PART I.
A GENERAL DESCRIPTION
OF THE
IRON ORE DISTRICT OF
EAST TEXAS.
BY E. T. DUMBLE.
INTRODUCTION.
That part of Texas of which the following pages treat is situated in the northeastern corner of the State, being the territory lying east of the 96th degree of longitude and north of the 31st parallel of latitude. From this area we exclude, as being non-iron bearing, the portion north of Sulphur Fork, and also the northwestern corner, in which the black waxy prairies of the Cretaceous are the prevailing formation.
In this district, so restricted, there are nineteen counties: Cass, Morris, Marion, Upshur, Wood, Harrison, Gregg, Panola, Smith, Van Zandt, Rusk, Cherokee, Henderson, Anderson, Houston, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Sabine, and San Augustine, containing in the aggregate 14,430 square miles. In each of these counties iron ore exists in greater or less quantities and of varying qualities.
Ores of similar character are reported from other counties west and southwest of this area, but our investigations have not extended further than the limits stated.
As will be seen by reference to the accompanying map, the iron ores are very unevenly distributed through this region, and as we have mapped them cover an area of about 1000 square miles. The scale, however, on which the map is published is such that n:any of the deposits which are really valuable do not appear at all, owing to their comparatively small size. In addition to the map, the boundaries and location of the ore deposits are given in detail in the various reports, so far as it has been possible to define them.
"It has not been found possible to complete the work in this district in as detailed manner as was intended. In Gregg, Sabine, Morris, Houston, and San Augustine counties no attempt has been made to do detailed work, and we have had to content ourselves with a reconnaissance of them for the purpose of ascertaining the presence or absence of workable deposits of ore. In four counties only have we gone over the subject as thoroughly as we intend working the entire area. For these reasons the present must only be considered a partial report.