Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-04-10
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE,
sAnOxvfite as "a Commercial Gem
ter.
No. INV.

we propose III UnlS NUMBER 10 give SOME !
facts showing the commercial importance !
of Knoxville.
There are few cities of the size of Knox
vile that are 50 favorably situated. 1t is
geographically considered the natural cen
ter of very large country Astounding In
wealth and having resources of great
variety. If our readers will put map be-
fore them, having upon it the States of
Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Geor-
gia and Tennessee and will follow us i'm our
references to localities they will better APP
preciate and understand the information
we give. Take Knoxville as q center, then,
on your map, and run your eye over the
sections to DC named, and the country ma
turally tributary to us, will be better COM
pretended. Southeastern Kentucky,
Southwestern Virginia, Western North Ca
rolina and a portion of Northeastern Geor-
gia,with all of East Tennessee find their ma
tural commercial center at Knoxville. They
find here the nearest city of respectable
size with which they can communicate by
rail. East of us pa miles at Lynchburg we
find the first rival city. West of us
260 miles by rail, we find Nashville the
nearest city competing with us as COM
mercial rival. South of Us, about the
same distance we find Atlanta the near
est point in that direction at all interfering
with our trade. North of us, Cincinnati
and Louisville are the nearest competing
points. Here, then, we have a country,
about two hundred miles on every side Of
us, that is naturally tributary TO Knox
vile. It is naturally tributary to US, be-
cause it IS comparatively an isolated re-
gion. But one railroad penetrates it and
that comes to Knoxville as its central
point. ..-- .rss.7- ..-1ss-.f
Many of the rivers of this section flow
towards us-floating to our doors the pro-
ducts of many of our richest vallies. The
mountain ranges cut up the country into
valleys, watered by rapid, healthful
streams that add to their healthfulness and
fertility. These valleys trend from the
northeast and southwest and Knoxville
gathers in their products. This vast terri.
tory is a fine agricultural section, and
abounds in coal, iron and other Minerals
It is splendidly timbered and affords fine
grazing fields. 1t is now n growing sec
ton and must soon become vastly more
important. Knoxville is the only city OF
any size in it. Chattanooga and the othe
cities named are on the circle, bound
ing it. This is what gives us on
vast wholesale trade, leading every inlan'
city in the South and this it is that mus
afford the resources upon which Knoxville
must build her future growth. We hav
here the largest wholesale establishment
in the South. There are not half dozel
houses in the United States that have NOR
.commodious and convenient store rooms
1t carries an immense stock of goods AM
its annual sales exceed two millions. w
have large wholesale houses in the drug
hardware, grocery and boot and shoe trade
We have given above the extent of tn
country geographically, to which Knox
Vile lays commercial tribute. Let us loo
at il more in detail. 1t contains popula
ton of over 100000. 1t representsQfft
and more counties and millions of bushel
of produce. 1t has tributary to it a sectio
worth over 5000, OOO, 600. ItiGoeimated tina
over half a million busiest Fl99sP, wheo
and oats come TO ISlsoxvill&CilGns m. va
ieys of the HoIston, Fref,$i'7s Sesl.idt an
Nolachucly gfFers. Someof'fhis produc
is reshipped here by rail s6ine -. hand
led by our commission merchants, some
ground up into flour andf some floats o
down into the Tennessee TO the market
of the South. If capital and enterprise 5
willed it, every bushel Of il would stop {
our wharf. Just north OF Knoxville, fort
and less miles, are immense fields Of Goa
Some dozen and more banks are no
worked and the coalis the CHOICEST foun
in the Southern markets. ~
The fertile 1elds, rich valleys and ine'
haustble mihes Of these fifty counties, the
are the Fsources that make Knoxville
.commsfeial center already of high ranl
They constitute section that we con-
dentlybelieve will yet make it one Of Il
very wealthiest and most prosperous il
land cities of the South.
$50 We have referred to these facts to give o.
Northern readers some definite inform
ton about our growing young city and
enable them to appreciate the field it II
before it. This same territory in the nor
would have twenty cities the size of Kno
vile, for such large territory can hard
be found there, so isolated and bound
natural restrictions to the trade of o
city