reasonable to suppose that at some future time some of these streams will serve for purposes of local transportation. In many portions of Marion are to be found extensive forests of timber. Chief among the numerous specimens are short-leaf pine, hickory, post, red and white oaks, sweet and black gum, chestnut, poplar, cherry, beach and bay. Through these hilly forests is to be found much game, especially such as deer and turkeys, and, indeed, all kinds of game usually found in the forests of the South.

In addition to farming and stock-raising the people devote themselves, to a limited degree, to manufacturing. On Bear Creek are two flourishing cotton mills, known as Allen's Factory and the Fall Mills. The former has a capital of $20,000, and the latter $15,000. Both are run by water-power, which serves to illustrate the utility to which these bold mountain streams may be devoted in the manufactures. Beneath the ranges of hills which exist in every section of Marion are considerable deposits of coal, the extent of the prevalence of which is indicated by the outcroppings in every portion of the county.

Gold has also been discov

ered in some sections of Marion. Two railroads have recently been extended through the county, viz: The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham, and the Sheffield & Birmingham.

Such is the prevalence of valuable ore in the county that roads will doubtless be built as branches to the main thoroughfares running through the county.

The brace of mountain air everywhere felt is a sure guarantee of health. In no part of the county are there to be encountered pestilential vapors or death-breeding lagoons.

The people, especially about the centers of interest, are fully alive to the importance of education. Good schools are found in every portion of Marion.

Of

Unusual inducements are afforded in this county for investments in land. No matter for what purpose desired, they can now be bought at a figure far below their intrinsic value. course, this will cease when the county is more extensively penetrated by railroads. The stock-raiser, the farmer, or the investor in mineral lands, will find it advantageous to examine the inducements offered in Marion county.

Hamilton, Pikeville, Shottsville, Guinn, Winfield, Darlington and Barnesville are the points of the greatest importance in the county. The first of these is the county seat, which has recently been established, and is said to have one of the best court houses and safest jails in the State.

Extensive tracts of land may now be purchased at figures wonderfully low, even as low as $2 per acre. Anxious to have the

material wealth of the county enhanced, the inhabitants of Marion look with great favor upon immigration.

There are in Marion county 50,000 acres of land belonging to the Government.

WINSTON COUNTY.

HE name of this county was changed form that of Hancock in 1858. Under the original name it was organized in 1850.

The county has immense resources of minerals. Within the last year it has attracted considerable attention, which has been mainly due to the construction of the new railroads in the adjoining county of Walker. The Sheffield & Birmingham Railroad penetrates the western portion of Winston. The area of the county is 540 square miles.

Population in 1880, 4,253; population in 1890, 6,552. White, 6,516; colored, 36.

Area planted in cotton, 5,312 acres; in corn, 11,942 acres; in oats, 2,105 acres; in wheat, 255 acres; in rye, 13 acres; in tobacco, 25 acres.

Cotton Production-1,464 bales.

The face of the country throughout Winston is generally much broken. Within the limits of the county, near its western boundary, runs the main ridge which divides the waters of the Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers. This (Byler) ridge cuts the county in twain from north to south.

The farming operations of Winston are carried on mainly in

the lowlands and creek bottoms, because of the fertility of these soils above those upon the uplands or higher ridges. But little of the land lying along the ridge is cultivated, owing to the thinness of the soils. It is in no sense an agricultural county, although in some portions cotton and corn are quite readily produced. The local industries are farming, stock raising and wool growing. Dairy farming is carried on to a limited extent.

As will appear from the map, Winston county is abundantly supplied with water. These numerous streams, by their confluence, form the chief water-ways of the county-Black Water, Big Bear, Clear and Rock Creeks, and Sipsey and Brushy Forks. The Buttahatchie and New Rivers have their fountain heads amid the wild hills of Winston county. Along the abounding gorges and valleys there rush the multitudinous tributaries which feed these principal streams from many quarters. Winston can not be excelled, perhaps, by any county in the State in the wildness and picturesqueness of its natural scenery. The waters in some instances have worn channels in the sandstones, and often flow through gorges with high, perpendicular sides. In some instances rapids and cataracts are found which fill the solitudes with their loud-sounding thunder. Two of these waterfalls occur in Clear Creek about 300 yards apart. The falls are each about 30 feet. Below the falls the waters dash down a deep, narrow gorge. They are objects of peculiar interest, and will one day attract many sight-seers. "Rock houses," as they are locally named, abound along these streams. In the neighborhood of these rocky caverns are found growing in luxuriance and beauty the rarest ferns known to American florists.

The natural timber growth is composed of post, black, red, white and Spanish oaks, poplar, beech, holly, chestnut, sour gum, and occasionally short-leaf pine. In many parts of Winston the forests are as yet untouched, and hence abound in many fine specimens of the timber already named. This is especially true of the lands which lie adjacent to creeks in the bottoms.

One of the chief attractions of the county is its abundant game. Turkeys and deer abound in every portion of Winston, and hunters resort thither from the adjoining counties. Most excellent fish, too, are found in the numerous streams.

The county is exceedingly rich in its mineral properties. The extent of these deposits is as yet unknown, but it is believed that no portion of Alabama, of the same compass, will excel the county of Winston in its mineral resources.

Vast quantities of coal underlie the hills, aud iron ore is abundant. In some sections a superior quality of slate is found, and in large quantities.

There are several asphalt springs in the county. Heavy deposits of copper are also found. Building stone is abundant. Near the town of Double Springs there are two large quarries of granite. Fine millstone grit is also obtainable. There are now and then traces of silver.

These slumbering resources only await the construction of railway lines in order to find their way into the markets of the world. The construction of the Georgia Pacific Railroad through Walker county has given new life to Winston. This road is the main artery of communication between the cities of Birmingham and Atlanta. Unusual inducements are thus presented to immigrants and investors. Lands may be purchased at moderate prices, being in proportion to the demand in different sections. They can now be bought in some portions of the county at prices ranging from $3 to $5 per acre; in other sections they will cost from $10 to $25 per acre.

The educational advantages of Winston are moderately good and are improving. Church facilities abound in the populated

sections.

The places of greatest interest are Double Springs (the county seat), Houston, Littlesville, Motes, Delma, Ark and Larissa. Double Springs derives its name from the remarkable springs which issue from the hillsides in the locality where it is situated. They are famous for their great number, their purity and bold

ness.

In the county there are 82,740 acres of government land.