Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-11
TUESDAY, DECEnRER II. IsSs.
TENNESSEE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The wealth Il win Open UF-Importani
and Interesting Faets.


and Interesting Facts.
Editors Of the Union and Dispatch.
/ have read with much interest and IN
struction, the various articles recently pub
lished By Professor DeBow, urging thi
constructing Of The Tennessee and Pacif,
Railroad. In those publications, Their,
were presented, in happily condensed form
a vast amount of valuable information
certainly enough 10 have awakened a lively
concern and 10 have secured liberal sub
scriptions among the property holders and
business men, and cqga-meH, in al the re-
gion through which the projected road
would pass II such an array Of facts such
clear statements and incOntrOyertible argu-
ments as have thus been presented, shall
fail to secure ample subscriptions to a work
Of such evident importance TO our State 2
and especially to Middle Tennessee-it may
be presumptuous for another advocate 10
appear: for the numbers Of Professor Dc
Bow, appear 70 have been really eIhaustiUe
to have presented every point prominently
every interest plainly, and the prospective
resulting advantages admirably and en-
coufagingly.
Being in possession Of some interesting
facts furnished by recent geological ex-
ploration made by our worthy friend, j..
NJ. Stafford, late State Geologist, desire TO
present them 10 the public through your
widely circulated paper, because they tally
we'll with some Of those furnished by Prof
DeBow, but relate 70 territory through
which the contemplated road should pass,
and, because the description of this one To-
cality suitably describes much other terri
tory along this range Of the Cumberland
mountains, and near to these highland
towns.
The tract Of land, Ia body Of about 90
900 acres, belonging chiefly 70 a gentleman
Of Manchester lies in Putnam and Cum
berland counties, south and west Of the old
Walton road, its western '5undary about
ten miles east Of Cookyille
The Walton road runs upon a broad fat
arm Of the Cumberland mountains and d.
vides the waters Of the CaneY Fork from
those Of Obed's river. 1t Is upon the Caney
Fork side, partly upon the fat top Of
the mountain and partly in the deep
valleys Of the head branches Of the stream
last mentioned. The particular tributaries
Of the Caney Fork which have their sources
here are the Calf Killer aud Falling Wa
ter.
The fat top Of the Cumberland noun
tain, or rather table-land, is not far from
1000 feet abovethe sea. LISA well-wOod-
ed, gently rolling surface. To the east
there is a second bench which must be re-
garded az a ridge resting upon the main
surface. Upon this ridge the Crossyille
end Of the Walton road runs
As you approach the limits Of the noun
tain its Cat top generally breaks of sud-
denly into the deep valleys or georges. The
edge Of the mountain is almost always
well defined by great bluff Of eonglome-'
rate or sandstone, which overhangs the
steep slope Of the valley below.
These lands are valuable for the coal
and iron ore they contain, as well ~ for
their timber and agricultural capacity
STONE COAL.
The geological examination shows that
the structure Of the mountain is quite uni-
form. Its strata are wide-spreading and
nearly horizontal. The base Of the noun
tain is everywhere Limestone. Above this
comes a series Of sandstone, conglomerates,
shales and coal. Such is It's structure in
all this region. The same strata, be they
limestone, sandstone or conglomerate, al
ways appear at about the same level.
The facts just above stated deserve to be
generally known, such is the geological
formation Of this range Of mountains. This
is a magnificent and rich setting or frame
work for this extensive region Of level
highlands, inaptly called "Barrens.p
At the base Of the section we have
great mass Of limestone, upon which rests
the oongiOmerates, sandstone, shale5 and
coal. The limestone forms the lower part
Of the mountain-the other rocks the upper
part.
The strata above the limestone constitute
what biologists call the "coul measures" be-
cause the coal beds are included in them
all being taken together as one series or
group The most conspicuous is conglo-
merate No. ], which is the cap-rock of the
mountain. Thh forms The great bluffs
overhanging the valleys.
The upper conglOmerate. mo. q is the
cap-rock Of the second bench, or top Of the
ridges on the mountains.
These conglomerates are good guides to
the c0ul beds, which are generally concealed,
and the c3al seeker must notice them.
Both contain, very generally, small white
quartz pebbles. but not always. They are
called conglomerates because of the pres
ence Of these pebbles-not differing other
wise from sandstones. No. / is usually
about one hundred feet in thickness, though
az some points reduced 70 TWENTY-FIVE and
twenty feet -fa
There are two coal horizons-that is TO
say, two geological leves at which coal
may be found along this range Of NOM
tains-and these are under the two con
glomerates respectively; and it is probable
that third coal horizon may be- discoy-
cred above the limestone.
The lower coal level may he found ex-
tensively over The section OF this survey,
as also generally along the same range Of
mountain, in like position. Excellent
coal is now obtained from bed six feet in
thickness, near Hifisboro, in the range Of
hills within sight Of Manchester in Coffee
county.
Beneath eonglomerate No. there is a
bed Of shale containing the lower coal.
This coal may be seen at many points. and
has been opened AZ several, and Welded
satisfactorily. Mr. Whitaker has one six
feet clear, and superior coal, another eve
feet, each improving as they are worked
into the mountain.
These openings, imperfecily made and
indiherently worked, plainly show, how
ever, that the coal here is Of excellent
quality, and no doubt ineXhapsiible. Near
Pinhook, and At other places, good coal can
be had at points easy Of access.
And from all Of these coal beds the
country is remarkably well adapted for the
construction Of roads to connect with the
McMinnville and Manchester and Nash
vile and Chattanooga railroads-and there
core Of importance TO the city Of Nashville,
rs well a. 10 the small towns along these
roads, The coal obtained from an the
points mentioned, Ia Of good quality being
a solid cubic bitumin0us coal. 1t may be
mentioned that this same coal horizon has
several banks opened init, further down the
valley okthe Calf Killer, in which the coal
isfrom three 10 six feet thick Sparta was
formerly supplied from these banks.
The upper cool korj-on is beneath, Whist is
termed conglomcrate No, >. As below,
this coal is found in a bed Of Of shaia This
shale sometimes fills the whole space be-
tween the two conglomerates Containing
even two beds Of coal. This horizon. in the
section Of land particularly surveyed bv
Professor Stafford, is mainly confined TO the
eastern exposure, in so far as pTesent open
ings exhibit, but further south this bel is
shown in various openings TO be from four
to fiye feet thick, and Of excellent quality.
TIM is in a direction approaching OF tend
ing toward McMinuville and Manchester.
In fact, says Prof Stafford, "this Is one Of
the most productive coal leyelsin the Cum.
berland mountains
The particular localiiv b.
the 6--s ..-' -.,re spoken Of is
80. cooi region which the projected
railroad would reach from Nashville; but
as before remarked, this one spot is bat rel,