The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-08-21


width crosses the State. And in the
United States assay Office at Charlotte
I learned from Prof. G. B. Hanna that
one hundred mines are worked as steadi-
ly as the farms; that the mint was es-
tablished there in 1885, and up to
the war times coined money; that up
to '48, when North Carolina mines
yielded one-half Of the gold of the
country; and that the leading mine,
the Gold Hill, has yielded up to date
81, 900, 900. And from the superin-
tcndent of the St. Catherine mine,
learned that the negro is estimated the
best mining help, and commonly em-s
tpioyed. But this colored monopoiist
doesn't get rich on seventy FIVE cents
a day, sometimes dollar and that is
the average income of unskilled labor
there.
+ Here the current of many streams is
rapid, the opportunities for damming
excellent, and the State geologist gave
me his estimate of the water-power as
equal to 5000, 900 horse power; equal
to the aggregate steam power OF all the
States. And within easy distance of
this power stands the millions of acres
of beautiful white oak, ash, elm, pine,
birds eye maple, walnut and the like,
while her hills could grow many fold
more cotton, and her mountain pas
lures maintain unlimited focks. So
the materials, the power and skill to
work them need only be brought to-
gether to make her the peer Of the best
in many manufactures. To-day twen-
ty cotton factories, thirteen woolen
mills, nine cotton-seed oil mills, four
rice mills, five paper factories, many
Touring mills, six fertilizer factories,
twenty iron and steel works merely
sample the capacity for good works,
not to name the 24o tobacco preprato-
ries, nearly halt of them at Durham
alone, the welthiest town in the State.
But the finest feature in labor there is
the fact that three -fourths OF the people
are engaged in agriculture, though
some of them after rude model; and
about two-thirds of the farms are titled
by their owners.
The mountain section, twenty-five
to forty miles wide, is full Of romance
! as we'll as utility. The main surface
is an undulating plateau, about $500
feet above sea, with many knobs and
peaks of twice to thrice that height, a
few of them bald heads, but mostly
clothed with grass and forest to the
top. Pine, hemlock, birch and ches-
not, with rare Towering and medicinal
plants, decorate the slopes, and noun
tain streams have cut canons between
the ranges, and now laugh beween the
solid banks of a 900 upright feet as
they tumble on untamed. l have wan
dered through Colorado and looked
upon nothing more enchanting. Cattle
range there unfed all winter; fruits,
vines and vegetables thrive far up the
sides of the peaks, and the narrow
valleys are of the finest mold yet only
ten per cent ofthe surface has felt the
caress Of a plow. Numerous minerals
besides the iron and copper, have beds
among the mountains, notably mica
and corundum and the net limited
working of these beds has yielded gems
in wide variety, as emerald, ruby,
sapphire, agate, opal, garnet, berl land
a few diamonds.
The mountain section is thinly peo'
pied, and most Of the people are white
Withal, it is a charming and whole.
some land, with future vastly gaea.eI
than its past.
Evanston, III.