Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-05-17
FiCTs ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE.
Our Agricultural Advantages.


plainly that the mass of people looking TO
East Tennessee for homes, would be in
terested in knowing something of our
towns and cities and the vast agricultural
interests upon which they depend. East
Tennessee is known far and wide as
healthful region, principally dependent
upon its mineral wealth and manufactur-
ing interests to be founded thereon, for its
growth and prosperity. We do not get |
credit for our desirable farming lands, for |
our rich valleys, we'll watered and con-
stantly enriched from the overflow of riv- |
ers and creeks, for knobs and ridges pecu- |
liarly fitted for the cultivation of fruit and |
the vineyard. All these advantages are
overlooked and people who come here to |
look after our iron and coal, zine, copper !
and marble, are thoroughly surprised at
our splendid agricultural interests, well
advanced and constantly multiplying. |
Now, while we do not wish to be under
stood as undertaking. our mineral wealth
or the vast interest it will one day create,
we do wish to be understood as putting
forward earnestly and sincerely, our ad-
vantages as stock, fruit and grain coun-
try We believe one of the greatest needs
of this section just now is a larger and
more active farming class We can not
for the present hope for that development
of our industrial interests which is neces-
sary to give us the population and wealth
we need, for we can not give to manufac-
turers those facilities for transporta-
ton which are the first great essential
to sustain manufacturing communities.
Cheap freights will build up vast industrial
enterprises here but until we can offer this
lower than at present our mines of ore and
coal will lie idle, save as they are needed
to carry on the establishments already in
operation. When we say this we do not
desire to be understood as saying that we
have any higher freights than other points
similarly situated, but simply as meaning
that when the cross railroads from Cincin-
natl and Charleston and our river naviga-
ton is improved we shall then be able to
offer such unusually Io,O frei0hts that it will
give us advantages very few interior places
enjoy. But even with these advantages a
populous, industrious and rich agricultural
region will only add to and aid us in build
ing up these other interests.
Our present aim is, therefore, to remove
this impression that we are not an agricul-
tural region, and, on the contrary, urge
upon our readers everywhere the fact that
though not blessed with the rich virgin
soils of some of the Western States, we
have yet in our milder climate many ad
vantages that money cannot there afforc
and that in the course of time make up al
the deficiencies in our soil, as they viii
now find it. We cannot offer fine lands a
one and two dollars per acre, but we car
offer very fair lands in the center of ole
established communities, near good profit
able markets, in climate where one-hal
the farmers profits are not needed to pro
tect his family or stock from the
inclemencies of six or fou
months winter, ut very reasonable
prices ranging from five to fifty and one
hundred dollars per acre. We do not fl
the quality and price of our lands as tn,
sole standard for comparing East Tennes
see with the Western States. We know
lands can be bought cheap there, but al
things taken in consideration we offer ad
vantages well worth the serious attention
of every farmer. We have frequentl
presented some of these considerations
but, as we are daily gaining new reader
and as good points bear repetition we fec
like again calling attention to them. w
claim that our short and mild winters, OF
ten not extending over four weeks, give {
farmers advantages for outdoor work fC
raising stock worth to them several hun
dred dollars annually. This is consider
alton relating not only to the pocket, bu
TO the heath and comfort of the famil
and one which is daily bringing as some
the best citizens ever settling in any negl
borhood People do not now look to ric
lands alone rs the basis for successful farm
ing, for poor lands on good sub-soil ca
by labor and fertilizers be easily made ric
enough for all practical purposes. If the
poorer lands can be found in a china
naturally healthful where water, china
and good market-advantages, money cal
not add to the good soil in the frozen rel
ion of the far North-are at hand, the
the balance in favor of this section. Add
all these advantages perfect tranquility al
protection to life and property everywhe
to be found in East Tennessee, and we
not see why we should not have our d
proportion of immigration from that lar
class of people now looking for health al
comfort in tilling lands, in climate Fl
from all the aches and fatal diseases whi
the busy life and cold winters of Ne
England and the Northwest inevitah
entail we invite this class to come duri
these months, when they imagine
roasting under the scorching Southe
skies, and see for themselves our vale
green and fresh from the dews of SUNNI
morning; our hills thickly shaded wi
fruit and forest trees our clear, sparkli
streams experience, too, our cool nigh
freshened with never-failing breezes, a
enjoy themselves in our watering plac
built in cool coves and quiet retreats W
heathful mineral waters, and be persu;
ed by their own eyes and ears that we c
offer them pleasant homes, good farr
and perfect protection.
We shall I'm our next have something
say of our towns and cities.
e->-S
George ID. Prentice is buried in G,