The Canton times., 1902-05-09

mopv TO the effect that Mississippfs
dead were found higher up the
Heights than those of any other Con
federate command, and this fact
ought to settle this much vexed ques-
ton, because they had no particular
interest in the matter.
Nor is there any doubt now that 10
Mississippi should go the lions snare
of the credit won at Fort Gregg, when
the little Spartan band of ESQ, com
posed of Mississippians, North caro-
linians and Louisianians, surrendered
to a whole corps only after their am
mupition was exhausted and the dead
bodies of 800 of their enemies lay
piled up around the little fort. But
nothing is better settled now, the evil
dence being indubitable and over
whelming, that Mississippians were
the only organized troops inside Gregg.
AS to Gettysburg, if there was one
wish dearer to the hearts OF Coils. PeW-
er. Stone and Holder than another, II
was that the State OF MISSISSIPPI
should appropriately mark on Gene
terry Heights the place where her oeaa
were found just after the charge.
II is not so very long since Mlssls-
sippi hills and hollows, plains, etc.,
were believed to contain nothing put
dirt" and some of it rather poor dirt.
OF late, however, various things have
been found mixed with this dirt besides
the roots of cotton and corn, and we
are in consequence beginning to look
up. A number of discoveries have been
reported lately of valuable building
stone. several beds of phosphates,
strata of fine clay, minerals and other
valuable materials. One of the most
interesting of these discoveries is at
West Station, on the Illinois Central
road. If one-half the reports from VS.
iting experts are to be accepted as
true the little Holmes county town Will
soon spread out into city, and a city
of stone at that. The hills surround
ing the town are solid chunks Of what
is now said to be some of the finest
building stone in the country. There
is a constant and heavy demand for
building stone and the news OF this
discovery has brought number OF
prospectors to the scene.
Those who have examined the stone
pronounce it superior to any in this
section for building foundations, max
| ing concrete and ballasting. 1t is al
most as hard as granite, and is imper-
vious to the weather. For such stone
there is now an almost unlimited de-
mand, and could the owners of these
beds but come to some kind of an un-
derstanding and form a company fol
the purpose of putting the stone on tbs
market, they would almost equal the
oil barons of Beaumont, Tex. The sup.
ply of stone in the neighborhood Of
West seems almost inexhaustible. Il
extends for number of miles on the
east and west sides of the railroad
the lands being of but little value ex
cept for this stone deposit.
And now comes the regrettable par
of the story, which might well b.
headed with the old saying, slight!
altered, about "the prophet" and hi
"own land" This time it might b.
said that "land is not without homo
save among its own prophets" A
any rate, whatever profit was to b.
found in this new discovery will g
into the pockets of Michigan capital
lists, who came down and got option
on vast acres at very low figures, Will
our own folks were thinking about il
Fortunately, some of Holmes county
far-sighted citizens refused to ente
into the Michiganders' hard deal, an
if the people will work together a
they should do, they may yet max
grand success of the hidden quar-
ries on the hillsides of old Holmes
Success to them, and all other entel
prising Mississippians!
The Signal tells us that 1.-TWO year
and half ago Taylorsville, as raj
road town, was not known, but toda
she is live, hustling village Of abou
1000 inhabitants, with a number Q
stores, saw and planning mills, tw
printing Offices, an artesian well, tw
banks in sight, and the best hig
school in the State"
Lower down in the same column
,, notice Of the establishment of
branch of the Laurel Bank. This