Claiborne guardian., 1881-06-29

I
cd are in the northwestern portion
OF the parish, and are known I,
have been the direct instrument il
enectlng some very remarkpbl,
cures.
AS 10 game, it is true that in the
Southern part Of Bienville deer ar.
q nuisance. Farmers, To protec,
their crops, are forced to ignore Ia,
game law and shoot them down il
their fields.
MINERALS OF THE PARISH.
But there are other resources in
Bienville than those mentioned
above. Kings and Rabun's salt
works, in the southern part of the
parish, yielded u bountifni supply OF
salt during the late war, and, with
those in Lake Bistenean, supplied
much of Louisiana, Mississippi,
Texas and Arkansas. 1t is well
known that salt wells do not pay
ordinarily unless they are coHtigu.
Gus to an abundance OF cheap fuel.
Such is the case with the salt
works Of New York, Michigan, Ohio
ami Virginia. In those last named
it seems that a gas which escapes
from the well has been utilized.
Such a gas, highly inilammabie, is
found at the salt wells OF Bienville.
Gypsum of a fine quality, very pure,
is also found i'll their vicinity. Salt.
boilers found it useful to stop leaks
in their kettles. Mixed with the
white of an egg it resists the action
of fire.
AT Coal Bluffs on the lake
Bisteneau, there is a large bed of
coal, used, it is said, by the smiths
living adjacent. Whether it bc the
real bitumnous coal, like that in
Claiborne, near Homer, the writer
is hot prepared TO shy. Lignite is
found all over the parish, and is
often mistaken for coal,
On the Sabine, in the eastern
part Of the parish, there is an
abundance Of lead ore, we are told.
1t is said that during the war, when
powder and shot was scarce, bullets
we're melted from the ore direct. II
wonld seem 10 be very pure. Iron
ore abounds in the same vicinity.
In the northern part of the parish
a phosphate or superphosphate un.
derles the soil. Persons who have
seen this formation in South Carroll.
na declare it TO be precisely like
that dug from wells in Bienrile.
When applied to gardens in the
vicinity its effect was magical.
Fossil remains, bones, teeth, etc, Of
enormous size, have been exhumed
at or near the salt wells mentioned
above.
A member Of the faculty of the
State University was sent out by
Col. Boyd q few years ago to make
il partial geological survey of the
State. His report contains much
valuable matter about Bienville and
would doubtless repay perusal.
The writer finds so many lecul.
iariiies about the parish Of Bienville
ia an imperfect examination that he
is led to think that it would be well
for the State to send a geoiogist to
investigate more fully.
SOCIAL STATISTICS.
The census of this parish was
incomplete. The population is sup.
posed to br about 10000, two.thirds
white. The people came from the
Older Southern States, principally
from Georgia and Alabama. Schools
and churches are not so numerous
as the real needs of the people |
would seem to demand, yet almost !
every neigbborhood has its school |
and church. There are educational |
facilities fully equal to the size of
the population aud TIE number of
settlements which would afford a
school. Baptists and Methodists |
predominant, yet there are churches
OF other denominations.
PROSPEROUS VILLAGES.
Bienvlle has several prosperous
villages. Arcadia, in the northeas-
tern corner of the parish, has several
stores, q good school. churches,
etc. Its population is
about 200. The surrounding coun.
try is thickly settled. The farmers
are prosperous, intelligent and |
The same may be said of Mt. |
Lebanon, ten miles west. Itspopu.
lation is about the same, with three |
or four business houses aud mechan.
lcs. This village was once renown.
a1 oil orar tho Stota a tho od moo