Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-07
PUBLIC LEDGER.
once; No. is Madison Street.
MEL IPHISs
saturday Evening. June =, Is73.
wEsrrENNEssEE AND ITS RESOURCES,

The last number OF the South, a week.
journal published in New York and d
voted to the Advancement ofthe materiI
interests Of the South. contains an elal
crate review Of the history, resource
and manufactures Of Tennessee. From
the valuable article We clip many inter
esting paragraphs, containing items o
news and information of deep interest Il
every citizen Of West Tennessee, and o
Memphis especially;
The State Of Tennessee lies between
and l3o west longitude from Washing
ton City; 50 and 900 west from Green.
wich. and between the parallels 30 and
See north latitude. By nature the State
is separated into three grand divisions,
known in the laws thereof, respectively,
as the Eastern, Middle and Western d.
visions. The first is separated from
the second by the mountain chain
known as the Cumberland mountains
The surface is generally billy, into
which are set most delightful, broad and
fertile valleys, whose soil produces
cereals, fruits and every manner Of veg
etable in great abundance and variety.
Its mineral resources are Of a valuable
character, composed Of large and various
deposits Of coal, copper, zinc, iron and
marble. There is no assignable limit to
the mineral wealth contained in the
bosom Of its mountains Its healthfnl-
ness is proverbially of the maximum in
countries of 4 ike character.
West Tennessee lies between the Ten
nessee and Mississippi rivers. It's az
ricultural productions are unsurpassed
in value and importance. Cotton is the
chief, but corn, tobacco and vegetables
are produced in abundance. Its sur
face is mostly level, here and there va
ried with moderate undulations. The
valleys and river bottoms are Of exceed
ing productiveness. The Mississippi
river washes the western boundary, thus
increasing its commercial Importance
and facilities, aiording the opportunity
of building up great commercial city,
which is partially realized in that of
Memphis, in the county Of Shelby, which
receives and forwards annually from
400, 900 to 800, 900 bales Of cotton, valued
at thirty to forty millions of dollars, and
supporting trade in other merchandise
dry goods and groceries-of equal
amount. The plateau of West TenRes-
see is extending from the valley of the
Tennessee to the Mississippi bottom. 1t
is an area elevated about five hundred feet
above the sea level, having light mel
low calcares silicious soil. Part of it is
exceedingly fertile, and yields kindly to
cultivation. 1t is easily worked and re-
quires great care on the part of the cul-
tivator. The streams are sluggish with
wide bottoms, many of them swampy
The northern tier of counties grows a
very rich article of manufacturing to-
bacco, and is a fine wheat and cot
ton growing section. The Mississippi |
bottoms include the whole of Lake |
county, the western parts of Dyer and |
Lauderdale and uncomfortable portions
of Upton and Shelby. Asa whole, the
valley narrows from its northern limit
to Memphis, and at two points, Randolph
and Fulton, the bluffs run to the Missis-
sippi, or rather the river bends, throwing
all the bottom on the Arkansas side.
The soil is light, loamy alluvlum, and
rivals in fertility the delta Of the Nile
or Ganges. Corn and cotton are grown
year after year, upon the same land
without any apparent diminution of its
fertility. These bottoms range in price
from ten to sixty dollars, according to
improvement and situation. The grape
in all the wild varieties is found in all
the forests and on the fences of nearly
every farm, and in most beautiful fes-
toons from the branches and tops of the
trees bordering the creeks and rivers.
At the hands of experienced cultiyators
and winters, the southern counties Of
West Tennessee-Shelby, Fayette, Bell,
and Hardeman-would form a region
equal to the fer-famed viDelands of Ger
many and France.
Memphis is situated on the east bank
of the Mississippi river on the high bluffs
known as the Chickasaw," being, by
river, distant from St. Louis five hun
dred miles, and eight hundred miles ,
from New Orleans, or within twelve ,
hours of the former aud twenty hours of /,
the latter by railways now in operation.
Memphis now numbers a population of I
nearly sixty thousand, and this rapidly l
and steadily increasing year by year, by
an influx from all quarters Of the Union,
as well as from European countries
Memphis may be termed a cotton city,
this being the chief product of the sur
rounding country, and the only one as {
the basis of her commerce and the gem r
eral business created thereby; notwith-
standing her unsurpassed advantages of !
and other facilities for :
the abundant and cheap acquisition of s
coal and iron, from the fields Of Tennes.
see. Alabama and Arkansas; and timber 9
Of finest quality-oak, ash, cypress, wal.
nut, poplar, chestnut and maple; hides, I
wool, cane, cotton, hemp, hops broom C
corn, straw, barks, herbs, clay, r
sand, etc, from any and all direc-
ions The exports Of cotton from
Memphis, annually, amount 10 the
sum OF $40, 600 600 which, with
he aid OF cotton mills FOR its conversion
nto fabrics Of utility FOR home consump-
ion, and for commerce. could be in '
.reased in value three 10 FIVE fold. Mem 4
his occupies the site Of old Fort Pick :
ring. The city presents a striking APP {
as seen from the water, With U
IS espianade several hundred feet in 4
width sweeping along the bluff and Gov
red with large warehouses. The city
contains twenty churches and twenty
our pnolic schools. mostly built Of brick. c
& has daily steamboat connection with I
Sew Orleans. Cincinnati, Louisville and :
Vi points on the Mississippi and Ohio
Iyers.