The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-03-12

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''paper stock"-South Carolina is the
most prominent producer of "paper
stock" kaolin for the higher grades of
white paper. The beds of Aiken
County are unexcelled by any known
deposits, and so superior is this article
as it naturally occurs IN its beds in this
locality that no washing or other pro-
cess of refinement is required to make
1t marketable. Aiken County affords
about 10000 long tons of this kaolin
each year in addition to some porcelain
and fine clay. Killian, in Richland
County, affords the most prominently
known bed of fine clay in this State,
and operates extensive kilns for the
manufacture of fine tiles, bricks, etc.
You next arrive at collection of the
iron ores of this State, of which the
most conspicuous and historically in
| teresting are the celebrated Cherokee
magnetic ores. With these ores the
Confederate government operated large
furnaces, gun foundries, rolling mills
| etc. They represent a vast accumula-
tion of particles of magnetic ore dis
seminated through magnetism states,
shales, olivine, etc. The exceptionally
superior quality of the iron derived
from these ores must again create de-
mand for these valuable deposits.
One then passes by the tin ores,
which occur as prospects in Cherokee
and York counties, to the manganese
ores and thence to the gold ores of South
Carolina. South Carolina Is the greatest
gold.producing State east of the Mlssis-
sippi. Many samples and specimens of
superior ores are exhibited from sundry
localities, many deposits awaiting capi-
tai for profitable development, and |
that some gold properties in this State |
are susceptible of highly profitable |
operation ls conclusively established |
by the history of the old Dorm mine,
and by the daily current practice of the
world-renowned Halle gold mine, a
continuous dividend payer in the great
est single producer of gold in the Eas-
tern States. There on is exhibition an
interesting diagram showing the plan
of the plant as designed by Capt. Thies,
the father of the now widespread pro-
cess known by his name. There is
displayed an extensive assortment of
she ores and products from this mine.
First the crushed ore, then the con-
centrated ore, the roasted ore, the gold
in an amber colored solution and
finally gilded block representing the
equivalent of gold produced during one
year by this interesting plant.
For additional forestry specimens
prepared according to the suggestions
of the State geologist one is directed to
the exhibits from Greenwood, Berkeley,
and Darlington counties,
and to the magnificent display of pan
eled specimens from Darlington, COM
prising curly walnut, curly pine, china
berry, quartered oak, maple, oak and
other superb specimens, which could
with great difficulty be surpassed.
Attention is much engaged by most
interesting botanical collection from
Chester, prepared under the direction
of Prof. Green. But few State or
scientific museums afford such com.
prehensive and instructive local COL
lection of woods. Horny, Florence,
Georgetown, Sumter and
Eickens counties present interesting
specimens of these forest products.
Chester, Spartanburg, Pickens, Flor
ence, Sumter and Oiangeburg counties
display in their county collections in
ePooilhoho vi IhelI ioChs anu
South Carolinians are accustomed to
think and to speak of their State as
"great," but with reference to its
glorious history. This is justified and
it is proper, yet South Carolina is great
in many other ways that are not ap-
preciated in or outside its borders. 1t
is only when he sees some such demon
stration as this that the average citi-
zen realizes the extent of the States
real greatness.