Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-10

a correspondent of the New York Tri-
bune who has evidently sheen there" Is
giving the New Workers some idea of our
natural wealth. In letter from Chatta-
nooga, he describes the ''shanty city as
viewed through Northern eyes, and then
refers to the Chattanooga section as fol-
lows:
fsThis section is not one for a drone; the
soil gives forth its product only TO careful
industry, the rivers are not largely stocked
with fish, or the woods with game; but all
around are those elements which make a
nation great by the exercise of muscle and
brain. Within the very limits of the city
runs the great belt of fossiliferous iron ore:
standing on bill within those limits, one
can for miles view the points of Out-crop of
inexhaustible aud easily-worked veins of
coal. On two sides it is bounded by q river
which pierces far up into a section con-
tanning agricultural and mineral wealth
unequaled by any equivalent portion
of country in the world; one arm shoots far
eastward into the geological formation Of
North CarCiins, with the ores of copper and
iron peculiar thereto; another touches the
very edge Of the Kentucky blue grass lands,
and lies within view of vast lodges scanned
in a dozen places with every character Of
coal, capped by that wonderful vein of fos-
siliferous iron ore whichruns from the Hud
son TO the Alabama; while in the centre
the main stem pierces far up among the
grassy hills and rich valleys Of Southwestern
Virginia, bringing down on its waters the
story of the vast deposits Of irOn coal, lead
and zinc, all along its course; of the beau
tod iS Ia aIy
ration of the world; and the less than half
used mineral waters that are so rich that
they struggle to keep their salts in solution.
''Such IS the country which nature has
made tributary TO Chattanooga. With
proper facilities and enterprises all this
wealth must come to her and be distributed
South, Southwest, West and Northwest.
That the raw material brought here should
be worked up and thus sent on, is the order
which nature intended, but lack Of energy
and capital has heretofore made the place a
station, not a depot. In some matters, a
change has already come two rolling-mills
and three iron fOundeTies, several wood
working establishments and car-shops, make
employment for numerous mechanics; and,
as capital aggregates, so the site Of these
works at this place, as well as its superior
location, will cause others to be erected.
The United States Government were not
slow to recognize the value of this site, and
here built one of the best appointed rail-
mills in this country, designed and built by
Fritz, and afterward bought by Cooper,
Hewett & Co."
The correspondent then proceeds TO give
minute description of the various iron
works in the city and concludes as follows:
chattanooga presents other points of in
terest besides its mills. Leaving out OF
view the battle-fields, there is the place
where the Tennessee forces its way through
the mountains, at once picturesque and
grand. It is called "The Suck" and is
eight miles from the city. In the river
banks are several vesns Of coal. On the
Lookout Mountain are Lulu Lake and the
Falls; eighteen miles up the Nashville road
is Nickajack Cave, less known, but said to be
far more beautiful taan the Mammoth Cave.
Then on Lookout there are several caves OF
mile or more iulength. In the city itself
rises Cameron Hill, which affords an ex-
cellent view of the surrounding country.
Then there are other hills, all dotted with
residences butt in a Northern style of COM
fort and elegance; others, too, are rapidly
building. 4 most unfortunate selection OF
a postoffice has been made, full mile from
the business center of the place, for what
good reason no one knows. A petition TO
the Department, almost unanimously sign
ed, was treated with Indifference.
The city received somewhat of a check
to its growth in the stoppage of the Alaba-
ma and Chattanooga Railroad trains six
months ago, but now hope revives, as these
trains daily 20 out and return. Still, un-
certainty hangs over its affairs, and Chatta-
nooga hardly knows whether the future is
10 breed i'll or good.'s