The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-06-09
GOLD TN GEORGIA.
Wonderful Resources Of Undevel-
oped Mining Regions
Tons Of Precious Metal Said TO Bc Eas.
ily Available le-Tradltions Handed
Down Among tho Chcro-
keo Indiana

gist, on being approached on the SUBJ
feet, spoke of the possibilities of the
production of Georgia gold very high
ly. "Che gold In Georgia." said he, "is
In perfectly accessible region, which
malses It twice as valuable as gold
that might be taken out of California
or the Black Hills. A mine of enor-
nous richness Is Of little value II 1t
is in an impenetrable region. The gold
country of Georgia is In perfect net
work Of railways, and the metal can be
found very near the surface. thus maxi
Ing It easily reached by the miner.
The water courses that pour down tho
hills give the best possible power,
labor is cheap and easily procurable,
and It Is necessary to transport the
ore but short distance. In Califor-
MIA It was frequently necessary to haul
It fifty or hundred miles, The value
Of gold is controlled to a great extent
by the cost Of its production, and the
ore in north Georgia, being particular
ly decomposed, Is worked with great
facility. It looks rs II nature had con-
spired to put the enormous amount OF
gold in the hills of Georgia into the
miners hands,"
1t has been estimated that the gold
belt of Georgia is. about one hundred
miles in breadth. The richest sections
In this belt have been found to be in
the counties of Cherokee, Lumpkin,
White and Dawson.
A prominent Atlanta capitalist re-
Gently told writer for the Atlanta
Constitution some pretty good storiea
about the mines and seems to have
their whole history at his fingers
ends ''There have been traditions
handed down for generations among
the Cherokee Indians, who once in
habited the northwest portion OF
Georgia" he began, assuming reflec-
tive mood, "in regard to the vast guam
titles of gold stored away In the old
red hills of northern Georgia. There
was IN old chief named Cheynagowah,
who could tell wonderful stories about
the richness of the Cherokee gold.
The present location Of the Cherokee
mills was one of the camps of the Span.
ish invaders, who, under the leader
ship Of De Soto, invaded Georgia on
their way to the Mississippi, and after
ward on their return to Spain related
wonderful stories about the immense
richness Of the ore to be found on the
new continent. The historic Etowah
river runs through this country, and
the old chief used to talk great deal
about the superiority Of the ore to be
found on the banks of the little crock
that emptied into the Etowah. The
little creek was of such Importance
that it had several different names,
none of which were Mt all suitable.
They called it the Rio Creek Blanket
Creek and the natives would fre-
quently combine the two, and unite on
Rio Blanket These names were oil
derived from Spanish source, and
the proper appellation was doubtless
Rio Blanquctta' The Spaniards
struck o trail along the Etowah, and,
keeping the much-named stream in
sight, proceeded through the very
heart of the gold country and passed
over the sites of the famous Frank
lin, Pasco and Strickland mines
There was an old mine near these
famous ones which was formerly
worked to one hundred feet below the
water level and in its time yielded two
hundred dollars per ton. This mine
was situated on the little Blanket
Creek"
well-lsnown mining specialist, In
talking Of late discoveries recently,
said: "It seems to be decidedly in the
range Of probabilities that tons Of the
precious ore can be taken out Of the
existing mines or newly opened veins,
If the proper machinery is used and
the shafts are sunk deep enough. 1t Ia
question of international Importance
where we may replenish the fast-de.
crcasing supply Of the precious metal
when the mines now being worked
fail. do not think that government
al aid would be misplaced in opening
up these valuable lands, but whether
or not any action is taken by our gov
ernment, the wonderful resources o.
the Georgia hills cannot long remain
undeveloped."