The Osceola times., 1877-02-17
NEWS SUMMARY.
TIE SOl.IAl.

'" '"e eaAApie value - the property oil
North Carolina.
}. Is. Wigthan, of Corrie, Pa, has
leased several oilwe,ls in Overton county,
tennessee, and will Immediately being " ork.
The woman's christian association of
hemphis issues warning and appeal to the
mothers OF that city not to allow their chill
'iren to Join in with the maskers on the oc.
easioR of the coming Mardi Gras either in
the scenes upon the streets or at the ball.
rooms. rhey claim that these indulrencies
ate sources OF siu and shame.
The Richmsnd Dispatch, in speaking
"t the state debt of Virginia, humorousy
says The ease is knotty one, and the
hnancers will find it hsrd of solution. The
state will now rapidly improve, and the rev.
enue sources will be multiplied. But she
has remedy now at hand. She knows that
brandy-burnt or not--can save her. A
iiquir tax can make the state easy now, and
put her in fine condition for fnrther aid
IRON future prosperity. Put all the drinkers
OF liquor at the wheels of government and
they will be promptly and iumphsntly
lifted out of the mre. ID "a Gnanciers
should succeed in finding ON how to do
a. the state will be happy enough; but if it
should not find out this important secret, we
can at least rally to the public support and
drink the state out OF embarrassment.
Florida Union: For the past few
years the nsnia for Florida oranges has been
so great that it was impossible to supply the
s'esdily increasing demand at anything like
scs'onable prices. In all northern aud
western markets good, and even fabulous,
ices have been obtained for this golden
Florida, while other oranges have
lo.d at fair to nominal prices. This heavy
demand and good sale OF the Florida orange
have created considerable enthusiasm and
''piri, of speculation in the minds OF host
OF fruit merchants, who this year have spec
ulated extensively, and TO their sorrow, on
account of the dire frost, which has depre.
ciated tne value of their contracted crops to
an unknown extent, making their ventures
very unreliable and subject TO heavy loss,
as frozen fruit is spongy, unstable, unfit
ooth to eat ana ship, and it easily rots.
While these facts are no great drawback to
future orange culture yet this years prices
Will inevitably affect prices OF succeeding
crops.
The North Carolina cotton product of
the past year was estimated at $50 600 bales,
worth probably more than $4,000 600 This
represents but small fraction of the capac
''y OF the state, in this direction, under a
better system of cultivation than now ex.
lists. To accomplish this result, efforts are
being ms,'e 10 induce the legisai IRE TO pass
law providing for the establishment of AZ.
riculmral colleges. The great and little
dismal swsmps embrace about 5000, 900 acres
of the richest land of the state, large por.
tion OF which, by a moderate outlay for
draining, could be made equal to the most
fertile of Louisiana. These lands belong
chiefly to the literary or educational fund,
but are of no present value to it. Gov
Vance is desirous of having them drained
and utilized, and Will favor any reasonable
measure to that cad
The mineral resources of North Caro-
lima eau scarcely be overestimated. Rich
veins of IRON coal, copper, lead, zine, mica
and nickel are found in many counties.
Gold and silver also abound, and their pro-
duction is "a source of livelihood to hun
dreds and Of marked wealth to many peo.
pie, though the workers are mainly negroes,
and their proce ses for obtaining the pre-.
rious metals crude beyond description.
weli-known English mineralogist, who has
had over twenty-five years experience in
practical mining in South America, Mexico,
California, Nevada aud Colorado, saws tina,
neither of the countries nor states named
will compare, in precious metals, with North
Carolina. lie has recently made large pur.
cha-es of mineral lands on Deep river, and
is actively working them, the ore being
hand-dressed and shipped to Europe for re-
duction.