The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-09-26

/
A Washington special Of the I7tl
inst, to the New Orleans Pieayane
says:
Mr.. John M. Avery, Of Avery'i
Island, near New Iberia, La, has
through Senator Gibson, requested
that the operations Of the geological
survey projected for Northern Lou
isiana may be extended to the south
western portion Of the State, and cs-
pecially to the parishes of Calcasien,
st. Landry and Iberia.
In the parish Of 81. Landry, near
Opelousas, Mr.. Avery has information
that there is an extensive limestone
and marble formation, and from his
personal observation Mr.. Avery be-
lieyes that very large portion 81 the
parish of Calcasieu is bedded by the
same sulphur deposit as is found west
of the Calcasieu river He thinks that
q large barren waste in that parish Is
underlaid by sulphur, and that the
hills attributed to prairie dogs have
been formed by the escaping gases
from the sulphur below. lie has come
to this conclusion from the fact that
soundings to the depth Of sixty feet
in these hills show no stratification,
whereas similar borings between ele-
vations develop definite strata.
If it can be demonstrated that SUI
phur underlies this section, there
would be no difficulty in getting the
capital to develop ii. If tho deposits
turn out as expected, it is thought that
from SIC, 100000 to $40, ,0oo, 900. now
annually paid to foreign manufac-
turers, may be saved TO this country.
To the north of the salt mines there Is,
Mr.. Avery says, recent discovery of
a vein Of ignite or brown coal, is to
II feet thick, 72 per cent, carbon; also
bed of sandstone, both having dip
oe about 10 degrees bend to the north.
The feeling shown by The Geological
Survey upon the representations Of
Congressman Blanchard aud King in
respect to the mineral and other inn
portant deposits ia Northern Louisiana
was most excellent, and steps we're
taken for thorough reconnaissance Of
that section by an officer of the Geo
logical Bureau. Since then, however,
cry has been started against this
bureau, which is believed 10 proceed
from some of the government en-
ployees who are anxious to make repu-
tation cheaply, and also by malicious
parties, and II is possible that the bu-
reau may find il necessary to move
with much caution, even where there
Is work that it would gladly under
take, 1t is certainly the duty and in-
terest of the South to sec to II that the
benefits Of this branch of the public
service shall bo extended so as to mid
in the development Of its vast mineral
resources.
Senator Gibson has reinforced Mr..
Ayery's representations to the govern
ment, and says that from his personal
knowledge of the parishes Of st. Lam
dry, Calcasieu and tho parishes along
Red River, he is prepared 10 believe
that q careful survey would disclose
valuable sources Of private and public
wealth in minerals.
The Bureau of the Geological Sur
vey has had under consideration the
request of Mr., Avery for an oxamina-
lion of the sulphur, stone and other
deposits in Southwestern Louisiana,
md Prof johnson will probably be
directed to add this TO the important
work he now has in hand in Northern
Louisiana. The power of the Bureau
o make this investigation is complete
lnder the law as il stands, and recent
Unjust criticisms upon the administra-
ion of the Bureau will not interfere
With the purpose to give fair con-
liberation to such requests.