The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-23
The nIue RIdge Railraad.
: FRANKLIN, N. ca May II

SIR: Your esteemed favor of April
has been received, in which you re-
quest me to make to yon some state,
ments in regard to '.the geology,
mineral resources, climate, flora and
adaptation of tho soil and climate of
Western North Carolina to fruit cul-
ture," through which the Blue Ridge
Railroad passes. Although my time
is already heavily taxed, I most cheer
fully comply in furnishing you a few
brief statements of facts which came
to my knowledge while engaged as an
assistant in the North Carolina geo.
logical survey.
To make anything like fair re-
port of the geology of this section,
would far exceed the limits of q let
ter, such as this is designed to be,
and you must accept Of mere sec
tional statement of the geology, as it
occurs on the line Of the survey of
the railroad.
In the gap Of the Blue Ridge we
have granite, and thence Northward,
and underlying the granite, we have
q heavy belt of gneeis, cut by re-
gular range of serpentine; then we
have, dipping under the gneeis,
very heavy beds of alluminolss mica
slate. Then we have the taconic
series, consisting of drab-colored
ta1cO micociouc cIofo, o,o,1,;1o I
primitive limestone, which, at this
point, consists of marble of superior
quality. We then pass into clay
states, conglomerates and sort of
argilacious shales, finally reaching
the old silurian limestones, Mt the
Northern base of the Smoky Noun
tain chain. Immediately beyond the
point where the line of survey energies
from the Smoky Mountains, there is
a mass of sandstone, (the Cheelee-
howee Mountain, i'll which there
exist strong indications of bituminous
coal.
These respective strata are highly
metamorphic, and heavily charged
with metallic sulphurets and oxides.
For example, in this valley we have
magnetic iron ore in workable guam
tity; copper pyrites, or yellow cop
| per, rich in its per cent. of metal.
which, though not explored in its
frequent deposits to any great
depth, promises to make valuable
mines. Indeed. the real mining
value of this belt is not yet under
stood or appreciated. At Webster,
twenty miles East of this place, in
the County of Jackson, there is bed
of chronic iron, or chrome ore, and
the copper mines of Jackson County
are capable of yielding large
amount of metallic copper. On the
Nanteyalee, In this County, and VAL
ley River, in Cherokee County, i'm
mediately West, there is a remark
able grouping of valuable minerals.
The valley of the Nanteyalee is a
nero mountain trough, and the Val
ley River valley is not exceeding q
mile in width. In these vallies there
is immense wealth grouped into a
narrow belt. We have thero mex
haustible beds Of heamilitic iron ore
for distance of thirty miles. These
OlO OCuo ulG WOuueTlui III their eX-
tent, are generally near good water
power, and arc accompanied with
every facility for fuxing and smelt-
ing. Immediately alongside of these
iron beds are white, clouded, gray
and flesh-colored marbles, of superior
quality. L compared, some years
since, specimens of these marbles
with the finest quality worked in the
marble yards at the Capitol grounds
in Columbia, and found them equal
to the best. These marbles, more
over, burn into excellent lime, and
will be valuable as Hux for the iron
ores. In these strata of marble there
are veins of argentiferous, galena
and gold. have seen specimens of
this ore very rich in gold. The
veins, however, have not been ex-
plored to any great depth, for the
want of capital and machinery.
In this same range, and grouped
with these other minerals, we have
large. massive beds of agalmatolite,
which is identical, in the clements of
its composition, with the Chinese
figure stone-a material largely
worked in the European porcelain
factories, and when properly used,
makes an excellent fire brick. In
deed, it is waggoned to Duck Town
| op1 uoo1 IN flo oo,o,o,, f,...... II