Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-10
Nashville.

The South, a paper published in New
York, devoted to Southern Interests, has
this to say about our city:
Nashville is the chief city of the Middle
Division, and the capital or seat of State
Government. 1t is located on the south
hank of he Cumbe land river, and upon
suecessi0,; Of limestone hills, the principal
and highest of which, and about the centre
of the City, is cloWned with the capitol
building.
Nashville is located in the very center Of
a most magnificent agricultural district,
embracing many of the WeslGhiest counties
of the State, which began, previous to the
war, to give manifest evidences Of much
higher style of culture than is usually de-
voted TO Southern lands. The city is one
among the oldest in The State, and num-
bers, at present, population Of about 40
900, and among these a large class of the
most elegant and refined, giving tone to
the high order of society which has ever
been characteristic of Nashville.
Nashville has given two Presidents to the
United States-the first, Gen. Andrew
Jackson, whose name and renown are sim
ply world wide, both as soldier and as
statesman. The other-James K. Polk,
whose administration as Chief of the Fed
eral Government has rarely been equaed,
and certainly not since eXeelled, for its lib
erality and wisdom.
The mercantile branches are largely and
most creditably represented, and have been
most successfully prosecuted, not only TO
meet the demands of : local and retail
trade, but also in wholesale way, through
a large extent Of country in Middle and
East Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
Nashville, under the old regime, and pre-
yicus to the var, was the principal banking
centre of the State, being the location Of
the mother banking institutions, with their
branches scattered throughout the State.
Since the abolition Of the State banks and
the introduction here and general preva-
lence as elsewhere in the United States of
the National banking system, Nashville
possesses privileges of this character equal
to those enjoyed By other large cities. Her
educational facilities are equal to any in the
State, Nashville having long been the seat
Of learning for large extent Of country.
The principal portion Of the city is con-
structed on 3 ridge, the highest point of
which is about 106 feet above low water
mark. Owing to its location it is the resort
of numbers from the lower country during
the heat of summer. The Capitol may be
considered one Of the finest edifces ON the
continent. 1t is an elegant and imposing
structure, and covers an eminence which
rises to the height of 127 feet above the
river. 1t is bnilt of fine fossilated
limestone, much like marble, which
was quarried on the spot. Many Of
the blocks weigh ten tons each. Its demen-
sions are 270 by 140 feet. Its architecture
is Grecian, consis ing ola Doric basement,
and supporting on its four fronts Ionic por-
ticoes, modelled after those ofthe Erectheum
at Athens. In the centre Of the building is
a tower so feet high. All the materials
used in the construction o. the capitol were
furnished by the State. The Lunatic Asy-
lum, penitentiary, the city hall, and the
University of Nashville are each worthy
visit.
The dwellings and busin So houses pre-
sent many attractive features Of elegance
and comfort, and Of recent years, quite
new spirit of architectural Improvement
seems TO have been awakened both in the
renovation of the old, and the erection of
new structures, expressly about the main
centre of business, and many Of the resi-
dent thoroughfares Of the city and lis su-
burbs,
Considerable four, leather, iron-castings,
paper, cotton yarns and Sheettn are man
ufactuTed at Nashville. The Cumberland
river affords navigation to the border of
East Tennessee, and to the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi rivers in the North and West.