Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-01-31
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE,
What a Northern Editor Says
About Our Country.
No. I.VI,

and favorable report Oh inc mhily attrac-
lions of East Tennessee, that we reproduce
it in full. We ask our thousands of North
ern readers to look over it carefully, for it
comes from one wholly disinterested and
impartial and confirms in every respect
many statements we have heretofore
made. We ere indebted to Mr.. Smith for
a copy of the article, for which we return
our thanks. ..
Passing through the country he has
been misinformed as to the size of our
rivers. They are not navigable TO quite
the extent stated
EAST TENNESSEE.
Passing southwark from the line of Nir-
pinia into Eastern Tennessee on the last
Saturday in November, we saw many evil
.dences that icy winter had not assumed his
rigorous reign. Many of the forest trees
still retained their leaves. The hickorys
Haunted in robes of flaming yellow, and
some of the oaks still wore garments of
sober hues. Clover grew luXuriantly in
protected spots, the briars and brambles
. that skirted the fence rows bore green
leaves, and we saw gardens of roses in full
bloom at Rogersvillc, the county scat of
Hawkins county. The last Saturday and
Sunday of November were decidedly warm
with us, and the atmosphere was as pleas
ant as it is in May. On Sunday we sat in
church with the doors wide open and lis
tened with a spirit in accord with the bright
weather to an admirable discourse, de-
livered by Presbyterian preacher, who
had served as a Captain in the Confederate
army at the breaking out of the war, and
afterward as Chaplain to his regiment.
If we are to judge from all we have heard,
read and seen, the most pleasant and health
full climate in the United States is to be
found in the beautiful valleys which are
sheltered by the mountains of Eastern Ten
,nessee. Here spring opens in February.
March may bring with it clustering winds
and some chilly days, but April is as soft
and balmy as a poets conception of a May
day.
The summers are long and delightful the
Thermometer rarel y rising to W degrees
during the warmest days, and the nights
being deliciously cool. Autumn frequent
Iy fingers until November is past. We saw
twenty varieties of roses blooming in an
open garden on the Sunday which preced-
ed the income of December Think OF
the delights to be experienced during such
an autumn; call up in imagination the
cloudless days full of golden sunshine and
the peerless nights when the moon looks
its loveliest through warm haze, and the
stars seem TO radiate heat enough to melt
each frost flake as fast as it forms in the
night air which cOols your blood but does
not chill your frame. There is snow during
the winter, BUTT seldom lies for any length
of time: there are cold rains, but they are
speedily followed by bright days, in which
an overcoat is an incumbrance,and during
which outdoor work of every kind can be
prosecuted to advantage. This section has
been STYLED the Switzerland of America
and it has enough of the romantic and the
picturesque to entitle 1t to the appellation
Mountains, wooded thickly to their sum
mits, rise in grandeur, and wall in beauti-
full and fertile Valleys through which flow
.1tr fln
streams furnish an amount of water-powel
not surpassed in extent or availability
The hills are full of iron, copper, coal, zinc
and lead, while the finest marble and the
most enduring building stone project above
the surface.
WATER POWER AND HEALTHFCLNESS.
There are thirty-three counties i'll East
ern Tennessee, and it is said that every
one of them has q navigable river running
through il. Within its area are twenty
two navigable streams. OF these the Ten
aessee and Holston are nayigable as far VI
as Knoxville at all seasons of the year
while the Clinch, Hiwassee, Little Ten
nessee, French Broad, Nolaehuckey and
the Holston above Knoxville, are naviga-
ble for steamboats, from four to six months
of the year. The smaller streams are nav
igable for keel and fiat boats during hall
the year. To supply these navigable
streams are innumerable creeks and Tivu
lets, which are formed by springs of COO
and delicious water bursting from
every hillside. 1t is estimated that II ere
is sufficient water-pOwer in this section tC
turn all the machinery in the United
States and Great Britain, and much of il
lies contiguous TO railroads already com
pleted, while other routes which have
been projected with the certainty of being
speedily constructed will traverse the
country in different directions, opening il
up and rapidly advancing the price o.
lands.
The healthfuness of this East Tennes.
see country is unsurpassed. Here you arr
alike removed from the rigor of Northern
Winters and from the eneryating heats Of
Southern Summers. The whole region,
being elevated the air has that delicious
freshness which the Yotaries of fashion
seek in mountain retreats. The streams
being rapid and clear and the slope Of the
land sufficient 10 produce perfect drainage
there are no swamps to produce malarious
diseases. Consumption and rheumatism
the dire plaques of the North and the
bilious diseases which curse the South are
alike uncommon Many physicians pro
nounce the climate of East Tennessee to
he one peculiarly calculated to alleviate the
sufterings ofthe consumptive. With prop
eF care life lasts longer here than in less
favored sections, and the deiiciousness Of
the climate greatly increases its enjoy
meTt. IL may be satisfaction for some
to know that there are MANY fine mineral