Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-09-09


valuable materials which would soon as railroad
communication is opened cheaper fuel and provis
ions, etc. at those terminal and intermediate points,
thus greatly increasing the manufacturing wealth /
and prospects of those cities and at the same time
would return the counties whence these mineral
and agriculturai resources were drawn a rich re-
war for their material and for their labor.
The details supporting these assertions viii be
found under their appropriate heads.
Biologists DOW almost unanimous in ascri6-
ing these vast deposits of combustble materials TO
vegetable origin and some Of the distinguish
ed adopt the doctrine of the growth an STU and
subsequent repeated sinking down of many sue
eessive terrestrial surfaces, allowing indefinite
quantity Of sediment to be superimposed vertically
10 one continuous series of beds"
These coal strata, more particularly ref, fred to
hereafter, are occasionally somewhat modified from
their original horizontal position by the gradual ris
ing of portions of the older formations (Davonian
and SIlurian) upon which they have been deposited.
Fortunately for the productiVeness of your coal
feds it is generally found that most OF the beds
thicker and closer together within few miles
of the extreme limits than in the centre of coal
field, " "arsing doubt from the longer duration
of the extra tropical forest growth before submer-
gence; thus affording opportunity for greater
accumulation OF the vegetable matter, which pro-
duced the COAL
the character of the coal, too, varies with the
amount of heat aud pressure to which it has been
exposed it is natural that in your coal lands we
SuOQlO JuSt as LDey GO IN corresponding pOt-
tiCn of the coal margin in Breckenridge county, Kys
the camel coal and btuunous shale.
Another fortunate circumstance consists in the
fact pointed out by Sir Charles Lyell, that the
'limestoues of the coal-measures augment as We
trace them westward"
Hence although limestones are seldom found in
Europe in the Eastern States in the true coal
measures, they so abundanty iDtercaated
among the strata of your coal lands very much
to increase the capabilities of yOur soil for produc-
ing many OF the most valuable kinds of small grain
and grass.
We now proceed to consider these subjects more
in detail, under their appropriate heads.
II. THE NUMBER, EXTENT, QUALITY, ETC. OF THE
COAL STRATA.
Not less than fire coal strata have come under
observation in this remarkably rich coalregiOn
even without including a heavy bed cut off by
great fault" rear the southern part Of the field
| explored. The mean aggregate thickness of the
workable coal of good quality, imbedded 10 most of
the highlands of the company, cannot be less than
| twenty five feet; at some points it is more.
| In order that a clear view may be obtained of
the position and extent of these coal strata BEDS
| we have constructed section extending from
jacksonville southwark thirteen mile, through the
company's lands, and along, in the vicinity of,
the railroad. The section will explain itself. The
surveyed route of the railroad is designated by the
dotted line. The general outline of the ridges and
plAteaus each side of the valleys through which
the railroad runs is also indicated. The heavy
| black lines mark the places of the coal-beds. Ii
| will be seen that the uppeTmost beds first appear
about two miles south Of jacksonville, and then
rise gradually, the others, excepting the lowest,
| appearing in succession.
About six miles from jacksonville the strata at,
tain nearly their highest elevation. few miles
furth on they change, and dip gently southwark.
Between twelve and thirteen miles from Madison
vile will be by reference to the section, the
series of strata forming the lands of the company
[ u o is suddenly a
On the south side of the fault another series begins.
This includes a remarkable bed of coal which very
nearly abuts against the middle bed Of the other
series.
Here the report numbers the several coal
beds and speaks of each separate. With the eI-
ception Of the concluding remarks touching the beds
nearest Nashville, omit this branch of it, with
the remark that whilst the mean average thickness
of the coal of good quality is twenty-five feet-n
the single beds it varies from five to eleven feet
10 thickness
South of the fault we have different series oil
rocks abutting against those have been desert
bling. This series includes the thickest and most
remarkable bed of coal found anywhere in the com
pany's lands. Two openings have been made in il
on different sides of the ridge, and not far
from the Bilbo camel coal bank. One of these is
called the pitts" bank, and is now being worked
to some extent by the company for the Hopkins
|
being hauled off thirty and forty miles
This bed affords little more than eleUen feet oil
clear coal, without including the clay partings, oil
which there are several, all, however being en-
braced in a thickness of fourteen feet The Goa
is much like No. 3 in quality It is beautifully sit
uated for mining, being On,the railroad, and very
nearly level with it, yet having sufficient eleva
ton above the branches to permit of easy orainase
From the Pitts bankthe bed extends sou Inward, OIL
the company's lands.
Our especial examinations terminated with the
last bed. Il will be proper, however. to add, (anC
the statement is based wholly upon own obser
vations, that at least excellent bed of coal il
found pervading the companys lands in Christiar
county. Its position is low in the hills, and verJ
convenient for mining. Many openings occur "a
different points in the vicinity of the railroad. Il
many places the coal can be laid bare by stripping
of few feet of earth and shale. Shallow pits, dus
for the sake of few loads of coal, and then de
serted, may be seen at many points. The bed i
from three to fUs feet in thickness, and as to quail
ty, may be highly esteemed. Il may be added
too, that layer of blackboard iron occurs, as
ISOLATED with the coal in least portion OF thi
region. The coal of Christian county is the ueares
to Nashville, the distance being about eighty miles
III. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.
Without designing to convey the impression tina
your lands generally equal to the irst-rate bot
tom-land5 10 the Middle and Southern States, ",
yet feel fully justified 10 stating that portions stu
ated in the valleys, afford large and excellent tim
ber such as beech, maple, white oak, hickory ash
elm, walnut, cOfiee-tree, etc, aud exhibited durnj
: our exploration fine crops of tobacco, probabl
, averaging 1000 pounds to the acre; while the up
lands are excellent second-rate farming land capa
he of producing under good management, so
pounds Of tobacco to the acre, admirably adspte,
for wheat, rye oats and grasses, and doubt, S
suited for stock generally, but particularly FOL
sheep; while there is also a very fair growth of tim
Der, particularly oak, hickory, dogwood, aud ocea
! sionslly, especially in neglected fields, sumacb.
A cosc examination Of the rocks which, by thei
disnegratioD furnish the various soils to sustain
the above products affords a ready clue TO their
{ comparative fertility.
To render this more Ineligible Les us take a
rapid glance at the component parts necessary 70
insure fertility in a soil, aud vice versa.
Plants obtain their nouTishment from the atmos
: phere aud from the water in the SOIL particularly
when their organs animated by heat; il there.
fore becomes important to ascertain What soils bes
absorb and retain these elements and agents. As
a general rule, very sandy soil, although IL readi
~ absorbs heat aud air, does not retain moistur,
long enough for the uourishment of most plants
| particularly ia dry season. Clay, on the contrary
Is too cold for many plants and retains too muct
moisture, particularly in a wet season. Many
plants, however, besides requiring due admixturs
OF these ingredients, demand various alkalies anC
salts, IN small proportions, for their full and con
tnual development; hence the necessity for a rota
ton in crops, in order not TO exhaust the soil al
ways OF tue same Ingredients, aud 10 order TO re.
turn, by the decomposition of the plant. varied
materials 70 the maternal soil
Thus, for instance, the great staple, wheat. fur
nishes by analysis phosphorus acid, lime, magnesia
potash, silica, particularly in the straw as well a
in some iron etc etc. conseouentlv il reouire,