The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1893-07-27
IN THE NEW SOUTH
Its Many Wonderful Natural
" ~.* Resources.
THE COAL AND IRON INDUSTRIES
Fine Forests OF Timber Abound - The
Soil Being Adapted to the Production
OF Almost Anything Required by
.. Man - The Richest Field of
History in the United states.

History in the United states.
The prevailing opinion that the inter
csts Of the south and the west are SO
closely allied in many respects prompted
The Mail erresentative to make some
close observations and collect facts and
data concerning the so-called ",New
South" while on a recent trip through
that country.
Perhaps the subject of most impor-
tance in this connection is the mineral
lands Of the southern states. Having
passed thr ough Kentucky and spent
time in the two Virglnas the writer was
amazed to find throughout the valley of
the Kanawha river in West Virginia
country much newer in appearance than
in any section yet seen in Montana.
Many small mining towns Of crude CON
struetion are noticeable throughout the
Blue Ridge mountains, and what is most
striking about them is the inhabitants:
about four-ffths being colored. They
live in the old frontier style and cook
their meals in pots suspended on pole
over camp fires. The dwellings are tents
or bark shanties and occasionally one of
rough lumber
Coal mining is the chief industry of
West Virginia. 1t is conceded to have
one thirteenth Of the entire coal area of
the United States. It is a good quality
and IS easily and cheaply mined, labor
being in abundance at from rs cents to
S1.25 per day The plan adopted for
extracting it is by drifts; shafts are not
at all used.
AS Virginia proper is approached in
the same valley, a vast iron region is
reached in the vicinity Of Clifton Forge,
region embracing the Rich Patch,
The IRON deposits here are said to be
practically inexhaustible. Red Hema-
tite ore predominates, out-croppings Of
it being encountered at every turn. The
possibilities Of the ore-bearing strata Of
the Rich Patch region are beyond rea-
sonable computation, it being estimated
at l5O,000,OO0 tons. The Craig Creek
! section has been demonstrated to be of
| boundless wealth and may be developed
by means of tunnels along the stope of
the rocks at a minimum cost, the various
creeks furnishing a constant supply of
water for ore washing. In addition to
THESE immense ore properties are the
Dolly Ann, Stack, Longdale and others
whose furnace products have proved
their high quality, and Notwithstanding
the already large output of iron ore in
Virginia. the demand at the furnaces
all along the line is SO rapidly increasing
that new companies are constantly being
organized for the purpose of mining on
a much larger scale than ever before
attempted. Law Move, Longdale and
other furnaces IN this section have a
remarkable record in the length Of con-
tinuous operation, and the high price in
the open market demonstrates the fact
that Virginia iron ore is much sought
after for it's superior quality.
Mining for the precious metals, such
as Montana produces, is little thought of
in this particular part of the south, and
at the present price of silver it is proba-
bly, fortunate for the country that they
haveiron and coal instead Of silver mines.
In this section of the south vast
forests OF fine timber abound, and lum-
bering IS fairly keeping pace with the
iron and coal development. Farming
laud OF unqucstionable fertility can be
purchased in either large or small tracts
in the James river valley at reasonably
low prices. The soil is adapted to III,
production of cereals. In many sectio IS
it furnishes excellent grazing. Potatoes,
peanuts, tobacco and many kinds of
fruits are easily cultivated and have OF
late years proven mOney-makers to the
planter. The pasture lands of tho
James river, the stately old homes ar
R1oh ri hn ,I.1, l.
doah valley all give evidence of past and
fnture wealth.
Turning from the production of tt O
country and looking upon it with !.
romantic eye, we are confronted with
perhaps the richest field Of HISTORY in
America. The land where the first
English colonists strove to gam foot
hold IN the new world; where the
prlmeval savage was first overcome;
where the life and manners of the
mother country found their closest
counterpart; where the great leaders Of
the greatest movement for freedom We're
born; where the gigantic figure of Wash
lngton first toWsred above his fellows:
where the thinker, Jefferson, studied
and where Patrick Henry cried aloud
tor war. Here where many of the great
est battles OF the revolution were fought
and where nearly century later was to
be determined the issue of that greater
conflict which has left the fair bosom of
Virginia Scared with wounds and her
garments soaked in the blood of her
children. Every foot of Virginia is
historic ground full of interest. Between
Richmond and Old Point Comfort are
many places of interest; the old church
and graveyard at williamsburg, the
island whore John Smith IS said to have
been captured and many other historic
events to numerous too mention.
At the Methodist church last Sunday