Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-04-30

not see why it should not prove a mine of
wealth TO its owners as we certainly hone
IL may. For time the only route for get
ting the iron to market will be bv horse
railroad to Emory river. Congress will
improve the Emory and Clinch and Ten
nessee rivers SO that they can have navi-
CATION most of the year. 1t is probable too
that before two years the Cincinnati road
VIII pass within hundred wards of their
works. '"'''
The work Of constructing this large fur
mace has been pressed with remarkable
success as we have before stated. The prac-
tlcal furnace manager is Mai. Tom Shelow.
whose brother serves in the same position
at lockwood. Mr.. K. b. Cole. formerly
with Gen. Wilder, is draughtsman and Is
considered III every respect a superior man
III his line. When at Qakdale we were
told that the furnace would be comnIete in
July. 1t would be grand achievement if
1t should be, but we would not be surprised
TO wait longer. The work already done
makes IL possible, but few such enterprises
nave ever been put through that fast. Thev
have been benefited largely by the expc-
renee of Gen. Wilder and associates at
lockwood and have made the most of il as
their success this far shows, but even with
this they should not expect to accomplish
too much h.a. l.-'00. - = 4 80
Not only for its iron and coal is Oakdale
famous. 1t is eligibly situated and can be
made beau tiful town. 1t has black and
white sulphur springs side by side and
timber abundant. 1t is already busting
little village, the center of quite a trade
with bright promise before it.
Ihe officers of the Oakdale Iron Conn
pany are f. A. Whiting, President: w.
II. Blake, Vice Pres; E, H. Potter, Super
lntendent; j. 7. Potter, Sec'y and Treas
urer and A. Allen, agent all of whom seem
to be unusually Jealous and efficient zen
temen, ambitious to see the enterprise
speedily successful
Inc value OF such an industry can only
be fully appreciated by those who have
seen the transformation they have brought
about; Oakdale, from having been almost
wilderness, is now the site of q growing
enterprise and a busy village. Over one
hundred and fifty men find regular en-
ployment and good wages. The farmers
Tor miles about findba ready market at their
doors Tor their produce. The furnace when
IN tull blast will. turn out forty tons of
metal per day, worth, say sixteen
hundred dollars. This is SO much money
literally dug. out of the barren sides of
Walden's ridge. The gentlemen who are
officers of the company have brought their
families from the comforts and convent
ences or eastern homes to the hastily con-
structed temporary habitations built ont of
tlmber that few months ago was grow
ing trees under which the red man half a
century ago swung his hammock. They
have come to East Tennessee for home
ana have shown their faith in the
new enterprise by giving to it not
only their capital, but the energy, time
and zeal of their best years. Our people
should extend to them, as we are glad to
say they have done, a cordial welcome and
practical encouragement. When we can
boast OF half dozen such enterprises in
each county, expending as the Oakdale
company has, 100000, then will we real
lze the dreams we have so long Cherished
Then will East Tennessee be what her coal
and iron make it possible for her to be, the
center of the grandest industrial enter |
prises of the nation.