The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-04
DUCK HILLS IRON BEDS
PREPARATIONS BEGUN IN EARNEST
TO DEVELOP THEM.
The Richest Iron Fields In the South
Conveniently Situated for Mining
Purposes--The Future Prosperity OF
tho Town Assured.

Special Correspondence 10 The Appeal.
Duck HUI, Miss, March 3.--When,
about one year ago, II was announced by
Prof. Lawrence johnson, OF the United
States geological survey that the range OF
hills which nclose the beautiful and fertile
valley in which this hitherto quiet little
town Is situated, were rich In iron ore OF n
superior quality, there was Juror OF cx-
element, which spread far and near with
lightning like npidity. Hundreds OF
strangers poured into the town on every
incoming train, men Of means, who had
possibly seon fortunes escape thor grasp
by being too timid 10 risk investment In
other locations OF like discovery through
out the south In recent years, and which
has turned tho scale Of prosperity so glo-
riously 10 Us material development, has
tered TO the scene, In order 20 take first
advantage Of the new opportunity. Tho
owners Of the jagged and rock built bills,
who had carried them for years on the tax
duplicate OF a trifng valuation, now look
cd on them with incrcdulous analemcnt.
The owners. sturdy, industrious, but
unscicntilic class Of men, who had, through
inheritance or thrift, acquired tho vast
possessions, through all their lives were
content with the prolific yield Of the low
lands, disrcgarling, or, more truly, igno..
rant Of the stored wealth, pIotruding and
visible on every hand along the roadways
and businesses Of the rugged, and 10 them,
unproduclivo hills, could now scarcely
| DO convinced that, from base 10
crown, nature had stored for them
In those hills, colossal and incalculable
wealth. A single day, word, had wrought
n reyoluiion. Land values jumped from q
nominal sum 10 fabulous figures. Men
bought today for what sccmcd nm exiraya-
| CANT prioo and sold tomorrow nj profit
beyond anything ever dreamed Of IN that
locality. Once ont Of the valley and out Of
| the hills the busy experts and invest
ors ranged Tor miles. Every foot Of land
gone over showed evidences Of strong and
inexhausiiblc veins OF iron. TO those Who
knew from experience the richness OF the
apparently sterile hills came offers OF pur-
| chase which astoundcd the owners, who,
blind 10 tho evidence before their eyes.
readily accepted tho .proncrcd price.
| Individual explorations werC begun, and
each day new aud rich discoveries were
made. The quality o. the ore wis un.
doubleday fine, and the quantity could
only be estimated by the length and bulk
of the hills, which stretched for ten OF
twelve miles on either side. The intense
excitement which hal marked the discov.
cry Of iron ore WIS heightened 10 wild hui
substantial degree, q few days afterward,
bv the find Of an Immense coal bed, some
ten or twelve miles east from the town anc
} contiguous 20 tho iron hills Tho land -
, and adjoining TO the town was sold rcadill
D aud hundreds Of acres Of the hills iouns
= ready purchasers. Stock and min
= ina companies wcn formed, an'
2 everything assumed business shape
d The native owners being conservative
and substantial business men, wen
" iudiclonsly 10 work "a inaugurato III,
:. now order OF things ON firm business
e basis. Amid all the excitement, tho ircn
n xicd cagcrncs of those Who came 90 pur
u chase at first cost aud then unload at "a
n orbiiant fguws, 10 put the easy gain i
" their pockets and 20 away "a seek othe
% fields Tor speculation, acool, honorable an
y deliberate sense governed the ongini
V owners, and wishing for the greatest 200
"a 10 the greatest number, knowing full We
;, that In II lic their own advancement
ID they rather checked than encouraged spec
y ulaiiyc tendencies and reduced Il 20 has
n that would endure and grow into magnii
4 cent proportions ~ capital, energy an
!, pluck should permanently develop the N
" sources 10 plcntifully nj hand.
% II was through tho exercise Of such
=, conservative policy that within y ic'
= months, what WIS known ~ tic duo
=. Ilill boom quoted, ~ iar ~ Wild spccul
IA ton was concerned. Those who had con
40 t4..l.t.t. -. a.. ...ti ~ ..I sl..t. n
portion u oil In small lots a fancy price
l were taught that they could not have the
~ "own sweet wny" Hut n new order
he thing. had SIT In. The land values hs
he been Increased aud fixed at q cOst NJ
10; preaching 10 their true worth. Those wi
OF held the bulk OF Il, after recovering fro
m. the asionishmeni which lad struck the
AZ like q thundcfbolt when they iirst learns
ils of their sudden wealth, reelected and .
lie aliKing the opportunity, resolved th
n Duck Hill should east oil lis villa
N garb, and put on the hnbiimcn
of q city, the foremost Ia the south ~
ne mining aud manufacturing center All
to the natural conditions wcrc supcabun
al dainty favorable. There wcrc miles
ng iron clad hills overlooking the extcndl
IN valley which could easily accommoda
ng 900, 900 people. Along those hills, dee
y. rooted IN the iron soil, grows the stalcll,
a. III yellow pines, oaks and other timbc
ho used for building aud manufacturing pu
~ posos Besides thcw were thousands
In acrcs Of nro-brick clay Of tho best and |
~ tested quality. Winding through the "
rn Icy ond around tho hills flows three ~
10 pciual streams Of wafer, fed 10y abunda
~, springs that rise bubblng from the b
ar. sides. What moro could be asked irc
'ui nalurci What n waste had thcrc been
nd these God-givcn facilities through the 10
years Of their abundance. Incxcusablc
has been the waste Of these great rceonIc
Il was still time 10 make profitable uso
r,ss them, and that was tho resolution once
,rs MI Of thosc who owned the LAMBS .
ne capitalists who arc not slow 10 reap
Id handsome reward which awaited NO
10 inal investment 81 money and cnien,rl
Ma IA luNaa lima a. l.4fufln fa and t.llf