Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1882-07-18
SPEECH

OF Hon. A. Fulkerson, in Committee of
the whole on the State Of the Union
House of Reps. July II 1889, the Sundry
Appropriation Bill beng under consid-
Grafton.
Mr.. Fulkcrson said:
Mr.. Chairman, the original amendment
of the gentleman from Tennessee Mr..
ATKNsl authorizes geological map of
the United States. The surveys of the
Government are now confined 10 the
Territories and the public lands located
in the States. These surveys are made
ut the expense of the people of the States
on The ground that they will bring the
public lands into market and thereby in
urc to the benefit of the people general
ly. But these Government surveys ave of
peculiar interest to the people Of the Ter
ritorics, and these benefits continue after
the Territories are admitted lntothc Union
MS States, and give them great advantages
over the old States whose State surveys
arc inaccurate and less reliable than the
Government surveys. The local surveys
ARE unreliable and are regarded by capt.
talists and the foreign countries from
which we draw emigration with suspl-
Cion, indeed rs worthless.
Many Of the States are richer In min
eral deposits, both In quantity and quail
ity, than the Territories, notably Vir-
giniu, West Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and
Georgia. Taking Bristol Tennessee, ms
the center, and with radius three hun
dred miles In length describe circle,
and the area will contain greater
amount and greater variety of miner
als than exist In like area IN any other
part of the United States. Iron, coal,
copper, zine, salt, plaster, lead, bnrytcs,
mica, granite, marble, sandstone, soap
some, limestone, &o., are Hll there In
the greatest profuslon, but are undcye-
lopcd and unknown 10 the outside world
Shall these great mines of wealth lie DOR
mant and await the SLOW development of
the inividual States, or will the Govern
mcnt, by small appropriation and nm
accurate survey aud map under It's auth
GRITTY, bring them at once to the notice of
the capitalists Of the world9 The deyel-
opmcnt of these great sources of wealth
will inure 10 the benefit of the whole
people of tho country.
Mr.. Chairman, during the proceeding
winter have carefully Investigated the
operations Of the surveys aud their prac-
teal results. There Cnn bo no Legislation
of greater general benefit than that pro-
posed by the amendment. The different
geological surveys Of the West have IN
the last twenty years completed mn arcn
In excess of ca, 900 square miles, equal
to twenty of the h.lnntlc States, the
whole cost being less than t2,500,0O0
The region surveyed l. 80 mapped that
every physical feature Is exhibited with
nm accuracy vastly superior To- tho sur
vrys Of the States Gust Of the Mississippi,
with perhaps two or three exceptions.
The maps Vt That region ARE 20 perfect
that railroads have been aud are now IN
course Of construction by them, without
the usual preliminary Investigations,
over u region Of country more difficult
and irregular than any other on tlm
North American continent. Every tim.
ber desert, lfrigablc, and pasturngc dis
trirt Il defined mud the structural and
economic geology ILLUSTRATED In 10 sim.
pie a manner that the most ordinary I'M.
Outstanding can take Ia nnd comprehend
lis formations.
The work already completed Il OF IN
calcnlablo benefit 10 the country, every
settler on the public domain ~ guided
by " all the mining pursuits ARE slmpll-
fled and should hostiltles occur either
with indians ur whites Of that region,
Army engineers are provided with IN
formation that will pnable ~ TO RESTORE
order At small coat Of life and treasure.
The WORK Nv progress ought to be con
linued nnlil II Is completed, and liberal
appropriations should be- granted.
The Interior Department estimated
$3.50, 900 for that purpose, ilir Appro-
pfia,ions Committee, controlled IN this
ease by spasmodic aud abnormal econo.
my, reduced Ibis estimate 100000 Has
u ever struck ihg House i'IHl No epn.