Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1870-03-03
From East Tennessee.
For the GallipOlis Journal
KNoxvILLE, Tenn. 4
Feb. 1s, 1870. &

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to hear something from this part OF
the country, | will give you few
facts collected by personal expert
ence in East Tennessee. I came
down here in the fall of 1867, and
found the country in dilapidated
condition; the effects of the war,
East Tennessee, and especially
Knoxville, being, Gas your readers
are we'll aware) the scene of con-
lict of the eontending armies.
Towns, farm houses, barns and fen
ces, have been destroyed, and fields
laid waste, but a great spirit of i'm
provement has since taken place.
Knoxville has more than doubled its
population in the last three years.
1t is now city of about Is, 1000 in
habitants, and still growing rapid
ly. Many persons from the North
ern States have settled here perma-
nently, and others are continually
coming. Although the manufactur-
ing interest of Knoxville is not, as
yet very considerable-still::it it is in
crcasing. Three foundries are in
operation, a rolling mill, q nail fac
tory, broom factory, carriage facto-
ry, cigar factory, &c. This is un-
questionably destined to be manu-
featuring city ofimportance. Water
power is abundant, and inexhausti
bic coal fields are easily accessible
by railroad within 30 miles. One
line Of railroad, already completed,
opens up communication on the east
with Virginia and all the Atlantic
seaboard; and on the south with
Georgia and the southwest. The
Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad,
now under process of construction,
intersects the great Cumberland
coalfields, and will, when completed,
connect directly with Cincinnati.
This road is now finished to the
Cumberland Mountains, a distance
of 40 miles, and supplies the coun-
try with immense quantities of coal.
The Knoxville and Charleston Rail-
road is now open about 90 miles,
and is expected to be completed in
less than two years. This connects
with the Knoxville and Kentucky
Railroad, which will complete COM
munication between Cincinnati and
Charleston, and connects by ocean
steamers with the West Indies,
whose trade with many of the great
Northern cities, will then as nat
ural consequence pass over this line
of railroad, it being the most direct
route. The country is rich in min
erals. Iron is found in nearly every
county, some of the richest mines
have never yet been fairly opened.
Marble of superior quality is
quarries have been open
ed within a few miles of Knoxville,
and blocks of the stone shipped to
the Eastern markets. A fine vein
of a beautifully variegated charac-
ter, suitable for furniture and orna-
mental purposes, has recently been
within 4 miles of the
city, on the Knoxville and Kentucky
railroad. Zinc mines have been sue
cessfully worked by Northern capi
talists in the vicinity of Messy |
creek, on the East Tennessee and
Virginia railroad. Copper is abun-
dant in lower East Tennessee. Lead
is also found though not 80 abun-
dainty.
This country is more suitable for
stock raising than for agricultural
products. However, in the vallies
and along the rivers and numerous
creeks, there is land of great fertili-
ty. Good land with improvements
can be bought within 3 or 4 miles of
Knoxville, for from $50 to $75 per
acre; within 10 miles, from $40 to
$50. Mountain land sells for from
25 cents to So per acre. The eli
mate is very salubrious, clear crystal
springs burst from every hill, and
almost every farm, however small,
is supplied with running water. We
would advise no physician to immi-
CRATE to this country if he expects
10 realize q fortune from the prac-
.ie Of his profession. Funerals are
rare phenomena. The winters are
mild, and for the most part pleasant.
Snow rarely falls to any depth in
he vallies. A room without fire has
,een comfortable during several
lays of this month, (Feb.) On the
,ther hand the summers are not
acted for oppressive heat, mountain
oreezes equalize the temperature of
he low lands. We are seldom sub
ected to great extremes of either
neat or cold. am sorry to say that
he cause of education in Tennessee
s in Q languishing condition. The
Free School system Gust like the
ohio system) which had seel in
by the Republican Legis-