Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-06-01
FRom CAsRVvILLE. KY.

gulch offers, nor yet am / the agent
of the great "Sleepy Hollow" vein
only a farmers boy, who now and
then, when the scrap" is up, takes
a turn at the dusty diamond biz.
Suffice it to add, as prelude, that
my object in writing is to attract
attention to a section of your sister
State, to all in opening and devel-
oping a country whose agricultural
capacity is unsurpassed; whose
great beds of mineral wealth, unde-
veloped coal fields, offer most tempt-
ing advantages to enterprising en-
ergy.
Caseyville, occupying a position
on the Ohio river similar to that of
GAINESVILLE on the L. & N. r. r.,
viz, way station, is in theextreme
southwestern end of Union county.
This point, together with ShotwelPs
''tip," a mile above, is the landing
place for the immense coal fields,
covering a large area of country
bordering on Tradewater, sloth OF
a stream which, serpent-like, winds
its way through this vast field OF
mineral wealth. A bill was intro
duced before the equally slothful
Legislature at its last session, look
ing to the Improvement of this river
by locks, dams, etc; but, like any
other bill before that body conduc-
i've to the public good, it went the
way of Wards ducks. Lay on,
Emmett L., of the C. J., till they
cry, enough. 1t was on its banks
that Tennessee's Clay, the Hon.
John Bell, in the good old ante BEL
Ltna days, successfully conducted
what in its incipiency portended
revolution in the coal trade of the
lower Ohio and the entire Missis-
sippi rivers and their tributaries,
building up rapidly under the able
management of Mr.. Bell. At the
commencement of the ''late Unpleas-
antness" the great coal kings of
Pittsburgh had learned to dread this
their infant rival, which, assuming
gigantic proportions, was success
fully competing for the trade above
alluded to, which was theirs by
natural advantage. The war and
the death of Mr.. Bell struck a fatal
blow to this enterprise, and mines
that then reverberated with the
song of the merry digger, keeping
time to the measured thud of the
pick, or ever and anon the boom Of
the exploding shot, as it tore down
natures great Substrata of wealth,
are now the hiding places for the
owl and the bat. Soon after the
war a company was formed by the
miners who had been engaged in
the old Bell mines, bat, like ali
stock corporations, too many
wanted a Ginger in the pie" and it
died the victim of mismanagement.
We now come to ShOtwelPs, the
most extensively worked mines in
this section, running out 10000
bushels of coal per day, and giving
employment to from $50 to 200 dig
gers. DecOren, mining town some
two miles back from the river and
near the entry of the works, is rap
idly building up and is a perfect
beauty of a place. Since the advent
of the Murphy movement the neat,
attractive appearance which its now
quiet citizens present is a speech all
potent in behalf of temperance.
These mines are under the superin-
tendence Of DIR. Kelsy, gentleman
of taste and culture, who, sober
himself, has had much f. do in the
moral improvement of his en-
pIOyes. We find here represented
every nationality, every class, save
the fiat-nOsed niger, as the COM
pany refuses to give employment to
this class of laborers. The miners
are paid three cents per bushel for
digging, after the coal is screened.
The nut coal is a clear gain to the
company; it nets on sale sufficient
amount to defray outside expenses.
The lump is loaded on barges at the
tip for 65 cents per bushel. Out
siders believe the company to be
making money, and its prospects
are exceedingly bright. DIR. Kelsy
has thegOOd will and hearty support
of the entire community in the pros.
ecutiOn of his enterprise. a rough
estimate would place the amount
invested in these operations at least
as high as half a million dollars
Lambs, Longs and Casey's mines
are smaller undertakings, justabOvC
Caseyville, and, in addition, almOs
every hillside crops out with a SUI
periOr articleof coal, every ridge i:
Il bed of wealth; the veins are from
three to five feet thick, with a fint
clay bottom and slate roof, both o
which can be worked to pay. 4
strange thing about these mines i
the regularity of the dip, all of then
dipping about three inches to tn
yard, thus giving, when properl,
worked, a natural drainage, ant
water is the great enemy that min
ing has to contend with.
In conclusion, we have a territor.
here that, in point of mineral wealth
vies with the most extensive Goa
fields in the world. Commencing
on the Ohio at Caseyville it follow
Tradewater through three counties
and extending to Washington, il
Hopkins county, its hidden treas
ures are seemingly fabulous.
Now for our agricultural advan
tages. Wide flats, some extendin!
for miles, when properly draine,
become the meadow green whicl
would give pasturage to Thousand
cattle. Corn and its accOmDanVin!