The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-07-06

ern governors, and Governor McKin-
ney's paper on Virginia, which is
nearly completed, will be placed in
his hands in few days.
Gov. McKinney's paper wastes nc
space in Introductory remarks. AT
ter giving a general description OF
the advantages OF Virginia in respect
Of soil, climate, etc, it takes up the
subject of the States mineral wealth
OUR MINERAL WEALTH
"For twenty years, ;" it says, "min-
eralogists have predicted that the
time would come when Virginia
would be ahead of all other States in
the quality and quantity Of it's min
eral products. These predicmentf
have been verified, and immense de-
posts of minerals, richer than any
other State can show, and great coal
fields for making coke, higher i'll fix
ed carbon and more valuable tor
smelling purposes than any others
have been discovered.
The number of prospectors and ex-
plorers for minerals is greater than
ever before III the State, and more
analysis and practical tests of min
erals have been made. all with fine
results
An enumeration Of the minerals
follows, together with description OF
their location, and then the paper
takes up manufactures.
A LARGE NUMBER OF FURNACES
At this point the governor says;
THE number Of furnaces for
smelling the various ores is phenom-
email and as much as $50, 900 has
been invested, mainly brought in
from outside the State Railroads
have neen projected and built into
sections where the richness and prox-
unity Of the different ores and al
abundance Of fuel promises the
cheapest product + n y Works
for the manufacture Of metals are
beginning to follow the track Of these
furnaces, and towns like Roanoke,
Buena Vista, Pulaski City, Radtord,
and others demonstrate the advant-
ages of such manufactures by their
extraordinary life and growth.
The paper touches comprehensive
Ily upon the mineral spring of Virgin
ia. gives list of the woods used in
mechanic arts to be found in the
State, presents some figures regard
iur the value of the lumber trade to
orr people, and by quotations from
the last report of the commissioner
Of agriculture makes splendid ex-
hibit regarding the agricultural and
trucking interests of the Common
wealth.
"There are says the paper,
ssmanufactories, mills, shops, and
stores in every county, mainly in the
cities, towns, and villages, and they
are fast embracing the utilization OF
every product of the State used from
canncrics to diaries, furnaces and
cotton mills. -
OUR TRANSFORMATION FACILITIES.
The governor sets forth Virginia
TRANSFORMATION facilities by land and
water, touches on our unsurpassed
advantages for the cultivation Of the
oyster, refers to our educational pro-
gress and the continuous develop
mcnt of our public school system,
and speaks forcibly Of the reverence
Of our people for religion.
In concluding the paper the gov
ernor says:
Virginia, like most of the old
slave holding States, languishes UNI
der burden growing out OF the
ownership Of large tracts of land by
persons who have neither labor nor
capital sufficient to cultivate them.
4 To remedy this at least
10 00O. 900 acres of land-not includ-
ing homesteads-ought to be sold
(l8,O 600, 600 would be better) to i'm
migrants who are able to purchase
and who would stock and cultivate
tao land after having bought it.
Virginia wants men who want homes
for themselves and families; it needs