Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-09-30

Letter from Gen. wilder East Ten.
nesses Leads the world An Coal
and Ores.

Letter from Gen. wiIder-EaHt Ten.
nesses Leads the world An Coal
and Ores.
From the Kingston News.
VieNNA, August TO- - Having hall
promised you letter from this place, |
feel that now Is the time TO write Il, for
now | have an opportunity 10 cougratu-
late the county OF Roane, not only upon
having the best exhibition Of coal and
iron ore here at the Great Fair, but that
fact has been advertised for us 10 the
whole world in the manner to do us the
most good. Aud this Is the way il care
about: Captain ]. T. Harris, Of Rock
wood, got out lump Of coal weighing
thirty.fve hundred pounds, others pro-
cured large aud fine specimens OF iron
ore. coal and zinc ore, and Genera Hol-
man, OF Knoxville, sent some beautiful
specimens OF marble - making In all
about twenty tons OF finest specimens OF
the abundant mineral wealth that lies
but half hid in almost every hill in East
Tennessee, sent not by any individual or
firm to advertise their business, but by
public spirited citizens DESTROYS of pub.
fishing 10 the world the great undeyel'
oped wealth OF our section Of the State.
Neither all Europe nor America fur
nished piece Of coal so large or ores so
fine and various for the Great Exposition
as did East Tennessee, five thousand
miles away.
Will your readers appreciate the i'm
portance of this result to East Tennes-
see? Already have been besieged with
inquiries about our coal and iron re-
sources, not by Europeans alone, but by
many Americans, and all seem aston
ished at the facts | have been able TO
furnish them. East Tennessee, in my
opinion, must soon feel most sensibly,
by investments of capital aud develop
ment of her resources, the great value
of this public and prominent recognition
of her mineral wealth.
/ have shipped part of our iron ores
10 England to have them tested for the
production of steel direct from the ores.
DR.. Siemens, the inventor of the process,
thinks them admirably suited TO this end,
and volunteered their trial in his works.
II his supposition is correct, look out
for some more manufacturing establish
ments in old Roane. | am distributing |
numerous samples Of Tennessee ores
and coal to manufacturing and scientific
establishments.
The articles were shipped TO Vienna,
via Bremen. was uRavoidably Getain-
cd in America, but supposed our Gov
ernment had some person whose duty 1t
was to look after such articles and place
them on exhibition. This was mistake,
however, and as / am plain speaking
man, and try to give credit where 1t is
due, wish you to say that we are IN
debted TO our Representative in Con-
gress, Colonel J. NJ. Thornburg, for
having taken the highest medal
awarded for this class OF articles at the |
Exposition. Colonel Thornburg, finding
that no one on the part Of the Govern
ment was doing anything to exhibit our
specimens, and knowing that the Juors
were examining things of this class,
went to work with his characteristic tact
and energy, got the minerals from Bre.
men, assumed the freight bills and
charges, put men to work, and put |
everything on exhibition in first rate |
style, and by his PERSISTENT personal
attention got the jury to go back and
examine our exhibit, amend their report, |
and give to Tennessee the highest award.
Tell our people to wake up and get
ready for the great Exhibition at Phila-
delphia in 1876. Let Roane county put |
up there pyramid of coal 100 feet high |
from a solid veinl Like the Egyptian
pyramid, it will be the only one in the
whole world, and will excite as much |
wonder. If we expect the world to
recognize and develop our resources, we
must first make known what we have
and what can be made out of it.
i It WILDER