Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-01-11
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON.
The old Way and a Better One.

In former times to manufacture iron
the first requisite was to find cheap
and convenient access to the ore.
Where the ore was most abundant
and easily accessible, there furnaces
were built and the work of smelling
begun. Throughout Virginia, Tennes-
see and Kentucky the location of fur
naces for smelling iron ore, until re-
Gently, depended upon where nature
had deposited the ore. If the oreand
the coal were not found in close prox-
unity, charcoal was resorted to, even
where mountains of coal, perfectly ad-
apted to the purpose, were only fifty
or hundred miles distant. There
were two disadvantages connected with
this plan of operations. In the first
place, few localities could be found
where the supply of timber would be
sufficient for the exhausting demands
OF the furnace. And in the second
place, smelling the ore on the spot, or
near by, where nature had placed 1t,
frequently necessitated an expensive
and tedious transportation of the pig
iron to any available market. This
latter difficulty was rendered almost
insurmountable, in the three States
above named, by lack of railways and
canals, and in the absence of navigable
streams. Ind, when the manufacture
of iron attained such enormous mag
nitude in Pennsylvania and Ohio,
where there were greater and better
facilities, (both natural and artifcial,)
for transportation, the works in Vir-
ginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, except
those near to navigable rivers, were
limited to supplying the local demand.
There have been three distinct
stages in the progress of the manufac-
ture of iron. OF the first stage we
have already spoken. 1t was simple
and natural one. The ore was first
sought, and the coal and limestone
taken to the furnaces built in the vi
entity of the ore. As a step in ad-
vance, however, it was found cheaper
to take the ore to the coal, thus revers-
ing the method at first adopted. The
third stage was reached by the great
human triumph over the obstacles of
nature, in constructing artificial lines
Of transportation, by means of rail
roads and canals, where navigable
rivers, or other natural means, We're
wanting.
Now Let US apply these facts to
GAINESVILLE. We are situated here in
the very midst of abundant supplies
ofthe richest ore, which can be brought
to this city, either by rail Or river, at a
trifling cost. Coal can be put down in
this city as cheap as in Pittsburg, if
proper use is made of our present IA
cilities, to say nothing of prospective
advantages. And limestone abounds
every where, here and around rs. Our
conclusion, then, is that nowhere in
the world can all the advantages for
the manufacture of iron be found so
conveniently brought together, as in
this city.
We urge our own capitalists, and we
invite Eoneyed men from other parts
to consider these facts. Let them ex-
anime the rich ore of this and adjacent
counties, think oftheadyantagesa afford
ed by our noble river, and our healthy
climate so favorable to manufacturing
To our own citizens we appeal. not
only with considerations of selfish in
terest, but in the name of patriotism
itself. We must by this time have
learned that our rights as people, our
liberties, depend upon our strength.
Nothing will give us such immunity
from oppression as the establishment
OF manufactures. Together with the
entire South ouf hopes mpst be in ac-
quirpg strength Is d means OF safety.
1t Is not so easy to Cypress the strong
as the weak Then let us acquire
strength by the means which Naturally
present themselves tG eur minds, es-
pecially by manufacturing iroa.