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2 (Cartersville (Ga.) American.) BARTOW’S WEALTH. THE BOUNDLESS RICHES OF A GREAT COUNTY. Mineral, Agricultural, Gold, Cop per and Other Resources — Climate and Water, Etc. CLIMATE AND WATER. To those at all cognisant of the topography and geological formations of the county, it is needless to say any thing touching the climate and water. To the stranger looking for a home, information of this character is of the highest interest. The bulk of the county lies immedi ately north of the last regular bench of mountains, or foothills, southward from the Blue Ridge, and entirely within the thirty-fourth parallel of lat itude. Numerous ranges of lower ele vations, traverse the county in various directions, but mainly parallel to the Blue Ridge. Between the ridges, charming villages mellow the landscape, and give promise of abundant harvests to the husbandman. The atmosphere is neither too dry nor too moist, but bracing and healthful. Looking at the facts as above set forth a thought ful man will reasonably conclude that we have here a genial, salubrious cli mate. This is the truth. • Throat and lung diseases are rare. Pneumonia has not obtained (except sporadically; in nearly thirty years. Consumption, the scourge of more northern climes, scarcely exists, except as imported. Summer diseases prevail as anywhere else, but not to the extent, nor with the fatality that characterize them in many sections of the country. Cholera is unknown. Now as to the water. All the ex treme southern and southeastern and eastern portions of the country are en tirely free-stone; cropping out fre quently in the springs, cool, refresh ing, satisfying. This statement needs to be qualified, so far as to except the mineral springs, of which there are sev eral, and some justly famous, viz: the Rowland Springs. The principal con stituents of the mineral waters, are iron, sulphur and magnesia, The forma tions are mainly granitic. The rest of the country (about two-thirds) is of the limestone formation, and the waters partake of the nature of the rocks. There are, however, mineral springs and wells of free and nearly freestone water. While there are numbers of bold blue limestone springs, the main sup ply of water for domestic uses is ob tained from wells, which are found at from 30 to 75 feet. Speaking of lime stone water, the “true blue’' alone is meant, as not a single fountain of rot ten limestone water exists in the coun ty- IRON. The county of Bartow contains with in her boundary lines a greater variety of minerals and a larger quantity and variety of iron ores than any other county in Georgia, and perhaps, with one exception, than any in the south. The first is due to the fact that in the county is the dividing line between the new and the old rock formations, the fossil limestones ofthesilurean age and the slates and gneissoid the paleozoic and azoic time, traveling from its northern to its southern border over a thousand of years of created time, from the coralline limestones across that belt wherein the convulsions in which nature’s change was made amid the wild, upheaved rocks of the Eto wah to the yellow leaves of geological nature in the Hornblende gneiss south of Allatoona; from the lately formed limonite in the valley of the Oostanau la to the hard and close-grained mag netic ores of the oldest rocks. To the student of geology the fact of this range of formations would im mediately convey an idea of at least varied mineral wealth, and it was the knowledge of this fact that caused Bar tow county to be selected by Prof. George Little, a former state geologist, as the first county for elaborate exam ination, and one from which he could fairly illustrate the plan of his survey. And thus it forms the basis of a large portion of his “Report of Progress,” published in 1874. Bartow county contains gold, cop per magnetic and specular iron ores in its southern part, with brown hema tite, while in the limestone region are found numerous beds of brown hema tite, unsurpassed in quality and in ex tent ; and the same is true of the beds of managanese, which are abundant, and the ore of good character. Then the excellent quality of the limestone and cement rock has caused the erec tion of extensive kilns in several sec tions of the county, where these stones are burned to lime—equal in quality to any in the world. The county was the first in Georgia to commence the manufacture of iron. In 1837, Jacob Stroup erected a forge and furnace near the Stamp creek. It made no pig metal, but all hollow ware and other casting, which were hauled to all parts of the state. This was the nucleus from which grew the famous and extensive Etowah Iron Works, under the management of Hon. Mark A. Cooper. The works at one time consisted of two furnaces, a roll ing and nail factory and an extensive Hour mill, all employing over 300 hands. The property consists of su perb water powers on the Etowah riv er and Stamp creek and about 12,000 acres of land, containing numerous beds and veins of brown hematite and specular iron ores. A small forge and corn mill has lately been erected near the old Stamp creek furnace, but with this exception this valuable property is now unused. The first lager beer made in the south was made at the works. The next furnace was erected on Allatoona creek by Jacob Stroup. It run until 1861, when it was aban doned. The greatest development of brown hematite iron ore in the country is to be found up the valley leading from Cartersville to Fairmount, and contig uous thereto on the waters of Stamp creek. Some idea of the immense quantity of iron ore up this valley may be formed by quoting from Prof. Lit tle’s pamplet, the number of extensive beds he noted in a distance of ten miles from Cartersville, all in or bordering on the valley. He names twelve in that distance: The Peachtree Bank, Big Bank, Black Bank, Terry, Sugar Hill, Connor, Big Spring, Buford, Wild Cat, Lowrey’s, Munford and Guyton Hill, and more can be added in the ten miles farther on to Fairmount. Well and truly has a visitor to our section named this the Iron Valley. In the southern part of the county are also great deposits of brown hem atite iron ore. On the line of the East & West railroad from Cartersville to Broken Arrow, is to be found a con tinuation of the same line of deposits which make the Iron Valley, none of which are yet developed? but great in their undeveloped state amid the dense forests that surround them. Another great belt of brown hematite ores cross es the country below Kingston, con taining in its extent an immense quan- THE KENNESAW GAZETTE. tity of very pure ore. One of the banks is romantically located, near the Crystal Springs, which form the head of Three Run creek, and in what is known as the Branson place. It is re markable among this class of ores as being entirely free from phosphorus. There are other extensive banks on this line, extending down into Polk county. Still another line of ores comes across the northern edge of the county. Such is a brief sketch of the brown hematite beds of the county of Bartow. In the aggregate they contain an enor mous quantity of iron ore, enough to supply many furnaces for hundreds of years; and many of them alone can compare favorably with any of the vast masses of such economical materi al that have become famous in the an nals of mineralogy and geography. And unlike many such wondrous de posits they are not far distant from line of transportation, but almost at the pit mouth runs a trunk line of railroad, well managed and offering cheap rates of freight. One of these great depos its, the Guyton Hill, is a great cone over 200 feet high, covering over 40 acres of ground, and is a solid mass of brown hematite iron ore. Another, the Buford, is a long hill-side, made up of vast masses of ore of great purity and richness. It is long ere the child will be born who will see the day when all these vast deposits will be exhaust ed. MANGANESE. It has become a fact of note that Bartow county has the best and purest manganese in the United States, and that the quantity is simply inexhausti ble. Scattered over a hundred hills are great stores of this mineral, still re maining for that better time, and that time must come as the march of pro gress daily comes nearer to our duors, calling for its use in the manufacture of new steels. * * * * When this mining for manganese was first begun, the veins of ore were follow ed in open trenches and pits. This caused a great expenditure of useless labor. Now, however, the veins are traced by tunneling. One tunnel has been made, about two hundred yards in length, besides ofi-shoots to the right and left, following veins yielding ores of from 75 to 90 per cent, of metallic manganese. All grades of the ore are found in these mines—from the commonest to the finest variety. Mr. Dobbins has shipped a great deal of manganese to Europe, and much more of it is to go there. Space is too limited to give in detail the workings of this tremendous enter prise. Suffice it to say, the machin ery is being put up, and all the appli ances for furnishing this valuable min eral to the world’s manufacturers, are being put in shape, so that, in no long time, hundreds and thousands of tons will be sent from our midst annually, and in its stead money —which we need more than anything else —will pour in upon us. COPPER. Copper ore has been found in the southwest end of the county of appa rently good quality at the outcrop, but no developments have been made of sufficient depth to tell the extent of the veins or their true quality. Being be yond the first gneiss belt, they appear to be in the same geological position as the Ducktown ores. However well they promise an expenditure of capital can alone tell their value. OTHER ADVANTAGES. It must be remembered that there are other advantages in a county which raises large quantities of wheat, corn and meat, as well as minerals; and, too, affording a climate never afflicted with the malarias of the farther south regions, nor the rigors of the northern winter. Here the laborer can work all the year without danger from cli matic disease, and the employer or capitalist can bring his family to reside here without fear of cholera or yellow fever. To this land of ours, so pro lific of iron and manganese, so glitter ing with golden sands, so productive of all that is needed by man or beast, we cordially invite the capitalist and man of energy. Compliments from the Press. We publish below some compliment ary notices of the Kennesaw Ga zette, and of the Western & Atlan tic Railroad’s “Battlefields Folder,” in which the Kennesaw route comes in for a share of general praise, clipped from our exchanges. Our hats are off to you, gentlemen : The Herald, Mt. Carmel, 111. The Kennesaw Gazette, pub lished at Atlanta, Ga., is our latest exchange. It is a semi-monthly, and is published in the interest of the Western & Atlantic Railroad Com pany. In this day of excursions to noted places, fine scenery, salubrious climates, etc., it is not to be forgotten that this Western & Atlanta Railroad offers a combination of all three of these. Its noted places include the track of Sherman’s army from Chat tanooga. Tenn., to Atlanta, Ga. It was along this railroad that General Joseph E. Johnston, of the Confeder ate army, retreated in front of Sher man’s swarming hosts in blue. Here we find Ringgold, Buzzard’s Roost, Rocky Face Ridge, the passes of Snake Creek, Resaca, Dalton, Adairsville, Kingston,Cassville,Cartersville. Close by, Allatoona, where Corse defied the Confederate hosts, and where origin ated the memorable order, “Hold the Fort,” which is the subject of the gos pel hymn so widely known; here is Kennesaw’s dark and bloody front, here Big Shanty, the Chattahoochee and Atlanta. Near by is Ezra Church, Powder Springs, Peach Orchard,where the gallant McPherson died, that bloody summer day. On Kennesaw is shown the spot where Gen. Polk, who exchanged the mitre of the bish op for the sword of the soldier, was killed. Here is Marietta, one of the finest cities in the South. This wdiole line from Chattanooga to Atlanta is historic ground. It passes the Chicka mauga battle ground, made sacred by the blood of a host who wore the blue and the grey. It carries the tourist through the passes of Missionary Ridge, where Bragg failed to beat back the victorious hosts of Grant. Every foot of ground has a history, every hill top a story, every valley is a book. The scenery is grand. From the time the tourist leaves the shadow of “Lookout” at Chattanooga, until he arrives at Atlanta, he passes through mountain scenery unsurpassed in the United States. The precipices of Buz zard’s Roost awe him into silence. The bold heights of Rocky Face thrill him with admiration. The passes of Alla toona, the dense pine forests around Cassville, the bright streams thread ing their way through the hills, all combine to attract and please the fancy. Bold Kennesaw, standing like a grim sentinel, looms up to the clouds, the admiration of all lovers of mountain scenery, and the thousand other Views which the tourist meets on his route, make a trip over this road most desir able. The climate is most healthful and invigorating. The winter season