Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-05-18

low system beginning in Arkansas,
strike Missouri on the Western corner
and extend in a Northeasterly direction,
dividing into two forks, one passing
North near Jefferson City-the other
taking a more Easterly shoot, forming
Ircn Mountain, Pilot Knob and Shep-
herd M. near the Mississippi.
| This range cuts this half Of the State
in the South East and South West,
formed by the watersheds Of the Usage
and Gasconade rivers. The latter
(Southwest) il the richest of prairie
countries and slopes OF inte the great
savannas OF Kansas. This section may
be known to many Of your readers as
the land laid waste BY the grasshopper
during the past year. But a. an in
stance Of the fertility of the country
after the ravages in May aud June
the largest corn crops of the State were
raised here, yielding from 20 to 100
bushels to the acre.
| THE soUTHEAsT.
Here We see land differing in every
respect FROM the other portions Of the
State. II reminds one Of the more d.
versified and rocky regions of the Mid
die or New England States. 1t has
been appropriately called the Acadia of
Missouri; for here beautiful streams
course rapidly over rocky ledges-un-
der bluffs two and three hundred feet
high, covered with climbing vines and
thick foliage and through rich valleys
that afford fine farming lands. But
farming is no longer the leading occu-
patton as in other parts of the State
Here we see the most available mill
sites and every facility to develop the
largest manufacturing interests. But
this is the land of the miner peculiarly
and has been for nearly u century. We
are in the iron, lead aud zinc region Of
the State.
MOUNTAINS OF IRoN-LEAD.
Here we find the famous Iron Noun
tain, Pilot Knob and Shepherd Mt, al
most solid masses of iron 800 feet high
Near these mountains are also found
marbles and building stone in inexhaus-
tible quantities.
A II through here are scattered num-
bers of lead furnaces that prepare the
ore found for commerce. 1t is the land
of the miner and everywhere are seen
signs of the earth's disturbances. Ev-
erv hill contains treasures locked in its
embrace, though of no easy or certain
access. This was the field Of opera
A Il A. e. I~lr H. A. ~
the hero of the mississippi Bubble ''
A few Of the degenerate sons Of the
early settlers (French) still hold on
here by slim tenure. They speak a
kind of dialect and are thriftless and
lazy set, subsisting mostly BY surface
mining. The traveller finds much to
admire in this the land of the staple
metals. For while at times rugged aud
bordering upon the mountainous. it is
by no means barren. The fora is es-
pecially rich and varied and the hills
are covered with extensive forests. The
deer, the wolf, the wild cat aud the
wild turkey are found in abundance in
these forests. Here and there are
pineries, though not extensive.
In the extreme Southeast-the pand
handle of Missouri-is located the lit
tie town of New Madrid, upon the Mis-
sissippi. 1t is known to fame BY the
volcanic period Of 1911. when it was
nearly destroyed by an eruption and the
encroachment Of the river-the land
around having sunk several feet.
The mild climate of this extreme
Southern section has tempted the in.
habitants to raising cotton, for which
there is a large premium offered every
year at the st. Louis Fair. Grape cuI-
ture is extensively engaged in through
out this region and the st. Louis markets
are annually supplied with large quauti-
ties. Indeed. it's mild climate and sunny
slopes make it the land of the vine.
MINERAL RESOURCES.
And here / make special mention, for
Missouri, in the quantity and variety Of
her products, in which she must be
placed in advance of any State in the
Union. The auriferous deposits of the
Pacific mayexcel her, but here it ends.
The great metals of commerce are no
where else found in such vast quanti-
ties. Iron is found in the mountain
piles and of the finest quality aid Of
every variety. a. in Iron Mt, Pilot
Knob and other places. The State ge-
elogist thus writes in his report
"there is ore enough of the very best
quality within a few miles of Pilot
Knob and Iron Mt. above the surface
of the valleys 20 furnish one milliontons
per snnum of manufactured iron for
the next 200 years"
The lead deposits are also the most
extensive yet known and Missouri now
supplies the major part Of the lead
commerce. Besides, zinc, copper, CO.
balt, coal. porphyry and marble are
found in great magazines. The coal
measures of this State are estimated by
geologists to be ten times those of the
British Isles, and perhaps excel all Eu-
rope. The area of the coal regions is
given by the State geologist to be 60
So square miles. Aud when il is con-
sidered that these treasures have Just
been touched as it were. il must at once
he conceded that Missouri stands far in
advance of her sister States in the va
riety, quantity and value Of her resour-
ees.
| LARYLAxDII.
SA devoted father entered -.