Smyrna times., 1874-03-18

ls THE PENINSULA ON AN IRON FoUNDA-
TION?-The interest awakened in the matter
of iron deposits on the Peninsula, and particu
lary in this locality, is becoming rather absorb
ing in the minds of some of our land owners
1t is causing not few of our farmers to get
after the investigation of the subject with a
sharp stick" Almost every piece of soggy
land for miles around US has been thoroughly
punched by hest of amatuer geologists who
are anxious to see the waste places made
glad by the Pennsylvania Iron Companies.
Our purpose, however, in calling attention
to the subject is to give the theory advanced
by the iron men" of Pennsylvania for sup
posing that deposits in large quantities may
be found under the soil at points between the
two bays. A gentleman of this town I'VE are
not liberty to use names) has received l4t-
ter from member Of the Schuylkill Iron Co.,
of Pottsville, Pa, with reference to the lease
of lands in this neighborhood, and an extract
from that letter, which we are permitted to
make, reads as follows:
:" have taken several leases in Dover, North
and South Murderkill Hds, and Caroline co
Nd. My object in leasing the farms | have
taken is to prospect them for hematte ore,
which | believe to lay beneath the surface in.
dicatiOns, or the bog ore. My manner of test
ing the property is by drilling or sinking holes
which will show the different strata that com
pose your Peninsula, and expect to find lead
Of clay III places strong enough to hold tbs
hsmatite ores brought down by the rivers tha
form ths Delta on which you live. That thC
vast amounts OF water carried down In pas
ages fr." & watersheds covering the rich
magnetic veins of Penns., n. Jersey and Mary
land conveyed with them a large amount o
those ores there is no doubt, AZ il has beer
demonstrated wherever it had an oppoItunitv
along the river courses. But we look for othe
grand deposits at the river mouth-as has besl
demonstrated by ths iuexhaustible pocket Of
Staten Island, \. T., conveyed there by tn
North and East rivers. IL will doubtless re
Quire patience and considerable outlay O
capital to locate this deposit, but our Co j
prepared 10 undertake it, and will commenc
prospecting this Spring. And my object
to distribute nay leases 80 as 10 embrace q
much of the area Of the Peninsula as possible
l have no leases in your vicinity, but shoul
like to prospect your farm. If you see fit I
lease to ms | will order q set OF tools for tn
farm and will 90 TO work early in the season
| do not interfere with the farming of tn
land-do not intrude ON any titled land
CROP &e.
Such is the theory Of those who dig for or
They propose to work by faith and give a
interesting and novel treason for the fait
within" We may add, as a matter of ints
terest, that there are excellent surface Indie,
tions on several farms in this neighborhoo
particularly in the ALLEY" On the lands
Mr. Wm NJ. Bell, located in that section, the
are large bouldsrs of hemetits weighing fro
so to 100 lbs; on the farm of MF. Jshu
Tharp, (of HarriOgton) near by, there are SUI
large deposits as to suggest the IDEA of sret
ing smelling furnace on the Mrs. Pslk If
merly LOag) farm, on the Dover road, the
are also good indications, as also on Mrs
I. Mason's farm, Smyrna Landing, and othe