The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-21
SAD NEWS FOR sILvERIrEs.
rive Southern states Are Consider
able Producers of Gold.


washington. Nov. 20-''I expect to see
some remarkable development in the pre-
-..1us metal mines of the SOUTH
remarked Robert L. Preston, d.
rector of the mint. while dis
.ussing the subject of the gold pro-
auction Of the United States. Since the
rpening Of the Atlanta exposition the most
enthusiastic reports have been received
al the department. from various sources
--lating 10 the magnificent exhibits of
mineral products from the states Of North
and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
and Tennessee. AIr. Preston SAYS he pro
poses 10 make thorough investigation
Of territory known as the South Appa-
lachian range during the coming year, Tor
Ia Us convinced lnat there Is enough gold
10 be found there TO warrant a more ener-
Eetc working or those mines. 1t Will be
Encouraging 70 the advocates of free sill
Yer in the south to know that accord
ing 10 the official figures, the precious
metal mines of the southern states pro-
duced last year gold to the amount of
S3Sl1. 81, and but S5,109.s2 i'm silver.
North Carolina produced 2.3300l ounces
of gold, valued at SS,l65; South Carolina,
415Si53 ounces, value, $g5 800 Georgia,
g 712.272 ounces, value, S9S, COL. South Caro-
lima and Georgia mines could have been
made to yield more bOuntifully had sufii-
Cient capital been employed. Mr.. Pres
ton says he believes there is a great fu-
ture for those two states, in the production
OF gold, if the necessary capital can De
procured. As present only the most crude
mining implements are used there, and
the miners lack the improved facilities
for getting out the ores in more profitable
quantities. In some of the mines the miners
easily become discouraged because the
yield was not as abundant as they eX-
pected. In other instances the mines
filled with water and the appliances used
for pumping, found to be so valuable IN
the western mining camps, were not AZ
hand so the work was abandoned. One
of the great drawbacks to the working
of these mines, says Mr. Preston is the
lack of capital and the predominance of
sulphur in the ores taken out There is
a process which can be employed to re-
lieve that difficulty to a considerable a.
tent That is one of the subjects to be
considered during the coming year.
In South Carolina the gold mines are To-
Gated in Chesterfield Lancaster, Spar
tanburg Union. and York counties. The
reports show that during last year the
Blacksburg Calorie Reduction Company
accomplished some work and the Brewer
mine IN Chesterfield county, was idle near
is ten months. it is believed that internal
Cisagreements in the company were the
cause of the suspension, for there has
been no question raised as to the resources
O. the property. The suspension of that
mine fully accounts for the diminished
yield of the state, and its resumption will
restore South Carolina to its former lead
ing position among the gold producing
states of the south. The Halle mine, in
Lancaster county, still maintains it's en-
2 H.
year witnesses some marked improvement
IN the methods, which inures not only to
its own advantage, but TO the profit of the
whole section, and has an important
bearing on the solution of the problem
OF the gold industry. On the whole the min
ing operations in South Carolina are in
more satisfactory condition than most of
Is neighbors and are likely to be extend
ed in conservative manner
IN Georgia the output of gold for the
past year was within a few hundred dol
n 10 n a I'd InG IN
conditions of work are favorable for steady
operations and some Increase of yield.
The bulk of The production comes from
cherokee, Lumpktn, White and McDuf-
fe counties. More attention has been given
to the question of sulphurates and re-
fractory ores in general, and apparently
some progress has been made toward So
luton Of that troublesome problem the
placer work about Auraria and New
Bridge was extended and bids fair to in
crease
In the annual report of Mr. Preston,
which has not yet been promulgated, he
viii treat Of this subject further. He is
convinced, however, that there is a prom
Using future for the southern mines if
vigorously and systematically worked.
Mr. Maurice j. Power, naval officer at
the port of New York, stopped over here
few days ago. on his home from the
Atlanta exposition. He says that to him
the most remarkable exhibits were from
the Carolnas, Georgia and Alabama. He
was particularly impressed by the prod
ucts of the mines and the lumber regions.
The iron ores and the products from the
same, he says, astonished many northern
and western men he met there. They had
no idea of the wonderful resources of
the southern states; and if the EXPOSE
ton does not accomplish any other pur-
poses, it will open the eyes of capitalists
seeking investments, that the resources
of the south offer even greater attrac-
tons than the west The manufactures
from lumber and the finer grades of
cotton goods made right there, equal, if
they do not excel the productions of
mn6aTn g hTnn < in h1
north. Altogether. Mr.. Power says, the
exposition is offering opportunities for
northern and western people to see and
appreciate the wonderful resources of
the south.