The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-06-09
Resources OF the White River Valley
Iron WOrkS--The Straight Line
Rail Road.

mali EkOa0s
The White River Valley, its products and
its resources, are rapidly becoming subjects
of no ordinary interest to the enterprizlng of
all classes, and of every branch OF human in
dustry. There is perhaps no region of terri
tory of equal extent, Astounding in SO much
natural wealth, as susceptible of ready and
easy development, that opens so wide field
to both the poor and the rich, the laborer
Valley. The inexhaustible mines of coal
and iron ore, at.underlies great portion of
the country-its excellent marble quarries-
and timber forests, all in close proximity to
each other, are probably without parallel
in any State in the Union. We have be-
fore US, specimens of bituminous coal of
very superior quality, which crops out in the
bed of Patoka Creek, in Gibson county, in a
vein ten feet in thickness, and capable of
being mined with the greatest facility. 1t
also exists in great abundance in Green and
Owen counties higher up the Valley, and in
the immediate vicinity of the ore beds and
marble quarries.
The quality of the marble for building and
mechanical purposes is not surpassed by any
in the country. At Gosport, in Owen Coun-
ty, the establishment of Watts, Biddle &
Pemrose, is capable of turning out / 200 su-
perfcial feet of wrought marble per day, for
which ready demand is found at renumera-
tive prices, notwithstanding its remote loca-
ton from all public facilities for transporta-
ton to market. Two hundred saws driven
by steam power will soon be in operation in
this infant establishment, or double the num-
Der now employed.
The iron works in Green county, which
have been in successful operation for
some ten years, in moderate way in the
manufacture of pig metal, under the direc-
ton of Mr.. Downey, are now in process of
extension, and bar and Rail Road iron will
soon be made there.
A responsible company has invested half
million dollars in the enterprise in view of
the advantageous location, and the facilities
for transportation offered by the Straight
Line and South Western Railways. In ad-
dition to the mineral wealth OF this valley,
which has now been fully demonstrated,
both by Geological explorations and actual
experiments, the agricultural productions,
also in many respects, excel those of any
other region of the State.
The development of the resources of this
valley, has long been an object of anxious
speculation with adventures and capitalists
both at home and abroad. The only barrier
which has hitherto prevented more rapid
settlement, has been a want of suitable
means of transportation and communication
with the various market points that consume
the products of the soil and the mines.-
This barrier is soon To be removed by the
construction of the Straight Line Railroad
which traverses nearly the whole length o
the most wealthy portion of the Valley.
The entire State has deep interest il
the opening up of the hidden wealth of tn,
mines of this valley, and it should be the duty
of every community to encourage the infan
manufacturing establishments which have
already started there. Nearly every prom
inent city in the State will, or may soon b.
connected with this valley by railroad, AM
thus enabled to supply their mills and thei
workshops, with the essential materials 70
their growth and maintenance.
Evansville will soon reap the double ad
vantage of canal and railroad communication
indianapolis can supply her numerous AM
increasing Machine shops, &c., with iron
lumber and fuel from this valley at great
reduced cost. New Albany and Lafay ette
already have railroad connection with tn
mineral regions of the White River Valley
and Vincennes by the construction of les
than 80 miles of railroad can tap the Straigh
Line at Newberry, and thus avail itself c
the coal and iron of that entire region, an
foster her growing manufacturing in
terests, which must ultimately become he
chief reliance, and also furnish nearer an
cheaper route for communication with tn
Eastern cities. The prosperity and best in
terest of the whole State, and more especia
ly the points above named, are deeply col
cerned in this matter, and we shall not Ion
look in vain for Hooser enterprise TO engag
in the fulflment of its manifest destiny
that direction.
GE- In our notice yesterday of the speal
ers at the Canal meeting. we should hay