The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-09-18
ALBANY REGISTER.

W OCOpLksS1I LSst
State. much less is it necessary TO. de- :
monstrate it in this case which largely |
partakes Of both. It Is a practice as
old with us as our Nation, and is as
happy In its results to-day as it was |
when John Quincy Adams, in his In
augural Address, referred to it as a
highly commendable feature ha the /
administration of his illustriotis pre-
decessor. In its relation to public
economy we have all the facts relating
to our mines and minefals-our quar-
ries of limestone, marble. building
rocks, chalk deposits, clay beds. etc
above the whole OF which would of !
course now stand III public estimation
our gold, silver. coal and iron.
Upon the subject of Oregon's pre-
cious metals, q report has been made
within few "ears past by the Gov
Hrnment Commissioners of Mining
Statistics, which is perhaps as true to
the facts as can now be published. but
it is not what we need. Our State
ABoUNDs WITH MINERALS. What we
NEED is a personal and thorough ex-
animation of each and every place
where there are groupings. OR the in
dicatiOns of the existence of mineral
wealth. by some one whois thoroughly
competent to judge, and honest enough
| to tell the truth. | can name a num-
Der OF places, within my own knowl-
edge, needing scientific examination,
| where the several minerals. such as
| gold. silver, copper, iron, coal, lead,
! etc, may be found. In these places,
the finders being ignorant of the true
| geological formation of the land and
rocks and rnles governing the location
/ of minerals, with no one to whom
l mir ~ St1f
/ blindly dug and tlelved until their vain
/ efforts have exhausted their money
and patience and they have given up
the search in disgust. Thousands of
dollars have thus been spent in misdi-
rected labor. These mines should be
Investigated. Others are i'll existence,
but the people are slumbering above
them, because science has not yet had
an opportunity to indicate the presence
Of the hidden wealth that lies beneath
us. Iron, "the most useful, and there
fore the most valuable" of all metals
coal, its faithful ally-and limestone.
the necessary attendant of the others,
1 we have, doubtless. in the quantity.
Any State possessing these elements
OF wealth, aside even from our numer-
Gus other minerals. can become indie
pendent. 1t can become a manutac-
turing State. 1t can bring the consul
mer TO its doors. Where is our wheat
market to-day? Thousands of miles
away, i'll a manufacturing country.
Liverpool quotations govern our price
for wheat because of the consumers of
the manufacturing nation-England.
With our timber, and our water power
with our soil. and our minerals,
with our favored location, and climate.
we shall see that the ironworks and
coal miner are but the advance guards
of the busy throngs that will follow.
Possessing these advantages. intelli-
gent development will give us an en-
pire's might. Our wheat will then
command its true value. Rotation of
crops then becomes practicable because
all our esculents then may have n mar
ket. for they will not have to contend
against the time and dangers of trans
pOrtation, and the richness of our soil
will remain at home. Look to-day at
Pennsylvania, with her coal and iron.
Look at Nevada, with her silver, and
California, with her gold. Even look
at our young sister, Washington Ter
ritory. with her embryo coal mines,
and lumber trade. Judicious manage
inent wiCh wise forethought is What
we need. There is even public econo-
my in the scientific branch of this in
vestigation and that principally in the
education of the young.
Geology and mineraIogy stand pre-.
eminent in the sciences i'll point o
value to our young State. Take at
example-chemistrY, for instance
Practically it is of much greater value
to the student of the older States. Il
demands an advanced civiiization-a
thickly populated country. where il
proves remunerative by utilizing every
: clement. Chemistry, therefore, is al
vantageous in proportions to the age p
: the State, but the sciences tiuder con
+ sideration are eninentTv useful in &
new country that is rich III hidder
wealth. They become then pr;lctica
studies for the young people of Oregon
Geological and meteorological cabinet.
are necessary for our schools; yet al
7 present eastern colleges are with Their
I money draining our State OF these
.'medals OF creation" and it will be :
lasting shame if our young men vii
| I1ox 70 TO Tn fFnS StrI1I