Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-22


virgin to and drill and lie
awaiting the grasp Of the iron hands Of
commerce., already stretching ,oward
the coveted prize-an exhaustless sup
ply of the necessary and natural food
and base of all the material industries
of the modern world.
Of gold, of silver, and of copper there
are mines which yield profit to the
worker and increase the stock of pre-
cious and valuable metals coined or
wrought for the use and pleasure of
mankind. In all the jaggy canyon clefts
which scar the rugged mountain sides,
the cabalistic touch of nature has writ
ten in weird runes the announcement OF
hidden wealth.
Besides the fuel and powder producing
coal itself, remains the subtle distilla-
ton of natures chemistry which, from
Pennsylvania field and Caspian
Springs, like liberty, illuminates the
world-petroleum of commerce, coal oil
of common use. OF this product, Wy
oming's visible field of supply exceeds
that of any other State or country on
the face Of the earth
This subject is so vast, however, that,
fearing to tire your kind attention by
pursuing it, [ omit allusion to minor
but scarsely less valuable products, and
avoid statistics. From detailed reports,
and from observation and information
of the best, I do not hesitate to assert
my firm belief that the mineral re-
sources of Wyoming surpass those OF
any other Territory, and Of all the
States east of her combined.
Of other elements of wealth, the chief
as yet developed is that of raising live
stock, which energy and capital have
combined to make immense, the natural
pasturage and conditions of climate
tempting investmest to an astonishing
extent, and with startling results. In
this, man has utilized natures gifts.
AS to farming, in the sense in which
we understand it here, there is limited
scope for the industry without artificial
irrigation of the soil. But facilities are
sapidly increasing, watercourses are nu-
merous and their supply abundant, and
in no long time, with the ready energy
of the incoming settler, the farming
element will have reached the proper
tions of an independent source of terri
torial wealth, and a solid basis of self
support. 4 vast area of wheat lands,
equal to those of Dakota, has been touch
ed only to the proof of value, and will
soon be dotted with prosperous homes.
The climate is the best anywhere
found in the same latitude, compensat-
ing by the pure atmosphere Of its eleva-
tion for its greater distance toward the
pole, and showing surprising and almost
incredible evidence as to the effect OF
dryness in enabling the human system
to resist cold. From my own experience,
| can say that | have frequently felt
cold as severe in Mississippi with
the mercury at twenty above, as in
Wyoming last winter at twenty de-
grees below zero, at an altitude Of more
than mile above the highest point in
this State.
But the natural feature remains to be
treated of, before alluding to the popu-
lation, and that is the grand scenery,
which requires slight mention to this
intelligent and well informed audi
ence. The scattered rocky ranges; the
distant views of SUBMITS bathed in pur-
pie light; and the solemn grandeur Of
solitary peaks, each seeming mountain
monarch
On a throne Of rocks. in robe of
clouds,
With diadem of snow. "
These have been fully described by the
easy railroad tourist as seen without
other effort that passing glance. Be-
sides, all know than the great National
Park including the unrivaled wonders
of Yellowstone. is in Wyoming-a varied
region Of lake and river, hill and
mountain, where the spray of the cata-
ract meets the warm contrast of the
geyser stream wreath, forming altogether
"A land where the clouds love to rest,
Like the shroud of the dead, on the
mountains cold breast,
To the cataract's roar where the eagles
reply,
And the lake her lone bosom expands
to the sky"
The people of the new land next call
for attention. To my mind. the most
distinctive feature of society has been
its cosmopolitan character. Americans
from every State meet upon a basis OF