The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1867-11-01
East Tennessee.

We give below the address OF Mr., BOkum,
delivered before the Irving Literary Society.
Mr., BOkam said, by way Of introduction, that
his subject carried his thoughts back to days
long past. When a teacher at Harvard, he
gave a course Of lectures on Germany. Meet
ing Me-. Webster at tina. time, be said to him /,
" Eos are o doing what I would do If / were
In Germany | would talk about my home"
II was Ia thfs case not GesmA0y, however,
hut East Tennessee, bis adopted home, that
Nc, Bokum proposed to speak,
The following Is the address Ia question (:
East Tennesseeis rich in rivers and streams.
The HolsG0n or Tennessee flows through the
centre Of the valley, auxiliary streams flow
down from the Blue Ridge, and breaking
through the various chains Of the AlleEhen-
les-whieh bound East Tennessee in the
east-mingle their waters with the Holston
or Tennessee, while others flow TO the same
river from the west. With s%uclan accunu
lation of force the Tennessee encounters the
Cumberland Mountains near Chattanooga,
breaks through one Of the ridges, aud turns
into the State Of Alabama. Can it be aston
ishing that with such a history of its streams,
East Tennessee should abound in opportuni-
ties for the erection Of MANUFACTURES F.!
Fast Tennessee is rich in mountains anG
valleys, II embraces Il portion Of the ALLIE
ghenies, the valley between that chain and
the Cumberland Mountains, and II portion Of
the latter. 1t has been called the SwitZer-
land Of America. As to Switzerland
these mountains have al elevation, where
the pastures and the game are the principal
wealth Of the mouutaineer, and like Switzer-
land the air Of these mountains is pure and
SalubriOus, but there, in a great measure,
the comparison ceases to hold. While the
SUBMITS Of Switzerland present the spectacle
Of the majestic but d~esolate regions Of eter-
nal ice and snow, where the s]tirri.g scenes
of life give place to the silence of death, the
higher SUBMITS of the Unaka chain are COW
cred with snow only from two to three months
of the year, and many Of its ~treeiess sum
mits are 50 well covered with grass that they
afford pasture for cattle aud sheep almost
the whole year round. The streams Of these
mountains abound in trout, and the immense
forests with n variety Of game. The vast
mineral wealth Of these mountains has been
for many years almost entirely undevcloped,
the sounds of the few FORCES which were At
work being but as L faint voice inviting those
who heard to come and take possession of
the mineral wealth but n better day has
come, and enterprises on an extensive scale
are now set on foot in many pats oil East
Tennessee.
Protected BY the high mountain chains in
the East from the hot, sultry winds of the
South, and by the Cumberland mountains
from the raw, piercing prairie Winds of the
Northwest, and elevated 900 feet above the
ocean, the valley OF East Tennessee is favor
ed with a calm, and habitually transparent
atmosphere the winters are short, but sufii-
GENTLY cold to invigorate the system. The
INNER are remarkable for the cooling
breezes which spring up there at the time OF
the greatest heat the nights admit of re-
freshing sleep, aud the autumns are magnif-
cent and often extend to the middle Of De-
cember.
The many streams which flow into the
Holston or Tennessee aud irrigate the land,
has given the valley of East Tennessee i high
reputation for its breadstufs and its live
stock, its orchards bear an abundance Of
fruit, and perennial springs exist to such an
extent that hardly II farm OF any considcra-
BILE extent can be found that has not one or
more Of them. OF whatever losses, during
the late contest, the cOntending armies might
make light, they never made light of the loss
Of East Tennessee. Its wealth in grain, in
cattle and in hogs, not less than its mineral
resources were highly appreciated on either
side, and C~hicamauga, Missionary Ridge,
Lookout Mountain, the assaults of Long
street on Knoxville and the sturdy defence of
Burnside, evidently proved how highly they
are esteemed.
The abolition ofslavery has parNlizcd East
Tennessee less than those portions Of the
State where slavery formed the basis Of their
wealth its late history has filled it with
.a.E -. = aLz 80. 49, NJ
shows therefore, a recupera.ive power equal
ed but by a few portions of the Southern
States. AT DuCktown, in Polk county, the
working of the copper mines ia carried on
with increasing success. The mineral wealth
OF Greene county is being developed by
wealthy and influential companies. The zinc
Of Jefferson county in y few years will en-
plOy thousands OF miners, workmen ald far
mers, and the steam whistle of the cars of
the Kentucky Railroad, welcome though not |
musical, is waking up the valleys and the
people Of Anderson county, and tells them
of the VRst blocks Of coal so long hidden in
the Cumberland mountains, and now made
accessible to a remuneratiye market.
The city of Knoxville also presented A
striking proof Of the general progress which
the people OF East Tennessee are making, and
which it partly ow es to the peculiar advan-
taees of its situation. In the language OF an
able writer: "Whether viewed as the centre
of n rich agricultural region Astounding in
all the great minerals, except gold, aud there
fore adapted to manufactures OF as being
At the intersection Of two lines of railroads,
one connecting the Atlantic coast with tue
Northern lakes, and the other New York with
New Orleans-or geographically as the pre-
centre Of East Tennessee-or as the
centre of a region the circumference of which
extends from Lexington to louisville, Nash
1ille, Atlanta, Charlotte and Lyncbburg her
s n commanding one. With regard
% the trade which will dow Southwark from
Upper Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky,
md Westward from North Carolina By way
# the French Broad r.. r, as well a. North
yard BY the East Tennessee and Georgia r.
T., Knoxville is the Rrst important town this I
Interior or domestic trade will strike; here
he merchandise will he sold and distributed, ,
nd here the producer and farmer will fnd
lis market and therefore best market. &
The nearness Of Knoxville to the Gotten re-
ion adds also greatly TO its iuiportance.- 9
region must be supplied from abroad
nth most Of the articles manufactured from
ION call TO mind the agricultural products y
q IL .