The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-29
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He stops or at sloptEomcry and "Does"
the 9own-AIihough Poor, There IL
Yet u Future for Alhbama-It Has Coal
and Iron aud Splendid Ciimate-The
outlook EneOnrngiug-Sound Advice
TO the Southern Brother, DC, sc.
MONTGOMERY, ALA, Dec. q, 1850.
Special Correspondence Of the IntellIVsncfr.
stopped off here few hours to see
tho city, talk to the people, find out what
they were doing, and proguosicste' the
future.
Montgomery is nice little city OF
10000, situated near the centre of the
State, on the Alabama river. Next to
Chattanooga, Tennessee, Montgomery has
the best railroad facilities of any city in
the South. You can leave hele in any d.
rectiun you please on railroad. The
town hitherto has been dependent upon its
railroad business to keep it up, but now it
is beginning to make some pretensions
toward manufacturing. In my judgment,
a few years hence will Tad it thrifty
manufacturing city.
I have been pretty we'll over the entire
State Of Alabama, and am frank to say
that the worst part Of it Is outside. One
travelling over it is not likely to be very
iavorably impressed on account OF the eI-
cess Of broom sedpe and pine timber. l
have always noticed that neither OF these
products are peculiar to rich soil. But
the semi.troplcsl climate Of the State more
than makes up for the thinness OF the soil
The northern portion OF Alabama con.
sisis of a aeries OF spurs OF the southern
extremity Of the AlIeghenies, These
sDnrs tut out into the State, forming n
cnTyed abutment, with tho convex side
looking south. All through these hills and
around their bases are the iron and coal
fields, in close proximity, extending from
birmingham and Helena down to Calera.
Leaving Calera the pine belt Is reached
and extends to Montgomery. Here is
found the center OF the middle cotton belt,
rich aud prolific and superabourdlng in
tho great staple. Below this cotton belt
the Second tier OF pine growth is reached,
stretching across the State in
a line running east aud west
through GEeenville and extend
ing 10 the gull. This is the belt Of yellow
pine that furnishes to the mills OF the
Escauibia aud Perdedo the great wealth
that is poured into Pensacola and convey.
ed thence to the great outside world.
Taxing Alabama as whole, with It's Pc
culiSr geologic and superficial tormationsi
it's wonderful ledge Of rocks IN the Chat
tahoochee, in the TSllasseP, the Coasa and
the Warrior; It's coal and iron felds-both
OF which ate abundant two distinct
belts OF pine forests, it would seem that
nature had marked 1t out for the great
centre OF the manufacturing interests oil
the South, il not indeed for the whole
country, and had given 1t fair soil, and
mild climate for the health and happiness
Of The toiliug millions who will some day
seek a home within its limits. Already
manufacturing establishments are spring.
ing up all through the northern portion OF
the Slate where coal, iron and limestone
are nil found in the same heap-the one
living upon the other in almost inexhaus'
tible quantities. In q former letter your
readers will remember that called their
attention to the thrift and promise dis.
PLAYED at Birmingham, and this is only
one Of the many signs OF new life coming
into the South.
II The people OF the South were not
hide.bound there would be, during the
next decade, wonderful growth and de.
yelopment in this State, and indeed
throughout the Gull States. With the
cotton, the oranges, the rice, the sugar,
all the peculiar products OF these States,
the human race could largely be supplied.
Already the natural advantages which
this belt Of States possess have gone
abreast Of the circling light Of civilization,
and vel these hills and valleys are only
sparSely settled. But there is better day
coming by.and.by. The precious ores
about which l have been speaking, that
struggle though these mountain bowels
and sleep IN the valleys beds, await only
the shaft to make their wealth fabulous.
So OF the cotton and the cane, and the
fruits which only flourish in this peculiar
clime-all wait the capital Of the North.
erner who some day viii! come down here
and assist in making these hills and valleys
blossom as the rose.
All that ia wanted Is q better understand
ing between the North and the South.
The warm blooded southerner must learn
70 treat the men who come among them
from the North as brothers and their
friends. Tho term "carpetbagger" must
be buried out OF sight forever. What,
these people must educate themselves to
believe Is this truth, which stands out AZ
plainly as the bsyouet on the nose OF