Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-07

| saw from INV OWL
lwould suggest that you tirst build a cot
ton mill. My reasons for suggesting a cot
ION min first are many. In the first place
n Is but the part of wisdom in amy indi-
| viaual or CORPORATION, before embarking IN
the manufacturing of any article, to look
forward into the future and see whether
the article to De manufactured is likely TO
become obsolete by the Improvements OF
the daY, or be substituted by anything
| cheaper which do not think will be the
case with manufacfnred cotton goods. No,
! | tliuk that cotton is the cheapest
| inateria! 1t of which the covering for the
| human body is made, and consequently
will be in demand as long as the earth is
peOpled. Again The manufacturing Of cot
| ton will utilize more Of our surplus labor
than ally other pursuit with the same
amount of capital. Then your location Is,
of itself, more favorable for manufacturing
cotton than any other location | ever saw.
1t contains more Of the elements that enter
into the manufacturing of cotton than any
location perhaps under the sun. What are
these elements? In the first place, a con-
slant, certain and reliable water
power that is not subject to overflow, nor
of getting too weak by drouth. That
YOU have. Then the next is healthy To-
cation. That you have in an eminent de-
gree, with pure, clear freestOne water. The
next requirement is cheap and easy trans
poItation. That you have at your very
doors, with perpetual railroad. The next
is cheap subsistence. That you have in
abundance. The ne,t is cheap and Ielia-
bic labor. That you have in great album
dance. and will YOuch for its reliability,
fov. hoN-a hoh fx1-an
ence with native labor, which enables me
to speak with confidence.
All these elements or materials are near
| the cotton farm, where cotton can be pur-
chased at II to , cents cheaper than the
Northern cotton spinner has to pay for his
supplies. Now, again say that there is no
location more favorable for the manufac-
turing of cotton under the sun. Indeed
there will be or should be, cotton enough
grown in your county in patches for sale, in
the seed, to any manufacturing company
located here, to supply such an establish
ment as you contemplate erecting here.
Then it is ready to be used in thread. The
covering on baled cotton costs the manu-
facturer Of at least 1 per cent, and this
would be saved. This supply l can speak
of with confidence, for | purchased in the
neighborine county of Warren over half 4
million of pounds of seed cotton Of the last
crop.
Now, gentlemen, l have barely mention
ed your valuable water-pOwer. L wish TO
bring its value more directly to your view,
for fear, from your neglect heretofore, that
YOU do not place a correct estimate on what
l look upon as one of the greatest elements
of wealth that has been placed by an Al
wise Creator within the reach of man.
This / will do by comparison, which is the
only way | arrive at the value Of almost
everything. Look at our immense coal
fields that we truly boast of eXtendingfrom
the line of Kentucky to the line of the
State Of Georgia, covering territory equal
to 80 miles square, according to the eSti-
mate of Prof Stafford, the value Of
which cannot be estimated by dol
lars and cents. Still we must admit
that every ton taken out leaves that
much less. Then our banks of iron ore,
cOextensIve in amount and value, are pro-
fuSely scattered over Middle and East Ten
nessee, for which we must make the same
admission: every ton taken out
leaves only that much loss. Then our i'm
mense and varied forests of valuable timber,
far excelling the timber of any other State
in the Union, both in its variety and value;
still we know that the aXe-man is making
rapid inroads upon it every year. Again,
We boast of our fertile Vallies and prOduc-
tive plains, yet We know to our SORROW,
that by improper and suicidal cultivation il
is growing less productive year by year.
How is it with our water-power? Unlike
either of the elements enumerated, 1t Is the
same every year and has been so since ere
alton, and will be the same until the end OF
time Yes. the beautiful Duck River that
skirts your town has been rolling over these
falls from a period before man was, only
waiting to be put Einto harness and made
subseyient to your will by yOurcO-Operative
effort, and even then you cannot impair its
value. Ii serves your purpose, and then
coes bounding OF It's way to labor for other
parties further down its channel. 1t is the
only element Of wealth that can be truly
called inexhaustible, and that cannot be
weakened nor destroyed by the hand Of
man; aud when long drouth weakens its
power, rs it may some dry season, God, in
his own proper way, aud in his own good
time, replenishes il without the aid of man.
Ii costs nothing to sustain it, neither does
il charge wages. Now, will you reach forth
your hand and receive this rich bounty, or
will YOU let il continue to roll over yondeT
falls without rendering you any benefit. Ii
is a willing servant, appointed by God Tor
your uses, and only awaits your bidding.
Erect your works, put in your machinery,
and this GOd-giyen friend Of man will GO
bounding over your wheels, turning its
thousand spindlCs jOyOusly, seemingly glad
that it has the privilege Of adding TO the
wealth and prosperity and happiness Ofhim
who was created in the image of his
Maker.
Iwish, il possible, TO further show you
the inestimab.e riches that lie at your very
door. awaiting yOur effort to harness Duck
river. In order to DO so more fully, let me
compare its adaptability and cheapnesS
with different water powers that are being
used and made profitable by the people of
the New England States. Look at Lowell,
In .he State ST Massachusetts,, on the Meri-
mac river, about twenty-five miles from
Boston. 1t is the largest manufacturing
city IN the United States; it is larger than
Nashville and is almost entirely engaged
in manufacturing textile fabrics by water
power, and at great cost. The river is, per
haps, as large as the Cumberland; still, at
time Of low water, it does not furnish water
enough for the various machinery to be run
at full speed. To remedy that deficit the
| several companies have jointly purchased
the watershed Of the river, which contains
| as much territory as your county, including
! Lake Winnipiseoga, one hundred miles
above Lowell, in Maine. There they have
built dams and locks to let out the water
during tie dry season of the year as the
factories may need it. This has cost the
manufacturers of Lowell over three mill
lions OF dollars.
Again, at Mill River, in Northern Massa-
chusettS, near Northampton, the scene Of
the late terrible disaster, where over two
hundred lives were lost by the breaking of
| their reservoir dam, there are six or eight
factories and machine shops. Mill river is
a mountain stream, very tuctuating, and
| nearly goes dry in the dry season of the
year. The different manufacturing compa-
mics united and built this reservoir, which
was in a mountain gorge, by constructing a
| dam foIty-iiye feet high to lock up tie
water in the Spring, to be used as they
might need it in the dry season of the year.
This reservoir contained an area OF lO4
| acres. and was about three miles from the
| factories and three hundred feet above their
level. 1t cost the manufacturing compa-
MES about $4,000.
| Now, compare these water powers, which
| are used probably, with your cheap Duck
river, and You will see how you have been
| favored -, IN allWiSe Providence VIII
YOU improve the waser. power, or will you
I - laf.Taf