Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-02-06
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE.
The Soil, Minerals, Timber and
Society Of McNIinn County.
NO. LNI.

EdSI tennessee ArIlcleS, WeprOpOSe tOSlFe
our Northern readers reliable facts about
the various counties in East Tennessee.
We have been furnished several such az
ticles and will publish them in the order
received
The following admirable article about
McNIinn county we are sure will receive
the attention it deserves. Athens, the
county seat of McNTinn, lies OH the rail
road connecting Knoxville and Chat
tanooga, tifty-siX miles west of this city.
EDITORS CHRONICLE: Not remember
ing to have noticed any special mention OF
McMinn county in the interesting series
of articles descriptive Of East Tennessee,
written with a view to encourage imml-
grafton i'll this direction, ask permission
TO write, through the columns of your
widely circulated paper, the attention of
immigrants TO the fertile lands and pleas
ant pathways of McMinn, one of the best
counties in the State whatever be the
standpoint from which il is regarded.
There is probably no other county in the
State of Tennessee that possesses a greater
diversity Of soil, a more salubriOus climate,
or q more abundant variety of valuable
timber. We have the mountain, the val
ley and the undulating plain. Our hills
are well adapted to sheep raising, to which
branch of husbandry but little attention
has, as yet, been given by our people. Our
creek bottoms will, with proper cultiva-
ton, yield from fifty to sixty bushels of
corn per acre. Our best uplands produce
from twelve to thirty bushels of wheat.
Tobacco has been recently CultiValated
with success. Cotton has also been grown
to some extent, but is probably not so re-
numerative crop as the cereals. There
are some excellent meadow lands in this
county. All the grapes do well i'll some
parts of McAIinn. There is fine speci-
men of bluegrass at the county seat, in
the court house square which has continued
green through the winter. Timothy,
herd5-grass and orchard grass are chiefly
sown for hay. Glover of late years has
received attention and seems to be well
adapted to our soil and climate-producing
luXurant crops upon the oldest fields and
greatly improving the, productiveness of
the land If not graZed too early or close
Our Water-pOwer, of which but little use
has been made is, perhaps, unsurpassed by
that of any county i'll the State. There is
now some talk regarding the erection of
factory for the fabrication ofwoolen goods,
such asflannels, blankets, Jeans, Sc. which
if engaged in, will, no doubt, amply re-
compense those who establish the business
and greatly benefit the community, if OH a
scale commensurate with the minds of this
section of the country.
There are already two cotton manufac-
tories IN the county for spinning thread.
There is room for dozen more and water
power sufficient to drive the machinery of
Lowell Our mineral resources are yet
but partially developed; but sufficiently
tested to satisfy Us that our hills abound in
~ =
exist i'll quantities sufficient to glut the
markets Of the world. 1t is of excellent
quality. Porcelain clay of unrivaled white
ness has been discovered and to some eX-
tent worked. AS a general thing, the sub
soil is of penuginOuS clay with a surface
layer of vegetable mould and animal de-
briS, from one to three feet in depth,
where the land has not been worn by bad
tillage. The timber consists chiefly of the
different varieties of oak, hickory, walnut,
poplar, chestnut, wild cherry, pine, both
white and yellew of which there are gil
gantic specimens. There is in our forests
sufficient building material to supply the
wants of Chicago during the'ensuing sum
mer, if available.
Athens, the county seat, situated near
the center of the county, on the line of
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
Railroad, contains population of about
one thousand inhabitants, noted for their
culture. As you are aware the East Tell
neosee Wesleyan University is here lOcat-
ed, over which the erudite DR.. y. Z. Cob
leigh presides, assisted by a competent
corps of professors. This institution,
though recently established, has already
an enviable reputation, and for the facili-
ties afforded the students, is without a RI
val in the middle tier of States
IGThn I c1ioSt Iop1o 10
under the management of the accomplish
ed Mrs. Sullins, is also located i'll Athens.
There are III the town other, primary.
schools. The large brick edifice, situated
on the summit of one of the seven hills of
Athens, is occupied by the classical school
of Professor VIM. White. The prepare
tory school of Miss L. A. Bridges is de-
of special notice for the thorough
ness of instruction and the home-like in
fluences surrounding her pupils. There
are three church edifices in Athens. Pres
byterian, Methodist and Episcopalian.
The BaptiStS and Cumberland Presby-
terians occasionally "hold meeting" in
town, and these sectS each include in their
church membership several of our promi-
nent citizens.
Athens has at the p resent time but one
the Post, edited by the genial
and talented S. ?. WINS, who, barring
his politics, hasn't peer in the State.
courtesy, excepting the CHRoN1-
Gle, the Post is universally conceded to be
the best paper this side of Boston (?) In
addition to the town of Athens, McNinn
county contains the new and fourishing
villages of Riceville and Mouse Greek, |
BOTH like Athens, situated OH the line of
railroad which traverses the county from
east to west. Indeed, the railroad passes
through Riceville and Mouse Creek, while |
Athens maintains a digufed position to
the south, almost out of sight and hearing
OF the noise and confusion attending travel
ana commerce, which is chiefly concen- |
trated about the depot where freights are
received and tickets sold by the urbane r.
NJ. Fisher, and guests who choose to avail
themselves of the ample accommodations
of the Bridges House luXuriously provided
for by the genial proprietors or if they
prefer to be entertained at one of the sew
eral hotels in Athens, proper, they will al
ways find Mr.. Crows hacks in readiness
L. h,rr,