Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-16
CAPABILITIES OF THE PLANTING STATES


We had occasion some time ago to notice the
progress which manufactures are making in the
Southern States, for which it is thought those
States possess some advantages over the Northern
portions of the Union. Since then we have met
with the annexed coincident article in the New
York Courier, which opens an inviting theatre for
the investment of manufacturing capital in the South
NEW York COURIER.
We have often taken occasion express the deep interest
take in every manifestation within the planting States
tendency to domestic manufactures, opening the way
both to the establishment Of sound national policy respect
to tariff, and to the greater happiness, contentmen and
wealth of those States.
recent report made by Professor Tuomxr on the Geo
logy of part of the Iron and Coal region of Tuscaloosa
county, Alabama has turned attention the sub
jec of manufactures in the South and in bringing to our
knowledge for the first time accurate information of the exist
ence in Alabama of large quantities OF coal and iron, and in
that wisely arranged proximity which the Creator to
have ordained almost undertaking relation between
these two precious minerals.
Mr. Tuomey is Professor in the University Of Alabama
and is to that University that the report speaking of
made
exhibits in the neghbohood OF Tuscaloosa formerly the
seat of government Of the State region Of coal and iron Of
unbounded richness almost and from its geological position
susceptible OF being most easily wrought The bed Of the
Black Warrior river for hundred miles is through coal
the DIP oil the coal strata invariably towards the river
to afford the certainty Of easy drainage These immense coal
fields by hundred miles the Gulf of Mexi
than any other of supply and the border Of
naygabe rve or Of which the obstacles to the navigation
may be readily running into the Tombigbee and
thence past the city Of Mobile into the Gulf Tuscaloosa
most avoraby placed to become the Of manuactur-
ing population. 1t is in very healthy region in the hill
country with considerable white population scattered through
the high lands anxious for employment, and which would
Afford in abundance and cheapy, the labor requisite in fac
tories.
With coal and iron their doors-with water power in
profusion, in cheap and healthy county-nothng
wanting the introduction and prosperity Of manufactures
in this region but experience and capital Here the North
and East both these abound Is worth the while of
Of capitalists look into this and for them
selves whether considerations alike of elfnteres and pa
tosm may not induce them TO invest Of their means,
Of their enterprise, and their skill in this region
The position OF Tuscaloosa is particularly favorable for
both by land and by The line of railroads,
the link between Wilmington and Manchester (to
which we called attention days ago. completed, will
be unbroken from the Kennebec river the Coosa in Ala
bama whence to Tuscaloosa comparatively short distance,
the country level and aordng all the materials for the
struction of ralroadwh communication Mobile
with direct and unbroken by railroad with Savan
nah and Charleston and thence with all the principal cities the
seaboard far Portland in the heart of cotton growing
country with soil teeming with iron and coal with su-
Gent water power with white population craving employ
men; with health Of situation, cheapness of provisions, and
climate mild and agreeable manufactures properly under
taken, must prosper there and is by building up manuac
lures in the planting States by teaching them
thing beside the plough and the hoe and by binding them
to with continuous and connected railroads. than by
all parchment constitutions paper Legislation, that shall
consolidate the union which makes great people,
We therefore invite attention the subject have here
introduced, in the persuasion that further Investigation will
confirm all that is here stated Of the great natural wealth of
the region around Tuscaloosa and Of the advantages IT offers
for manufacturing purposes should be added, that most
of the land lying within the coal and iron region embraced
by the survey of Professor Tuomey (execued it states,
with equal and Skill and presenting its results with great
precision and cae still public property and may be enter
ed at the established price of 81 25 per