The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-07-31

MISSISSIPPI.

ices: land traycrsed by the Spaniards
in their New-World search for gold:
land made sacred by the blood Of pa-
triots poured out like water upon its
huttrcssed hills and beside rivers ilow-
ing through dense and dark forests:
land ennobled by having Graded and
nurtured some among the greatest
statesmen, the noblcst orators, the
bravcst soldiers and most glorious
women Of the contincnt-this is Mis-
sissippi.
And to-day the people are honora-
bic, brave, true, faithful to every
trust, patriotic, religious and lovers
OF learning. Churches and school
houses are seen on every hand; there
are many excellent colleges, and the
press is able and fearless, with a news
paper in every county.
The great State Of Mississippi is
essentially agricultural in it's charac.
Ter: or. rather, it mas so happened
that, while IL possesses many other
resources, these have not until recent.
~ attracted attention, and the chief
development Of the State has been in
way Of tilling the soil.
This is the reason that Mississippi
has no large cities. Its agricultural
population is spread over the country,
and the people who are gathered in
thetowns are only the merchants, the
mechanics and the professional! men,
whose services are necessary to the
vast farming population of more than
million people.
Mississippi, until within Il few years
past, in which Texas has been enor.
mously developed, was for a long
period the leading cotton producer
in the Union, and the country along
its rivers, and particularly the region
embraced in the great triangle be.
tween the Mississippi and the Yazoo,
and known as the Delta, make up the
richest cotton lands in the world.
But Mississippi possesses other ma.
tural resources in the greatest impor-
tancc. Foremost arc its vast virgin
forests Of pine and cypress. Here
have been established within the past
few years enormous mills and lumber
ing establishments, and the extension
Of railways into the great forest tracts
is bringing their practically mex
haustiblc sourc into productive
developments. Rivers and rail bring
down logs and lumber to the coast fol
direct shipment to foreign and other
markets. and the expectation OF tim
her and lumber from the Pearl river
pLscagoula and other shipping dis
tricts have already attained immense
proportions and is yearly growing
rapidly.
But the pine and cypress forests 0
Mississippi, great as they are, do no
make up the whole of the timbe
wealth OF that great State. In TIL
northern counties are extensive FOL
csts Of hardwood trees of the utmos
Importance for furniture, macliincr
and wagon material, and this magnit
cent rcsource is practically unde,e
0pcd, awaiting the time when capita
and enterprise shall unlock its almos
illimitablc wealth.
The fisheries Of Mississippi, a
though they have reached Il cOnsldc'
able development, present all I'll
material for an almost unlimited e,
plnsion. The scacoast OF the Stat
is indcntcd by numerous small bay
and inlctS from the Gulf Of Mexico
and these abound with oysters an
the most delicious food fishes, besid,
crabs and shrimps in countless Qual
titles and the choicest v%arictic
These fisheries furnish some $300,0 OF
worth Of their products, chiefly to I'll
local trade, although there is a COZ
siderable industry Of canning oyster
and shrimps for distant shipmen
These fisheries are capable of a pra,
tically unlimited expansion, for IL
rich harvest Of the sea is there AWAY
ready to he gathered.
Mississippi is not distinguished Il
its mineral wealth: but. since littl
search has been made for mines, tn
lack Of knowledge on the subject sil
mites nothing to the disadvantage
the State. But from the fact Thu
Northern Mississippi is bounded q
the cast by the rich mineral region
Alabama, and on the north by that
Tennessee. there is good reason to b
lieve that coal and iron, which do NJ
regard geographical limitations,
buried in the soil awaiting the mag
touch OF enterprise and capital. b,
Mississippi already has 30 much that
could still be one Of the richest Stat
in the Union without any special mi
eral resources.
With Il soil that returns to the hu
handman for his labor a gcnerol
yield in every product that can /
grown in the temperate and sen
tropical regions, and Il climate 81 50
and genial and hcalth-givlny that it
celebrated, Mississippi is particular
adapted TO be a land of homes. lie
Il prosperous and hospitable Peep
with ordinary industry are able
draw from their soil every article
food which they consume, except Il
and coffee. and the material Of all IL
clothes they wear, not excepting fla
and silk.