With
beautiful scenery, delightful climate
and thousands of acres of tillable
lands now in forests, we only need
an Importation of industrious farm
ers, to make this, not only the gar
den spot of the. State, but of the
South. The, District is, watered
with many beautiful streams, afferd-
ing fine water power for machinery,
and rich, alluvial soil for agriculture,
handsomely compensating the labor
er, even under the present careless
system of cultivation. With the
importation of foreigners, we will, of
course, attain the improvements in
farming which have made sections of
the North and Europe bloom like
garden. The soil and climate
both much the same as Central and
Southern France-nre admirably
adapted to the culture of the grape
and beet, which must, in the course
of time, become important elements
of wealth. In the present condition
of society and of agriculture, great
facilities are afforded for stock-ra
ing-miles of range or pasture lands,
open to all, on which sheep can be
fattened all the year round, and
horned cattle for nine months in the
year.
Although the influence of climate
and soil are sufficiently great to
attract the immigrant. who desires
to find q profitable and happy
home, and the monied man, who
looks for q delightful summer resort,
still these will have but small inhu-
ence in attracting capital, energy
and labor to our country, in compa-
rison with the great mineral re-
sources, which, as yet, lie hidden
and wholly undeveloped. But few
attempts have been made to develop
these great resources. The few,
however, made, with little capital
and less practical or scientific know
ledge, have proven remunerative
and paid handsomely for the outlay.
Gold, silver, copper, lead, iron and
manganese exist in considerable
quantities. I have also found traces
of platinum and nickel, and have
been informed that these abound,
nearer the mountains.
Gold oon t,a founI ~, on,o11 ,-o-
titles, all over the County, but, as
far as my observation, will only pay
in three belts, which pass through
the County in a Northeast and
Southwest directions. The first,
and, as far as tested, the richest belt,
runs along the West branch of Sene-
ca River, crossing Conneross Creek,
below Kilpatrick's Mills, until it
reaches the course of the Seneca,
then crossing and along the East
branch of Twelve Mile Creek. Until
recently, but few efforts have been
made to open veins in this belt.
Many thousands of dollars have been
taken out of the deposits on the
lands of Brown, B. Phillips, Mrs.
Lorton, DIR. Lewis and others. The
second belt runs across from near
the source of the Conneross Creek,
to the neighborhood of Walhalla
On this belt, Banker & Co. have
opened a vein, about three miles
from Walhalla, reported to be rich
in gold, and handsome traces of
silver and copper. The third belt
commences in the old Indian bound
ary, and extends along the Blue
Ridge Mountains. including the rich
deposits and veins of Cherokee and
Tomassee. But little attention has
been given to silver, but, from seve-
raj specimens I have seen, in my
opinion, with proper investigation,
several rich veins will be discovered
above Walhalla. Copper is known
to exist, in great abundance, along
the range of the Blue Ridge Noun
tains. Iron is found all over this
County, but would only pay near
the mountains. These two last
mentioned minerals will afford ON
inexhaustible stream of wealth, as
soon as we are in communication
with the coal region beyond the
Blue Ridge Mountains. The COM
pletion of the Blue Ridge Railroad
will enable us to develop these vari-
Gus mineral interests, and, by bring
ing them together quickly and