Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-08
WEALTH OF .MINNEsorA
A little ReUie,c of the Errors of the Dutch
Scientist of the u. =.


a AttGe HeCteU OF the Errors of the Dutch
Scientist of the p. p.
To the Editor OF the Globe:
LA CROSSE, Wis, July 31.-Every few
weeks items of the character of the fol-
lowing fall under my eyes in some one of
your city papers, while the country news
papers TEEN with similar articles to over
flowing. 1t seems that the wealth, in re-
sources, of Minnesota, Except ''Minneso-
ia hardy will have to bide time and be
stumbled upon by piece-meal, as the
time has probably passed at which to
lock for Minnesota journalists to take up
the question of her wealth, in the many
branches, and advocate it with vigor.
The following appeared in the Pioneer
Press of date July 23d, and is the pro-
duet, in all probability, of a young
"Student of Fossils who accompanied
the state geologist in recent tour through
Winona county. After prowling about
the sandstone quarries at and near Dres-
bach, the following is set forth as his
grave opinion Of the product, if the
writer was not in the interest of the for
eign article mentioned in the extract, or
subsidized by railroad interest for the per-
petuation of long hauls by these common
carriers
GIN STONE MINNESOTA HAS GRANITE
OF a fair quality and of different kinds. We
| have also sandstone, both of buff and blue,
| the latter being the best. 1t is, however, not
used very much yet, aud enough quarrying
has not been done to settle the question OF
quality, though gentleman who has
spent some time in investigating. the
| matter thinks that we have sandstone
OF an excellent quality within this
| state. The buff sandstone is not very hard.
| The blue is hard enough and would stand any
| necessary strain, but 1t abSorbs moisture too
readily and the frost then effects it severely.
| The better quality of sandstone In use comes
from Ohio and costs about twice as much as
| the native stone does"
How a student of science or any other
man of sound judgment can make a thor
| ough inspection, in the sand stone dis
trict mentioned, where there are four
fine quarries now open and working all
the necessary machinery, saws, etc.,
necessary to produce commercial ma
terial equal to that which the
| correspondent mentioned, can make
| the above statement without falsi-
flying or lacking in some respect, COM
mon fairness of expression, is more than
can be accounted for except through
! Subsidy
The writer did not see the entire cor
respondence. Yet, it is far to presume
| that he treated the mineral indications in
his route in the same manner in which
| he did the sandstone. Minnesota actu-
ally has the sandstone which compares
well to the fullest measure with that OBJ
tanned from Ohio, and it is accessible,
and within one quarter of
| the distance for transportation, is also
highly spoken of by the best architects of
St. Paul and Minneapolis, Is pointed to
by several as the best, and the same is
being used in your city for the construc-
ton of costly buildings; while the aver
age Minnesotian prefers to be led off to
Alton, Joliet, Rock Island and to various
distant points In Iowa, for
the procurement of bastard limestone,
| which is hard and flinty, and to Potsdam
and Berea for sandstone; the last named
quarries have been open and running for
years, while the first in Minnesota Tex
cept that at Frontena) was opened in
July, 1881, and is entitled to some con-
sideration on account of age and the depth
from which the stone is procured; yet the
star fetched and dearly purchased is al
ways better. We remember the "whistle, -
and upon the same proposition will ven
ture TO presume that this "stratified''
scientist has treated the mineral sub
stances of Minnesota with the same gen.
erosity which he has layished on the, stone
question. Here will take occasion to
assert some facts in regard to the miner
ais of Minnesota which are based upon
practical investigation: First-That the
practical investigation, with commercial
tests, made by Messrs. Charles H. Oaks,
DIR. c. D. Williams and Maj. T. M. New
son, with q few others, II the Vermilion
lake country, has led to further pro-
cedure, which is now the incentive for
the construction of a railroad from Du-
luth to the lake, as also to steps by CAPT.
talists for working the rich mineral ores
of that region of country.
1t is no exaggeration to say that there
| are just as rich ores in iron, gold, silver,
copper, tin, etc., lying within $50 miles
of st. Paul as there is in the states bor-
dering on the eastern slope of the Rocky
mountains-of tin, gold and silver, L
| can speak from practical knowledge,
] which lays within 100 miles from your
city, and my knowledge has been OBJ
tanned Through ocular demonstration,
| and the ores above named exist in suffi-
Gent quantity to be worked with profit.
After residence of some ten years on
the Pacific slope, would not deceive
myself very much in following up the
lines marked out by the present-day
'sstratifiers," who have never even visit
ed a mineral region where mines
have been worked with sluices
and great profit. Every one In
this region is too apt to take it for granted
that our hills and valleys, which run off
into slight undulations much the same
as they do elsewhere in districts where
mines are found and are worked, mean
nothing except the trees and oegetation in
sight. all mineral indications specimens
---are cast aside or overlooked because
the t'stratifier" has not spoke out on the
subject, or else he had decided in the
negative because the peculiar compost
ions are not in that quarter---the miner
| alsubstance may yet be present all the
same.
Our "stone friend" who writes in the
Pioneer of the 23d inst, evidently studied
America, geologicaIly, before leaving
Germany and therefore needed only to
correct up his mistakes as he goes along
| What shall we look for after the next
| trip?
Htleert's Victims