The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-14
MINE RAL WEALTH
OF 5|V|YTH COUNTY
Handbook Which Will Describe
lis Vast Issues Will Surprise
Many.
LEAD AND ZINC ABUNDANT.
These Deposits, Found in Rye
Valley, Arc Now Being
Developed.
rspec;a,to The Times-D,spatcb, !,

t7.sf. lSpccidi 70 u ne ll1HeS-1JIBpatchl ssG5f
MARION, VA, April 12.-The hand
book Of sInyth couAty, intended for dis
Stribution at the Jamestown Exposition,
for which the Bo,rd OF Supervisors of
the county made an appropriation some
time ago. is about ready for publication.
The booklet will contain many matters
OF interest. showing the progress and
present condition OF the people Of the
county, as well as the wonderful re-
sources of this section, and Its deslra-
bility as {. place Of residence and for
the Investment Of capital. In addition
to description OF tbs agricultural and
timber resources of the county, the suite
ment is made that it. perhaps alone OF
all the counties OF Virginia. contuins
within its bo'dcrs practically every min
eral found II commercial quantities In
Virginia. Besides salt, gypsum lead and
barytcs, several varieties OF iron ore.
manganese and marble are found. as
well as deposits of various other min
erals. Rye Valley. which is continual
ton OF thu great Cripple Creek Valley.
Is especially rich In the abundance and
variety OF It's mineral resources. which
are within easy reach OF the Marion and
Rye Vaty railrond. In the east end
the ores, chiefly limonte. and Of excel
lent quality, show a range OF from ~ to
65 per tent. metallic iron. and are re-
markabg free from Objectionable quail
ties. Several hundred tons OF manga
nese hsYe been mined and shipped from
this Wiley. and the deposits OF mang
nese hire and else1here in the county
are apparently large and valuable.
Also Lead and Zinc.
Leal and zinc ores are found in Rye
4 1, Nlr-,H 1.SxS Cn.,.
in Rth Valley and in the south spurs
OF Whlker's Mountain. During the past
year the Chamberlin Mineral Company
has purchased about ninety acres Of land
In tie Rye Valley, and the mineral.
rights on about $50 acres, at cost OF
$1,000. The company is spending about
$1,000 for machinery, and will begin at
once the development OF its property
Experts have estimated the ore already
exclvated at 100000. with excellent
propects for the future. Some of the
ore here has Analysed 90 per cent. lead,
1912 per cent. zinc, 4 per cent. silver
AMI per cent gold.
;hc gypsum deposits OF Virginia are
ro>ined to smyth county, and in this
comfy to a narrow strip In the valley
of the North Fork of IIolstone river.
Err u distance Of ten miles above Salt
vlle there are large deposits of gypsum
Of absolutely pure material may be OBJ,
tined, while the average run of mine
ray be counted on as 80 per cent. pure
It's physical characteristics also add to
Us value. 1t Is soft. granular. and easily
crushed. Tho Buena Vista Plaster and
lining Company has operated success
July for many years n small mill mile
below Saltville, and its output has been
lavorably received by the building trade.
nr hr nag Ion Csxyv,.
sum Company, Inc. has bought the Pier
son Plaster Bank Farm, three miles
above Saltville, and has carefully pros
fpected portion Of this farm with a
core drill. The gypsum underlying this
land has a thickness at many places of
fifty feet and the prospecting completed
I by March, 1907. had proved the presence
Of q million and a half tons Of gypsum.
This company Is now erecting d large
and expensive plant for tho manufacture
of gypsum into commercial forms.
At Saltville the Mathicson Alkall
Works own largo deposits Of salt, and
In the manufacture Of sodium corbonate
commercially known as soda ash.' are
operating perhaps tho largest single In
q dustry in Southwest Virginia. Employ
ment Is sven to something over !, zoo
men. The company operates It's owl
limestone quarry, which Is located abou,
three miles from the plant. the stone
being conveyed from the quarry by
means OF an aerial tramWay.
Quarry Limestone.
In addition to tho minerals alread.
mentioned, large amount of limestone
Is quarried in Smyth county for use q
Baltyille and In iron furnaces In South,
west Virginia. Near Marion Mr.. W. II
Culbcrt has operated two large qnarrie!
FOR several years, shipping annually owe
$4,000 tons Of limestone for uso in TIL,
manufacture Of iron, This stone is o
hrst-class quality, and suitable for us
In the making Of Portland cement.
Clays that stnndsmany of tho ordinar,
fire tests are found In many portions O
The county Before the Civil War tn
several irsn forges that wero then. ii
operation in this county were success
q fully lined with these clays. There 1.
building and paving brick, At chllhowi
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