The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-01-30

make them of great value. The value
of the ore for the manufacture of iron
is shown by the following average
analysis made in the laboratory of
the survey:
S water ..'.................... H@
| oliCa''. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 364
| Oxide of iron. Observation-Disclosures. 67.S4
| Lime. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Trace
Magnesia. Observation-Disclosures. S.l0l
sulphur ,...................... Trace
Phosphorus. Observation-Disclosures. .06
Having by these examinations and
assays definitely proved the value of
these ores, the survey is now engaged
in determining the location and ex-
tent of all workable beds of iron ore
in these two districts. Eight counties
have already been carefully examined,
and all such deposits accurately
mapped. AS soon as the field work is
finished a map. will be published,
showing these in detail.
The smelling of the ores has been
carried on in both districts, in small
way for more than twenty years. The
Loo Ellen furnace, in Marion county;
the Nash and Sulphur Forks furnaces,
in Cass county Young's, Philleo's and
others, in Cherokee and Nacogdoches,
were operated during and subsequent
to the late war.
The Alcalde, at Rusk, 25-ton fur
mace erected by the State at
the penitentiary, has been success
fully run, and the ore has proved so
good that cast iron pipe is made di-
rectly from the furnace.
At Jefferson at 80 ton furnace is
now under construction, and will be
put into operation as soon as COM
pleted. AT New Birmingham the
Tasse Belle, furnace of fifty tons ca
pacity, is now practically completed
and ready to put in blast.
The products of the furnaces which
have been run on these ores is re-
markably tough iron, which is es-
pecially suitable for car wheels, plows
and all castings requiring a har-
dened or chilled surface. By select
ing and mixing. the different ores
iron can doubtless be made to suit all
purposes.
The fuel used up to the present
time has been charcoal. The depos-
its lie within the timber belt, and
there is sufficient timber, if used
properly and charred in retorts, to
answer all purposes for many years to
come. But if this is to continue the
source of supply, then it is necessary
that there be an economic use of the
wood from the beginning. This is
impossible under the present system
of burning charcoal in open kilns
Not only is there loss of valuable
y-products-wood alcohol-but the
yield of charcoal is much less than
when proper retorts are used
and the charcoal itself is
less dense. 1t must, therefore, seem
most prudent as we'll as financially
beneficial that attention be given at
once to the building Of retorts or ovens
of the most improved pattern in order
that the best results should be OBJ
tanned in this most important item of
fuel as regards its quality, quantity
and price. The Jefferson furnace is
from $50 to 200 miles from the coal
mines of the Indian Territory, and it
is stated that the owners of that fur
mace expect to use coke.
Limestone for huxing can be OBJ
tanned in the vicinity of Palestine and
elsewhere in the ccetaceous islands
Dr. from short distance further west
along the different railroads.
The existence of all the requisites
gcol ore, sufficient fuel and limestone
for tluxing-for the rapid development
of a great industrial country in East
ern Texas is, therefore, clearly shown,
and even if there were no other fields
from which to get supplies of ore,
these are fully worth developing; but
when, as is the case, these limonites
are within easy railway distance OF
the magnetic ores and hematites OF
the Central district, and in addition
to this there occurs in that district a
fine grade of manganese ore, the pros
poets for their profitable working, and
the consequent enrichment of the adj
jacent country is very bright indeed.
The ores of Llano and surrounding
coun hes are Of very high grade, and
occur as beds or belts in the rocks OF
that district.
Very extensive deposits of limonite,
Unite and other hydrated ores, for
the most part not seriously contami-
mated with silica, are very abundant
all through this area, hematites and
magnetites, though more restricted,
occur in great quantity over extensive
belts, and many of these show by
analyses that they are unusually rich
in metallic iron and free from unde-
sirable contaminations.
The distribution Of the hydrated
ores is, practically unrestricted.
Workable deposits exist in connec-
ton with the widest variety of rocks
from the oldest to the most recent,
but the accumulations are chiefly vein
deposits or segregations instead OF bog
formations. Hematites occur in vari
GUS forms, both as beds and enclosures
III quartz and other varieties. The
magnetites form well marked belts ex-
A. u,hn1n oil