The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-14

quarry In the %countv, at the head of
ElllJay Creek, but it has not been
Drought INTO general use, partly be-
aus Its quality has been in doubt.
Samples of the different strata OF the
deposit We're procured and are now in
the hands of the chemist. \ good
lime quarry would be Of more import
ance to the county than all its other
mineral resources.
II Is to be noted. however. that
there IS considerable improvement
within the last decade in tile character
OF farm implements. Therei is a mum
Der OF mower and reaping machines
IN the county, and the ~two-horse
turning pillow and fall plowing OF lands
are very much maIe common now
IMAM a few years back. When this
shall become general and the use of
lime and clover as well, Macon will be
one Of the mos prosperous counties
In the State.
As to the minerals, the county con
tains some valuable deposits Of iron,
of the best quality, but of no use at
present or for a long time to come
and some deposits of corundum, one
Of which only has been as yet of any
profit, and all Of which besides are un-
explored and Of doubtful value and
many veins Of mica sc altered through
D,It fIa lCyr,- lnlf r 1870
chiefly. These are wrought to some
extent, and a number of the mines
have been quite profitable. The yield
for this year, according to the best
estimates pr~ocurable, for the princi-
pal of which | am indebted to the
courtesy of Mr.. III. Ct. Trotter,) has
been about 5000 pounds. Al an aver
age of $500, this would give $l2, 900 as
the aggregate result, say SIS, 900 for
the whole year. Although this is a
sum not to be despised III the present
stringent times, as an addition to the
circulation of the county, yet it is
obvious hat if it were quadrupled or
Occupied, it would still be a mere
bagatelle compared with the actual,
still more with the possible agricul
tural product of the county. And yet
this sort Of enterprise has a sort Of
fascination about it which often leads
to a serious interference with the
legitimate and essential business of
tilling the soil. 1t is safe to say that
this industry is in It's infancy here, aud
will be very largely expanded and be
come a permanent and profitable bust
ness. The county has q great number
of veins net yet opened, and the old
ones are but little more than opened.
This county furnishes also some of the
most extensive ancient mica mines
that have been discovered, surprising
in magnitude even those of Mitchell.
The principal exports of the county
are flour and cattle, which GO mainly
to Georgia and South Carolina. and
have to be transported across the Blue
Ridge, of curse owe bad roads. and of
course at a heavy cost. The want of
railroads is the most ObtruSive thing
to an outsider. And this is the more
lamentable when it is remembered that
enough millions have been wasted in
iniudicious and foolish engineering
about Stump House Mountain in South
Carolina, to have carried the Charles
ton road into this county, and enough
s~quandered and lost by this State to
have carried the w. =. G.. II. r. to this
point.
A complete enumeration of the re
sources of the county is not attempted,
but whenever there shall be railroad
transportation the immense forests of
timber of every kind will become very
valuable. And no doubt manufactures
will come in also which will utilize
the almost ~incalculable water power.
The force of the Tennessee at Franklin
was taken, at a very low stage of the
water. and amounted to ~ horse
powers per foot of fall.
W. G, X.