Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-14
States WATERPOWER
WORTH 100000

! The quarterly report of the state geo.
| logical department for the period ending
| November 20, submitted to the state geo.
logical board by Prof. S. w. McCallie,
geologist, last week, not only illustrates
the valuable work this department Of the
| state government is doing, but it in
/ measure shows the great mineral and
| water-power resources of Georgia. The
| board was so favorably impressed with
| the report that it suggested the prepare
ton of condensed copies for publication
! throughout the state. synopsis of the
| report follows:
During the months of September and
October Mr.. McCallie was personally en-
gagged in visiting the various districts of
the state, securing data for the report
soon to be issued on mineral statistics
| and mineral industries of Georgia.
All branches of Georgia's mineral in
/ dustries have at present an encouraging
| outlook. This is especially true of the
/ iron industry, which is said to be a true
| barometer of the business conditions of
| the country. Mr.. McCallie states that
he had never known before such de-
mand for Georgia iron ores as there is
at present. This demand for Georgia
ores is now, in a measure, being supplied
! by the opening up of new mines and the
reopening of old ones.
! Like activity is also to be seen in the
| clay industry. Within the last few
months three large clay plants have
been put in operation in Twiggs and
| Wilkinson counties.
One of these plants, located in the Dry
Branch district of Twiggs county, owned
and operated by the Atlanta Mining and
! Clay company, has a daily capacity of
| IF wa oil Y,Io fa
said to be one Of the largest clay-wash-
| ing plants in America.
The clays mined by these several
! plants is largely used in the paper
| trade, and chiefly marketed in the east
! and west. Some of the clays find their
way to Canada and a limited amount is
said to be exported.
The stone industry as we'll as the ce-
ment and other kindred industries which
| supply structural material, are rapidly
| regaining their former activity, and
| there is every evidence at hand that
| the exploitation of our mineral resources
! during the coming year will exceed any
thing heretofore known.
! STARTLING RESOURCES HERE.
The water powers of the state, a nat
| ural resource, which is at present largely
| undeveloped, is attracting widespread
attention among capitalists throughout
| the country. Geologist McCallie receives
| almost daily letters of inquiry about our
| water powers. The money value of these
/ powers, reckoning a horsepower at $40
| per annum, is 100000, which is equal to
| nearly twice the states annual income
from taxes and all other sources. To
| produce a power by steam equal to Geor-
! gas water power would require annual
| ly 100000 tons of coal, which is more
than one-half of the annual coal produc-
ton Of Alabama.
| Otto Veatch, assistant state geoloeist
has completed his manuscript on the ter
tiary formations of the coastal plain. a
part of the work on the geology and I'M
| foreground waters of the coastal plair
which this department has undertaken in
| cooperation with the United States geo
logical survey.
| DR.. T. Poole Maynard, assistant state
geologist, during the quarter completed
field Investigations of the Iimestones and
shales in Barlow county as far north as
Kingston. In this county he reports the
occurrence of excellent exposures of
limestones of the Knox dolomite SERIES
suitable for making lime and natural ce-
ment. He has also completed field inves-
legations in Polk county, where he found
limestone in many places suitable for
1uxing, and. with suitable shales, for the
manufacture of Portland cement Field
county, where many limestones wero
found suitable for plasters and general
agricultural purposes. The knowledge OF
these Hmestones, it is believed, should
stimulate the lime industry in this coun-
ty, where hardly single lime kiln Is
now in operation. The limestones in the
western portion of the county are very
promising and analysis may prove these
deposits to be Of considerable value
| VALUABLE LIMESTONE
| In addition to the above work Dr.
Maynard studied the limestones and
| shales in the central part of Chattooga
county, and in Walker county as far as
Lafayette. Many of the limestones In
these counties he found to be of a high
grade and If suitable shales can be found
the limestones OF the two counties will
be quite valuable for Portland cement
In all, more than 100 samples were collect
ed for analysis and also a large number
Of hand specimens. Whenever sections Of
rocks were exposed and where fossils
occurred they were collected in order to
throw more light through their study OF
the geology of northwest Georgia
| DR.. Edgar Everhart, chemist of the geo.
logical survey, made during the quarter
a large number of analyses of llmestones,
gold and silver ores, clays, etc.
Mr.. McCallie spoke very enthusiastical-
lly of the artesian water supply of south
lGeorgia He said that the survey had
already issued two bulletins on this i'm
portant subject, and is now collecting
data for a third report. The practical
Questions In this line, which the survey
lis working out, are the location of the
areas of flowing wells, the depths Of the
different water-bearing strata, the char
acter of the water, the cost Of well con-
struction, and the chemical composition
of the waters to be obtained. The depart
ment is called on almost daily, not only
by citizens Of the state, but also by per-
sons in other states, with inquiries about
the deep-well waters Of south Georgia.
Mr.. McCallie says: "If were called on
to select, from a sanitary standpoint, the
best drinking waters of the state, / would
lunhesitatingly select the artesian well
waters of south Georgia. That section
lean hardly realize what great blessing
it has In an inexhausti5la and uncontam-