Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-04-02
OUR CLEAVELAND CORRESPONDENCE
Roots and Herbs-Gold and Gold Mines
Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford
Railroad Il e ast Butler - Cleaveiand
SprIngs-Co Matters, &c, &c.

Railroad - IL as Butler - Cleav Gland
Springs-Commerc1al Matters, &c, &c.
SHELBY, N. c., March II, 1869.
DEAR EDITORS while looking round
the town of Lenoir, I was struck with the
appearance of a pile lying under shelter
which looked not far different from a pile
of chopped potatoes On examination 1
found it to be chopped roots, and further
inquiry brought out the information that
there was a great trade at that place in
medicinal roots and herbs. Let me give
you the usual names of few of them, and
if you have any curiosity you can hunt up
the botanical terms for yourself Poke
Root, Rattle Weed, Wild Indigo, Wild
Ratbane, Gravel Plant, Liverwort, Star
Root, Balm of Gilead Buds Indian Hemp,
Blue Flag, Butterfly Root. Bitter Root,
Queen of the Meadow. All these find a
ready market chiefly in Philadelphia, and
at remuncrating prices. I suppose L saw
three tons of them ready to pack for mar
ket. .... ..r.
How wonderfully diversified are the pro-
ductions of North Carolina passed from
the medicine producing region-from the
place where dyes are brought to light to
adorh the forms of the bellies of our
land, into that which brings to light that
which heals many an aching heart, and
looks more beautiful in the eyes of thou
sands than all else that nature Affords
Gold. l cannot speak of the mines
particularly, not go into any details
The operations of the "Mountain Mining
Company are quite extensive, as they are
working seven mines, generally with profit.
There are many other firms and many in
dividuals working; some with but poor
success, owing, as believe, chiefly to the
fact that too large an expenditure is made
for machinery before it is aseertained with
certainty that as much ore can be obtain
Ell as the machinery will work. Instances
could be cited of immense works being put
up to work a vein that could have been
worked with one-eighth of the expendi-
ture. The principal mines are on
what is called in Georgia, "The
Pigeon Roost belt" and its branch
veins The belt reaches nearly the whole
length of the United States, commencing
in Nova Scotia and ending in Alabama,
with o general course of Northeast and
Southwest, and lying entirely east of the
Blue Ridge, to which it approaches very
near at some points, cropping out in Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Ala
bama. The general depth is from fifty to
one hundred feet, width frequently eighty
feet, and the gold is of the finest kind,
assaying for purity nine hundred and
ninety-fve-one thousand being pure
and for value of ore from ($3 5O) three and
half to ninety dollars $780, per ton. The
short branch veins are generally rich, as
saying high.
Gold can be proitably raised from the
veins when five ($5) dollars worth can be
got from ton of ore. One of the mines
Of the ''Mountain Mining Company" is
yielding ($1O) ten dollars per ton. The
ore is chiefly held in garnetiferous schist.
which is very soft and crumbles after ex-
posure to the air for some time. I saw
Specimens with thousands of the beautiful
little garnets sparkling through them, and
occasionally some of large size and great
beauty are found, the splendid 'hya-
cinth garnet being not uncommon
Sometimes they strike what is called a
''saccharoid vein," which looks and cuts
| like loaf sugar-hence the name. I do
not say that gold is found only in these
formations there are others, but have
not time to mention them.
| [ had the pleasure of travelling with two
of the most experienced men engaged in
the mines, one of them being an engineer
and assayer, and on our route, at nay sugges-
ton, we explored one of the excavations
of the wilmington, Charlotte and Ruther-
| ford RAILROAD - o1n nd
in which the track has not yet been laid.
They we're both satisfied that the cut goes
right through rein, which is rich and could
be proftably worked.
| What q pity that the track cannot be laid
over that section of eleven miles reaching
from Cherryville to Shelby. The grading
is finished, the masonry complete-and
some most beautiful masonry too--the cross
ties have once been laid on part of the
track one bridge lies just as it was finish
ed, ready to raise; the people from all West
of Cherryville are crying out for progress,
and yet SO far as / Was able to observe,
nothing is being done. When you examine
and see how little work would be required,
you can but be sorry the Company has not
made an attempt to complete the section,
and thus allay some of the bitter feelings
which are openly expressed up here against
them. Tell them about the gold mine,
Messrs. Editors, and that they own tons on
tons OF the precious ore, and perhaps they
will be able to make negotiation which
will raise funds to be applied here.
Benjamin F. Butler, the Beast, $50 call
ed), is a large stakeholder in the mines,
and with his usual luck in the best of them
Suppose yon send delegation or an en-
gineer to sell him the mine or better STILL
to exchange with him for spoons enough
to complete the section. There are various
other reasons why the road should be
opened besides the wasting condition in
which it is, being one, and the access it
will give our people to the Springs round
this place being another. Here within
half q mile of the railroad are the famous
Wilson's Springs, now called the Cleave-
land Springs, with as fine sulphur water
as the world can produce, chaly-
beate, magnesia and other waters
The principal sulphur spring comes from
a large rock through a rift and runs seven
ty-ive gallons per hour the other runs
ffty-eight gallons in the same time, and
both are situated so high that the water
can be furnished to bathers ten feet deep
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