The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-03-02

q splendid example set for Mr.. Har-
rison, which II he will but follow, the
country will be satisfied.
The Mineral Wealth Of Louisiana.
The following remarks occur in an
address pre- pared by Mining Engineer
and Geologist Richard A. Pomery OF
New Iberia, for the late immigration
at Ruston
II the capital, IN the way OF time and
money, that has been expended In
searching for Lsfl,te's treasures had
been devoted to prospecting Louisiana
for minerals, to-day 1t would have
been q mining State. Some will say
that ours is not the foundation for
minerals aud should any be found It
will be but freak of nature. Granted
that there are these freaks In nature
aud they reveal the treasures of the
earth, shalt we refuse to avail ourselves
of them because they 10 not coincide
with text book theories:
"Nature 10 but name tor an effect,
"WhOee cause Ii God"
Man must accept the works Of the
Creator as he finds them. His pet the
cries must give way TO practice, other
wise he will be constantly wandering
Ia the dark and II will be said jesiingly
of him by the profane that "he was on
hand and directed the Lord in the cre-
alton of the world" To the theoretical
geologist would say cease reading,
quit looking to Heaven for an inspira.
ton, take your pick and shovel, deive
in the earth for solid facts and thus be-
come useful to your fellow-men instead
of "a stumbling block in the way Of
progress. Iberia, Cslcasieu, St. Lam
dry, Grant, DeSoto, VIM, Claiborne,
Webster, BienviIle and other parishes
are witnesses testifying TO the world
that Louisiana has mineral wealth OK.
tending from the Arkansas line TO the
very shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
There Is truth in the old saying "that
where there is smoke there is fire"
and also in the mining expression
"where you find plenty of specimens
there must be mineral veins or depos-
tts." I have seen specimens from one
end Of the State to the other and as
mining engineer and geologist OF many
years practical experience Gin the
States" aud in the Rocky mountains.
and Pacific coast, 1 have the utmost
confidence in the mineral wealth of
Loutslaua. Coal, iron, salt, petroleum,
sulphur, galens, gold, silver, copper,
gypsum, kaolin, marble, building
stone, lime stone, natural gas, phos-
phste rock and fire clay have been
found.
The New iberia salt company ex.
tract SO, 900 toBs Of rock salt per year.
The salt Is known to extend under $50
acres, but the depth has never been
determined. The company is prepar-
ing to prospect with II diamond drill
to ascertain the depth. The Morgan
Railroad Company built u branch from
New Iberia to the mine, Il distance of
ten miles. Right here 1t might be
welt to say that persons owning mines,
quarries, ETC., and who do not operate
them for lack of transportation facili-
ties, must remember that II is for them
to work their properties and create
those necessities, and they will soon
find some railroad that will build to
them. There need be no lack OF trans
portation In Louisiana, for besides her
railroads are her numbers of navigable
rivers, bayous, lakes and bays; besides
the great opportunities of increased
navigation by locking and dredging of
many streams now useless. Louisiana
and 1t Is not generally known;-does
n great deal OF manufacturing, and
there Is room for ever go much more.
The combination of manufacturing,
mining and agriculture Is guarantee
OF prosperity, for, in addition to a for
eign market, II makes good home
market, bringing the producer and
consumer together.
A little more practical geology and
the judicious expenditure of capital are
necessary to develop mining and man.
ufacturiug In this State. Let Louisi-
ana people avail themselves of the
gifts of nature and she will reward
them. with strength and courage to
perform the greatest works that man
has ever accomplished.
Tie people of Monroe are solidty in
favor of the Houston. Central Arkansas