Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-24

TENNE-sEE Iron INTEEEsrs-AN Isl
PoRTANT RESTORATION ENTERPRISE
The iron interests Of Tennessee are des-
tined 10 become one Of It's chief sources of
wealth., In the Eastern Division these in.
terests are very great; but in Middle Ten
nessee the development Of mineral values
were the first to be fairly developed and
attract the general attention of iron-dealers
and consumers. Many, if not all, Of our
/ extensive furnaces and mills in Stewart and
Dickson counties were suspended or de.
/ stroyed during the war, and many are still
| inanimate. Several Of the owners have.
with cOmmendable activity and energy,
partially restored their works-but there
are others still silent, the subjects of the
inroads Of time and decay The magnifi-
cent iron estates and works Of the late
Montgomery Bell, who died inst previous
10 the war, are mostly silent and neglected.
One OF his best furnaces, situated in Dick
son county forty miles from this city, cele-
bTated for the quality and quantity of its
products, and known as the "Wh0riev Fur
mace has been recently purchased By an
association Of gentlemen of this city, who
will Immediately put il in order and start it
to going. Mr. Samuel +. Jones, the we'll
know founder Of this city, is at the head Of
the enterprise.
On Friday last party Of a dozen Of our
substantial citizens were furnished a spe-
cial train by the Northwestern railroad
which passes within two miles of this fur
nace-and made an exclusion TO the premi-
ses, and inspected the site, ores, etc, etc
The machinery and woodwork are quite |
dilapidated, while the masonryis in reason |
ably good condition. The furnace is adj |
mirably situated in one Of the richest ore |
fields in the whole country. 1t was con-
stTucted in 1914, and was constantly worked |
for twenty years, and no ore was obtained .
at a greater distance than four hundred |
yards from the furnace. 1t may be run |
quarter or a half century longer and obtain /
full supplies Of ore at no greater distance.
The timber is also abundant and con-
yenient, the COalings of the present COM
pany no; being above quarter Of a mile
from the furnace. The ore is unusually
rich and pure, yielding on an average from
A 10 80 per cent. of pure metal. The
metal is also superior, being soft and com
pact, aud remarkably free from foreign
''''''''''N''' 4 nv AAe'l "a A'NA AtilNNA anu |
scientific irOn-mOngers pronounce these
iron fields as unsurpassed in any portion Of
the country, and assure us that founders
iron can be made at this place for one,
third it can be purchased in the iron mar
kets ofthe Union at the present time
We learn that it is the purpose of Messrs.
Jones d Co., the present proprietors, to run
this furnace in connection with the College
Hill Foundry in this city. The entire
concern will employ between three and
four hundred hands, and dispense in wages
alone nearly four hundred thousand dol
lars per aHnum. This looks, indeed like
building up our city and home Interests
and not only restoring what has been de-
ranged or suspended, but enlarging the
field Of industry and home independence
The party united in hearty thanks to the
and especially to Colonel II. L.
Claiborne, who accompanied them, for the
train which was placed at their disposal for
the day, and which was so admirably con-
Quoted during the trip. They were under
special obligations to Mai. T. for the
generous provisions of both creature and
spiritual comforts, made for their delecta-
ton.