The age-herald., 1901-09-25
Nature Has BOuRtifuIIy Enriched the Beautiful City of
 Marble Valley
MINERALS IN ABUNDANCE
Progressive Little Town Is Not Boast fuI, But Ambltous-No Section In South Has Greater Diver
 sity of Natural Wealth.

Sylacauga, September A. - Especially - Alabama Is wonderfully rich in her nat ural resources, and it sometimes seems that the only drawback to her more rapid growth and development Is an over measure of self-reliance on the part or her citizenship. That Is to say that Ala bamians who inhabit the most favored sections of the State are rather modest in presenting their claims to public atten- tion and backward in inviting the invest ment-seeking and wealth-producing world to enter their gates and help build up, develop and enrich.
 Now, here In Sylacauga,a truly favored little city, surrounded by one of the most beautiful, most healthful and wealthy mineral and agricultural sections of the State, enjoying the advantages offered by two competing railroad lines-the Louis vile and Nashville and the Central of Georgia, both passing through the center of the town, owning much valuable prop erty here and doing all things reasonable to aid in the development of the city and the section.
 Sylacauea's Silence.
 And yet the world hears very little of Sylacauga. True, the energetic drum mers come and find liberal patronage from these progressive and prosperous merchants, and they go forth to tell the story of Sylacauga and her present strength and opportunity. And then. an occasional prospector comes to examine the rich mineral surroundings, and he mixes and mingles among the twelve hundred people who live here and who enjoy a superb social atmosphere and this inspiring mountain scenery.
 Not Boastful, But Ambitious.
 No; sylacauga is not given to boasting; and has perhaps done herself injustice in not presenting her claims to the world Your correspondent does not mean to impugn motives of selfishness to this peo- pie, for they ever offer kindly and cor dial greeting to the stranger within their gates and make him feel quite at home.
 And yet Sylacauga Is ambitious. Her people know they have a goodly town; they fully appreciate the value of this commanding position, and confidently ex- pect to witness doubling of population here within a few years.
 Natural Advantages.
 It would be difficult to find on the map of the United States a point enjoying the advantage of greater diversity of natural wealth and industrial occupation than does this little city of Sylacauga. Located in beautiful Marble Valley, one of the richest agricultural sections of the State, producing cotton, corn. wheat, rye, oats sugar cane, the root crops and fruits and vegetables of almost every va riety; a section well timbered, well wa tered ,and healthful, beautiful scenery and health-giving breeZes, 1t Is no won der Sylacaugians are proud Of their town.
 Mineral Wealth.
 Then too, the mineral wealth Is espe- cially attractive-marble. superb in quail ity, boundless In quantity, lies beneath the soil in the valleys and on the hill- sides. Iron ores-brown hematite-clays, slate, mica, all obtainable. and have been proftably developed here at the very doors of these people, and all are bound in a few years to become wealth. producers, which must make the city of Sylacauga move forward toward the front rank of Alabama towns.
 Talladega County.
 It Is a fact worthy of note that Talla- dega stands seventh in the list of Ala bama counties in point of population and wealth. and that this valley consti- tutes very important part of this highly favored county. a county famous in history, the birth place of great Ala bamians, the home of social, education al and religious influences.
 Cotton.
 Sylacauga receives annually from 1000 to 12000 bales of cotton. and affords to the producers market equal to any in the State. Competition in this mar ket is always active, and, in season. the stronger cotton buyers are in evidence here. Just at this time there seems to be no rushing of the staple into mar ket, as most of the planters are able to hold their crop for better prices, which they confidently hope for later in the season, under the persent condition of the crop throughout the country.
 Manufacturing.
 Sylacauga has her 10000 spindle cotton mill in successful operation, under the management of the Lewis Bros. Her large cottonseed oil mills established by those enterprising business men, the Smith Bros, has recently passed into ba ha nf ha