The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-05-13
The South to Become the Great Iron
Mart cf the World.

mart c. GuS w Orlus
Commenting ON the recent shipments
to England of Alabama and Georgia
pig iron, adverted to in these columns
over a week ago, the United States
Economist SAYS it has been the opinion
of American iron masters for some time
past that iron ore was destined to be-
come an important article of commerce
between the United States and Great
Britain. This view was based ON the
superior mineral wealth of this country,
and also on the surface character of the
ores, which requires comparatively lit
tie mining. But the shipments from
Rome, Ga. indicate that the time has
come little sooner, and in somewhat
different shape than was expected. 1t
will be found on examination, however,
that the shipments are from the short
est or most direct line from the area of
production. At present transportation
from the Pennsylvania iron fields is too
much IN the hands of monopolists, and
is too costly t0 permit it to be seriously
thought of. The remarks of the Econ
omist upon the important results fore
shadowed by this initial movement, are
so apt and just that We transcrlbe them
entire:
The shipments already made consist
of pig iron from Alabama and Georgia,
constituting a portion of what is prob
ably the cheapest and richest mineral
deposits Ia the world. From Tennessee
to Alabama iron ore may be obtained
with comparatively little labor and cap
ital, and the only wonder is that the
attention of capitalists had not long
since been directed to it. But the
country was almost sealed up to enter
prise before the war, and it is only since
the recovery of produce that its import
aRee has been fully demonstrated. It
may not be generally known that dur
ing the last few years large amounts of
northern capital, and the largest pro-
portion from this city have been invested
in southwestern mines. In this con-
nection we may mention the names of
Moses Taylor. VIM. B. Astor, John
Jacob Astor, Thomas Dickson, and Le-
roy Cannon among the heaviest invest
ors. Probably still larger investments
have been made on account of English
capitalists
The merchants and capitalists who
invested their money in these undertak-
ings did not intend that it should be
idle, and it is not improbable that the
shipments of iron above alluded to may
be the first fruits of the fer greater tide
that is to come. Once establish the
fact that raw iron can be produced in
this country as cheaPly as it can be pro
duced in England, and-we shall see the
mineral regions of the southwest con-
verted into the centres of industry.
But, apart even from all cOnsidera-
tions of rivalry with England, we still
have in the mineral resources of the
southwest the bases of most hOurishing
industries, and of a mighty commerce.
On the Kanawha mountains, on the line
of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad,
the iron may be detached by crowbars,
and placed on the railroad cars for
transportation. 1t is nearly the same
in the long mineral belt extending
through Tennessee beyond Chattanooga
mountains to the southern spur of the
Alleghanies. The supply seems we'll
nigh inexhaustible. It will be hundreds
of years before it will become necessary
to resort to the deep mining the same
as in England. With such advantages
the United States should become the
chief iron producing country in the
world. All that is required to accom-
plish this destiny Is the removal of the
burdens on labor which renders this
the dearest producing country in the
world. With moderately liberal COM
mercial policy on the part of congress,
should soon recover the markets In
South and Central America, and also in
the West Indies.
1t only remains to notice the facilities
for transportation between the south
western coal aud iron fields and the
seaboard. The Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad will be completed to Norfolk
within a short time, thus affording a
magnificent outlet for the mineral re-
sources of the Virginias. In Tennessee
and the states further south the exist
ing facilities are ample, and will be-
come still more so on the completion of
Capt. Fades jetty improvements at the
mouth of the Mississippi. Iu this view
Charleston. Savannah, New Orleans,
and even st. Louis VIII become, if there
is any truth in the alleged economic
relations between producers and con-
sumers, the southwest seems destined,
at no distant period, to resOund to the
hum of important Industries