San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-04-19
The Daily Eight.
SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1890.
MINERAL MELANGE.

Now that it is an open question
whether or not San Antonio shall
have her finger in the rich district
above men toned, it is important that
some steps should be taken to deter
mine Il ip the affirmative. The only
obstacle in the way of such an issue
is the shortage of $4,000 to complete
a line of railroad already graded eX-
cept for an immense cut. This COM
pleted, San Antonio will have the
''agen on all other points for the To-
cation of furnaces and shelters for
the reduction of its mineral products.
Owing to the total lack of scientific
investigation, its real wealth is prac-
tically unknown. even to the pioneers
of mining in the region. This lack of
exact knowledge will he supplied by
the forthcoming report of DR.. Theo.
B. Comstock, formerly professor of
geology in the university of Cornell,
and now of the state geological sur
vey, recognized as one of the highest
mining experts in the United States,
and the author of several state re-
pc Is. He has been engaged in this
district for the past year, and his
final report will be published this
fall.
Not everybody knows much about
this district, and this is made the eX
pense for the following description.
The district comprises the county
of LannO, and embraces part of every
adjacent county, and the rock forma-
tions exposed are the oldest known in
geology that can be found in Texas.
Do hn ~ of 10
earth a vertical section would en-
counter granite, then great series of
stratifled rocks known as the IIannO
group, followed by the Potsdam
group. This stage of geological his
tory is marked as the great period of
iron forming, and this exposure of
Potsdam strata is the only rocks of
this period found in the state. This
period was marked by the ebullition
of vast sheets of granite from the
depths below and the injection of vast
deposits of iron. From this period
on for a period represented by the
time sufficient for the seas to deposit
many thousand feet of rocks on top of
this primaeval formation, the incum-
bent strata has been distur-
bed by similar EXTENSIONS of
molten granite, each accom-
panied by injections of valuable
mineral. Originally this formation
covered the whole state, but with the
exception of the LlanO-Mas region,
has been buried out of sight by later
accumulations.
Much as is already known about
this district it may be said that,
pending the result of DR.. Comstock's
labors, scarce single scale has been
lifted from its body. Aside from its
known sickness in iron, copper, sill
yer, gold, gatlinite, ETC., there is an
incalcuable supply of marbles of the
finest kind, of every degree of crys-
talilation and every color and Yarie-
cation under the sun, not to mention
the ever enduring granite.
1t only needs the westerly extern
sion of the Austin d Northwestern
railroad from Marble Falls to the
town of LlanO, about distance of IA
miles, or similar outlay required for
the extension of The San Antonio
& Arkansas Pass to the same Gown to
give whatever wealth there is to
be found in the district into
the hands of Austin. 1t is yet to be
seen which city secures the prize, and
it is time for us to realize that it is a
prize worth having. The country
embraces about 1000 square miles of
territory that could be prOfitably
worked. The climate is perfect and
and the country contains every per-
quisite of mining country, and in
the LIanO and San Saba rivers there
exists the finest water power in the
state. Although the exact location
of the mineral beds are not fully out
lined, the writer, who has traversed
the entire district. has seen enough
to vouch for their extent, and the
safety of success in following the re-
suits reached by DR.. COmstOck, whose
forthcoming work will form the only
reliable guide to search after the hid
den treasure of this region.
The country, although very rough,
does not contain any mountains over
800 feet high. The granite regions
are noted for the long, irreg-
ular, and very rugged gran
lite ridges of various ages, each
successive period of elevation being
marked by varying kinds of material.
The point of contract between a new
eXtrusiOn and an older one was the
favorite point for the formation of
minerals, and these places will be the
ones to look for. Several mines are
worked for copper and silver bearing
galena, but obstacles, such as the lack
of transportation and the unfaYorable
mining laws of the state, are not
favorable to great production or de-
velopment. The deposit of iron out
crops in few places, as at Kings
Mountain in Llano county and near
Enchanted Rock in Gillispie county,