Asheville Daily Citizen

LETTERS BY THE PEOPLE.

VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED HEREWITH.

Kaolin Mining and the Jackson County Options—The Silver Question Up—Danger to Children.

EDITOR THE CITIZEN:—The wealthy manufacturer of porcelain or French china ware, who is considering the erection of works at Biltmore station, our city, is expected here to look into the feasibility of investing capital on a solid and paying basis.

Many points have to be investigated thoroughly and by parties fully posted in the business in all its details.

The location for the works must be along one or more railroads in existence, and not prospective or promised ones. The deposits of materials intended to be used should be fully developed and tests made by disinterested parties as to quality and quantity. There have been about fifty options taken in Jackson county on old mica holes, where kaolin has been found in small veins, and parties not understanding the business or wishing to deceive others call them kaolin mines. The Equitable kaolin company at Sylva has suffered on that account, and their large works with elegant machinery are standing idle, not able to pay their hands for several months and judgments being obtained against them for debts. The kaolin prepared by them was not considered of first quality, which is the only kind that will pay to ship from there, with a freight of $5 per ton to the potteries.

A potter may understand the moulding or making of ware, firing the same and other branches of this industry, but know nothing of mining and preparing of kaolin, flint and spar, and I dare say that very few manufacturers of pottery have ever seen a mine of that sort. The manufacture of white granite or so-called stone china (a fictitious name) will never, in my opinion, be a success financially at this place in competition with the large potteries at East Liverpool, O., Trenton, N. J., and the English importers.

I think the right man has been found and expected here to look into the business. Capitalists wishing to invest money in the same will do well to go slow and await further developments.

Respectfully,

CERAMIC OBSERVER.

Asheville, Jan. 24.