The Van Buren press., 1878-09-17

Is a most eligible natural mill site, and an old
mill has been run for many years. Rich and
wide bottom-lands lie around 1t and its
neighborhood; springs are frequent and the
timber fine; coal shales are disclosed In many
places; 1t Is distant from Van Buren, eight
cen miles northward.
On Lees Creek, still northward from Van
Buren,, is a fine coal bed. Of the thickness Of
twenty-eight to thirty-two inches. Coal has
been tried by smiths, and by them termed fine,
1t is easily quarried and In quantity. 1t is
known AS the WOoten bank. This coal, like
all the coal in this field, improves in quality
and thickness rs 1t Is penetrated.
Near Robert Sutherland's on Lees Greek, s.
IL, T. IL, X. 81, is "a coal bed, which has been
worked; its thickness we do not know. The
bottom and uplands here are fertile. Grapes
! abound on the hillsides AS they do elsewhere
| in Crawford. The water Is abundant and
good shales occur from this to Joseph Bry-
ants on Lees Greek, at the foot OF Boston
Mountain, $. 20, I, IL. X. 81, with occasional
outcrop of limestone. Great bluffs of sand
| stone rise up. and are full of iron, and yield
| a good building rock. The timber is excel
lent, white oak being among the prevalent
oaks and pine being absent. short distance
from Bryant's from the Boston Mountain
| runs the Black burns Fork of Lees Creek, rich
| in coal banks. This is good, workable coal.
| exposed for thirty inches; has been used by
Smiths for years, and into which have been
body of the coal so far used in this valley, Is
semi bituminous. Coal has also. tor years
been quarried and transported from pits on
Cove Creek. tributary of Lees Creek, in the
northwest corner of Crawford; 1t has been
hauled by smiths forty miles. This coal is
very good. its thickness is about twenty-seveu
inches Boston Mountain Is famous for its
very rich benches, hilslopes and table land
the soil being enriched by the limestone aud
| there frugenious earths therein; it is covered
with bottom growth OF timber, such rs ash,
! walnut, pawpaw. oak. rich underground, vine
ana shrub. TITS peculiarly adapted FOR grape.
tobacco. and pastures, the numerous springs
atfording plenty of water. In early times
cane (reeds) grew on their tops; il produces
extraordinarily of all the grains, corn and
grasses.
In the neighborhood of Shannon's Mill, S.
10, L 10, r 80 on Cedar Creek which empties
into Frog Bayou. quartz fragments have been
discovered, and lead also. The water is sun-
cent for the supply of mills, and the low
lands rich. Coal shales also display in this
tract of the country. There is saline spring
in S. 80, I. IL, II. 32, from which the brine
many years ago, was worked, and the yield
of salt good Boring, without doubt. would
bring stronger brine and make its boiling
profitable to the salt manufacturer, even in
this close proximity to the exhaustless saline
waters, springs and deposits of the east Chero-
kee country. In sections 30 and "a are Heard
and Pennywitt Sulphur Springs. from which
run health giving waters, and which are fa-
nous in their locality. The precipitates are
white, and were they improved by digging,
cleansing them out and walled they would
probably equal springs in Virginia and Ken
tncky, and become resort for spring visitors.
There are other sulphur and chaly beate
springs in this county On Frog Bayou or
Clear Creek, near Frazer's gin, the land is
very fine, as Frog Bayou land all is.
The land is exceedingly fertile, the timber
most excellent. the range unequsled and the
water wholesome generally obtained FOR
house use by digging, or in cisterus. and
abundance of stock water everywhere There
is no better tract inviting the immigrant,
none better for the occupation to be made by
the laborers on your road"