The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-09-01
OUR NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES MIN
ERAL WEALTH.

his experience through that region:
extended my observations as far west as
the center of Baylor county, south to the
Brazos river, north to the big Wichita
river and east to Buffalo springs covering
an area of about forty by seventy miles.
Taking the 1sbell lead on the company's
land as base Of observation, find the
country there belongs to the lower permian,
which extends from thence westward about
twenty miles, where it is overlaid by the
upper permiau. Southwark about ten
miles where the upper carboniferous APP
pears. Northward to the Big Wichita river,
which was as far as my observations ex-
tended in that direction, and eastward to
Buffalo Springs, where the carboniferous
again apperrs.
find the copper ore in limited quantities
scattered over the surface of the country on
the hillsides on nearly every tract of land
belonging to the company; This scattered
ore is the result ofthe washing down of the
strata of clay which contained the ore.
This strata of clay underlies grayish white
sandstone, and about strata of bean ore.
In many places | have taken specimens of
this clay, which now have in my office so
impregnated with copper that it will be
worked to profit when there shall be fur
mace near for its reduction. The ore at the
Isbell lead occurs in o regular vein
and promises to be very abundant.
AT one time a large quantity of ore was
taken from shaft sunk there, which yielded
about sixty per cent. Of copper. / have ex-
amined Professor DeRyces report and
sketch Of the shaft and find that they cor
respond with my observations. have
heard it suggested, by unscicntific men, that
m rnh ri nttr A,,1., I,.n
but that is a mistake, for tile ore occurs in q
regular strata of clay between the sand
stones. There Is to be found in both upper
and lower permain, in this county, wood
that has been transformed into copper and
the pseudo-morphus ore at the lsbell lead
has some resemblance to and has been
mistaken for this coperized wood,
that the copper was all drift.
l find several Kinds Of exc on your lands.
1 mean to say that copper occurs thera in
several different forms. The pavLdomorphic
occurs at the lsbell leal. 1t has, owing to
the crystalizaton being partly obstructcd,
and its peculiar cleavage, the appearance of
petriiied wood, which it closely resembles,
and which is to be found in many places in
this country, but need not be mistaken for
it on close examination, This ore-the
pseudomerphic-is TO be found in the lsbcll
lead, is the disulp hurct Of copper and will
be easily smelted. Malachite ore is found
In abundance in places; particularly is il SO
about one-half mile west of the Isbel lead,
where we took out several hundred pounds,
IN pieces weighing from an once to two or
three pounds. The black oxide of copper to
be found on your lands, is probably caused
by the influence Of the atmosphere on the
nlsulphuret OF copper. am of the opinion
That at no great depth on your lands, you
will reach the carboniferous, and when YOU
reach it there will be found immense beds
OF copper. In this opinion l am sus-
tained by all the biologists who have visited
or examined that country.
COAL, ETC,
You understand when the carboniferous
was forming that 1t was dry land or nearly
SO, when immense vegetation was produced.
From some cause the carboniferous became
submerged by the ocean, and so remained
during Abe permian age. Now. we all know
that there is in the carboniferous formation
in the country south of Archer, large GUAM
titles Of coal, and as nearly all the vegeta-
BILE matter in the permian has here been
transformed into copper, 1t is reasonable to
suppose, indeed It is more than probable,
that the same influence that would coperze
the vegetable matter In the permian would
also coperize the vegetable matter in the
carboniferous, but do not understand me to
mean that you will not find large quantities
of the pseudomorphic ore Mt the Isabel lead
in the permian. II is only ten or twelve
miles south of your lands TO where the car
bonierous appears, and | am sure II will be
fourd ut no very great depth that this for
nation affords abundance of coal This is
tact of very great Importance, for with coal
SO convenient for smelling purposes, your
mines must prove of immense value.
IRON ORE.
There * also to be found on your lands
large quantities of iron ore of the very finest
quality. lt occurs in the red clay that
undorlies all the othcc slratas 81 tie per.
milan, and wherever the upper stritas have
been destroyed, TIE clay has been washed
into deep gulches and the ore lies exposed
In sufficient quantities to furnish any reas-
enable demand for long period and
every gear more Of the clay is being washed
Off aud the amount of ore exposed is in
creased. The ore is principally the car
donate Of iron and win be easily reduced
am sure that when the railroads, now rap
idly approaching in construction, that coun-
try then will realize largely from their
Investment
These lands lie wholly within the Transi.
ton period, especially within the lower per-
man formation, which itself covers tho
genuine coal formation. The iron ores
which present themselves there are the fol-
lowing; !. Pure and clayey spar iron ore,
Anu lies III several VEINS, from l-lD inches
thick, more or less regularly deposited in
compact masses, In layers of from 1850 feet
oil massive rcd clay, under sandstone.
Owing TO the influence of later geo.
logical periods, the sandstone covered
with ebay was partially destroyed, and the
clay, soft and laid bare by the rain, was
washed away, while the heavier masses of
Iron ore remain behind, and, In course OF
time, have 50 accumulated at the foot of the
precipires, In hollows and ravines, that In
some places 500 tons Of iron ore can be gath.
cred ON the surface of single acre, without
the employment Of shovel or a pick.
Pieces, often round or reniform, arc or va
rious sizes, frequently weighing over 100
pounds, and are Of red color. In tho round,
hard knobs, the ore Is often crystalized.
Through exposure TO the weather the masses
dsintcgrate, and the softer parts being
washed out, frequently present Shaggy APP
pearnnce, and have, therefore, formerly been
mistaken for volcanic scoria. Spharosider-
tie IL carbonate OF iron OF q readily reduci.
BILE quality, yielding on an average from 80
70 IS per cent OF pure iron.
2. Brown iren orc.-This ore Is not 30
abundant as the first, and rarely Is II de-
posted IN the layers OF red clay Through
the influence Of the air II often forms itself
from the surrounding spharosideritcs.
Brown iron ore IL the oxy-hydratc OF iron
and yields from 80 to 40 per cent Of pure
krn0-