The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-10-17
OUR MINERAL WEALTH.
Practical Suggestit ms by Col.
Demminf

les 50 numerous, lb llhS SeelDeu
TRANCE to me that 80 little has
,een done in the way of develop
lnent." This remark was made
in McConnellsburg a few days
ago by Col. Henry G. Demming,
of Harrisburg, the widely known
geologist and mineralogist. Con-
tinuing, he said, 'F'or some time
l have been trying to devise a
plan whereby in localities like
Fulton county development work
may be inaugurated, and deposits
of minerals of commercial value
opened up for market. The first
steps will have to be made by To-
cal men, with home capital. Then
when a mineral, for which there
is a demand in the general mar
ket, is brought to light, and a
large deposit demonstrated, out
side capital and enterprise are
more certainly and readily secur-
ed. When these secondary steps
are made, then the business of
mining, manufacturing the crude
product, and placing it in good
market are assured.
"There are several mineral de-
posits almost Immediately avail
able. Take for instance the ba-
rite near Fort Littleton, the guam
tity and quality were demonstra-
ted there 25 years ago. There
are so many good uses for this
mineral that the American supply
is unequal to the demand, and
prices are higher than for 2C
years. Many tons are being inn
ported into the United States
from Nova Scotia and Germany.
Between Fort Littleton and
Burnt Cabins there are yellow,
red, and brown ochers in abun-
dance; and for even the poorest
there is now a market.
ga few miles south of Fort Lit
tleton you have outcroppings of
gypsum. A movement is on foot
10 merge all the gypsum mining
companies in North A America;and,
when the consolidate IN is effect
cd, there will be me re profit in
gypsum mining thai there has
been in 80 years.
"About four miles south west
erly from McConnells burg there
are flag stone depos is equal to
nose along the Hudson river. A
oxen samples placed on exhibi-
tlon in the cities of New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Wash
ington and Pittsburg would go
farther toward the building of a
railroad in Fulton county than
all the talk we have had on the
subject for the last generation.
"The excavating for the reser.
voir and the water mains reveal
ed more high grade clays for fire
bricks and crucibles than had
heretofore been dreamed of.
Toward the lower end of the
county there is a regular lode of
manganiferous iron ore, just
what is wanted for the n,anufac-
ture of ferro- manganese or speig-
eleisen, an absolutely necessary
ingredient in the manufacture OF
steel. Over 10000 tons of this
product have been engaged in
Germany the past few weeks for
shipment to the United States.
''Then you have your Ignite
and semi-bituminous Goals, your
copper and silver ores, your flu
orite, (from which fiuoric acid is
made and many other species OF
minerals, and every one almost
wholly undeveloped. Who knows
whether or not you have large
deposits of petroleum and natural
gas? Most of your rocks are not
too old for either.
"Now, let me suggest a prac-
tical method of reaching results.
Form an organization of 100 OF
the leading residents of the coun-
ty with capital stock of $40, 900,
800 a share, and let it be known
us "The Fulton County Develop
ment Company" Then elect as
officers the best business men OF
the county. When that is done
then send for one or two of the