Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-31
WEEKLY CHRONICLE.
Rockville, Tenns ssee.

CORRESPONDENCE Cincinnati Commercial.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, March &C.
Perhaps the readers of the Commercial
NAV not be uniaterested in letter de.
scripti,e of town whose interests will be
closely identified with those Of Cincinnati
if certain projected lines of railway are
completed. Knoxville is the most impor--
tant place in East Tennessee, and with
proper railway facilities might soon be-
come the greatest manufacturing city in
the South. Coal marble, lead, and iron ore
of superior quality are found in the
neighboring mountains in the greatest
abundance, and even with the limited
trans portat ion facilities these mines are
besinning to be extensively operated by
Northern as we'll as home capital. The
city is pleasantly situated upon range of
nils one thousand feet above the level OF
the ses, and the climate in all seasons is
unusually healthy. In this bracing mount
ain air the weary invalid takes new lease
of Ii e, and that dreaded scourge of the
South, yellow fever, is unknown to the
citizens of Knoxville. The city has num-
Ger Of enterprising merchants, and large
wholesale business Is done with North
Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and East
Tennessee. Many handsome residences
have been built in the last few years, and
the custo 'n>house, which was obtained
through the influence of Horace Maynard,
is considered one of the finest public
buildings in the South. 1t is constructed
entirely Of Tennessee marble and granite,
and its interior Is conveniently arranged
and handsomely furnished. A noticeable
feature in municipal matters is the excel
lent police force. The are selected for
their courage and intelligence and will,
in point of diclipine and efficiency, compare
favorably with the members of the police
organization of any other city in the coun-
try.
The uniform is very handsome, and is
kept scrupulously neat ard clean, the men
are polite and attentive to their duty, and
as n natural consequence the town enjoys
Il comparative immunity from violations
of the law. One OF the most popular men,
bers of the force Is a colored man, who,
when his name was proposed for the
position, received the unanimous vote of
the city council. He is quiet and gentle
manly in his manners and is universally
| respected. A staGger in this town will be
surprised at the large NUMB per of church es;
| in a total population of l6, OCO twenty-three
| houses of W rship are required to furnish
| religious Instruction to the citizens.
| Every body attends church and every body
| froWns upon any kind of Sunday recreat>
ion that at all approximates the irreligious
in its character, consequently the Sabbath
usually means an appearance of funeral
| quietness which reigns unbro2 en- until
Nj onday is ushered in.
Knoxville is the greatest educators al
| center of Tennessee, and two of the col
| leges have a national reputation. The city
| SCHOOLS are well managed, and equal
| facilities are extended to the whites and
1 a6l-r hn 70 3D. H.
| colOred pupils have a sepa ate building
but receive the same care and attention
| that is given to the white children. While
| both are under the control of the SchoO
| Board, there is no Intercourse between The
two races, an arrangement which is salts
terry to all parties.
The University Of Tennessee is located
here, under the control of DR.. Thorn w
| Humes, who is assisted by able faculty
The buildings of the university are situa-
ted upon one of the high hills that environ
the" Nj etropolis of the Mountains" anC
| command an extensive view of the city anC
| its surroundings. Far away in the distance
the high range ofof the Smoky Mountain
in North Caroline can be seen. Thest
mountains constitute the State line be-
tween Tennessee and North Carolina. anC
one of their peaks is the famous Blacl
Mountain, said to be the highest elevation
IN the United States east of the Rocky
Mountains. The college has $50 students
and is in pr sperous condition financial,
and otherwise.
A noteworthy institution is the Stat
Asylum for the education of deaf and DUN
children. 1t is ably conducted by tn
superintendent, who has q cOmpeten
corps of tt achers, some Of whom have bee
educated at the Asylum. The children ar
instructed in the use of signs, and in const
quence of the thorough method of teach
Ing, rapidly acquire proficiency in tn
silent but expressive language ofthe dumb
The place is very neat and clean and i
all respects will compare with any othe
institution of the kind in the country. !
dlminutive paper bearing the signiticar
name of Silent Observer" is edited an
published by the children, and Is as news
as many papers managed by editors VIII
have the perfect use Of their tongues an
ears,
If ore is curious to know what Ea
Tennessee produces in the way of marKe
stutts, let him visit the market, or rattle
fair, that is held here every Saturda
morning, and he will be astoRished at tt
amazing variety of articles offered for sale
Everything from coon-skin to bag {
"gouber peas" can be purchased, usual
at reasonable prices. The hardy mountain
= g. r. in his homespun jeans suit of antiGu,
& ted cut, can be seen endeavorlng to sell b
& load of cabbage or sweet potatoes, al
8 vendors of eggs, fish and onions, are almo
! Ubiquitous. As a general thing, the veg
I tables grown here are large and of GOO
quality. The yams cannot be excelled fl
4 size or flavor, and will grow readily in ar
part OF this mountainous country, as Il
soil is sandy mi especially adapted
i their cultivation.
knoxville CQlege, about two miles fro
the city limits, offers many advantages
! colored students who desire to enter tt
4 lege is under the control Of the Unite
q Presbyterian CHI zen of North Amerit
s and is supported by contributions fro
4 many congregations through the Board
4 missions to the Freedmen, 1t s not q d
q nenn national school, however, and studen
a all denominations are received II
y osiuent and his assistants are from Il
ii NoItIi they are earnest workers in the Ii
81 icy nave nosen, end are beginning to S
81 that thelr laoors are not in vain. Yo
81 correspondent with two other eentlem,
y VISITED the institution recently. and "
a fortunate enough to see and hear the usu
4 weekly exercises of declarations, ESSAY
g singing and calsthenics. The efforts we
4 very creditable and were about as 90
81 as similar exercises at white academi
a The pupils a peared to be impress ed wi
n the idea that their opportunities were Co
Y paratively few for their acquiring an e
q ucation and seemed TO feel that they cot
= not afford to waste any time in idlene
: They have the utmost respect for their
4 structor and cheerfully perform the dut
3 he assigns 10 them. In the preparatory {
i partment pupils of all ages are receiv
8 and we saw an old colored woman of Il
Or sixty wears and who must have weigh