Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-26
on TO THE MINERALS.

On
DR.. Talmage is credited with saying
that ''Texas is the grandest state in
natural resources in the world.
Though the remark may not be very
original, and may have been given ut
terance to by many others, it is never
theless true, and Texas is furnishing
evidence of it every day. Last Sunday
THE GAZETTE publisheda brief review
of the report on Northwest Texas by
Professor Cummings. 1t has since re-
ceived from the Office of the state geol-
ogist the fourth and fifth advance por-
lions of the second annual report of the
geological survey, in the shape of re-
ports on two wide apart, but kindred
sections of the state. One is a review
of the Central mineral district, by DR..
Theodore B. Comstock, and the other a
report on the geology and mineral re-
sources of Trans-Pecos Texas, by Pro
feosor W. II. Won Streeruwitz, conclud-
ing with chapter on the cretaceous
deposits of El Paso county by Mr.. J. A.
Taft.
Professor Streeruwitz's report covers
portions of the counties Of JEFF Davis,
Preside and Ell Paso, and indicates
very clearly the existence in the noun
famous portions OF that section Of rich
deposits OF gold, silver, copper, lead,
platinum and other valuable minerals
in quantities sufficient to make working
them remunerative. There are some
drawbacks, however, which must be
removed before we can hope to see any
great development OF the deposits.
Chief among these is a lack OF water
for either mining or agricultural pur-
poses. The soils OF the Intervening
flats between the mountain ranges are
rich and deep, and capable of being
made highly productive. Water is the
one great desideratum lacking, and
this must be supplied by irrigation, be-
cause the rainfall, though ample
through the twelve months, is not sea-
sonable, and the water must be stored
to make it available. 1t will not be
until this is done that any great mining
industries will be built up or can be sus-
tanned there.
While Fort Worth is connected with
this mineral field by rail, and is there
fore. to some extent, interested in
knowing its capabilities and future pos
sibilities, it is to the nearer Central
mineral district that our present inter-
est more directly attaches. This dis
trict embraces the county OF Llano as a
center, and portions OF the surrounding
counties of Burnett, Blanco, Gillespie,
Mason and San Saba. The construc-
ton of thirty-seven miles of railroad
by one trunk line would give Fort
Worth connection by rail with the
heart of the district in the center OF
Llano county. The construction OF
twenty-six miles would take another
trunk line to the same point: and fifty
four miles still another. These dis
tances are mere bagatelle to the pow
erful corporations controlling the lines
alluded to. and the question naturally
comes up, Why are the extensions not
built? THE GAZETTE would be glad
to have an answer.
1t is said that the lack OF transporta-
ton is the only cause delaying the de-
velopment of the rich deposits of iron,
copper, lead, manganese and other min
erals of great value that labor. backed
by ample capital, is ready and waiting
the movement Of the railroads. On
the other hand, it is said the railroads
are waiting for an assurance of remun-
erative traffic. If so, they have it in
the report of DR.. ComstOck. No one
can read this report without being con-
WINGED that it is only a question of
time and transportation, especially
transportation, when this Central re-
gion will TEEN with industrious work
ers, getting out the various ores, bnild-
ing stones and other valuable minerals
and shipping them by the thousands of
tons, for the supply is practically mex
haustible. It may be, too, when the
question of fuel is solved, that the ores
may be reduced and the metal worked
on the ground or shipped in pigs. The
possibilities are great, and We venture