The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-05-25

OldlAOh anu OunDeflanu zap 10 the
approaching connections in Ken
lucky would sever some of the most
fertile valleys in the State of Ten
nessee, which from the right and
the left would fill it's depots for
transportation, not only with the
farm products so much needed in
the land of cotton, but those early
fruits and vegetables of a mild eli
mate which in their early growth
and perfection are so grateful to
those who dwell in the land of a
more tardy sun
MINERAL AND THERMAL WATERS.
To the mineral and thermal wa
tiers along the line of the road, how
ever, special attention should be di-
rected
The Warm Springs, near the
boundary line between Tennessee
and North Carolina, already extern
sively and elegantly improved, have
long been mOstpopular summer re-
sort of the people of the South, both
for pleasure ADD health.
The Tate Epson Spring, near
Beans Station, in Granger county,
is considered, and beyond question
is, the most efficacious water for the
cure of many diseases, on the Amer
lean continent, and has long been
place of resort of invalids from all
the Southern States, and also during
the winter months from several
Of the Northern States.
A railroad in the direct line from
the cities of the Ohio river, would
open to the people Of the North and
West the use of these waters, and
afford the feeble and valetudinarian,
during the rigOr Of winter, a refuge
and an asylum within easy reach of
home, the worth of which could not
be estimated by the standard of
money value, and of which thous-
ands would avail themselves.
We have particularly mentioned
these waters because they are be-
heved to be uaequaIed but other
mineral waters, chalybeates and sui
phurs, such as are usually found in
mountain regions, exist along the
line in great variety and quantity.
The rOad'in Kentucky would pass
through the North Cumberland Val
ley, the resources of which would
alone repay the cost of construction.
The soil of this region is exceed
ingly fertile. DIR. Owen, Director of
the First Geological Survey of Ken
lucky, says: The richness of the
soil on the slopes and even on the
summit of the Log mountain is a
matter of surprise, supporting a
heavy growth of walnut, cherry,
oak, poplar, locust and chestnut"
DR.. Peter, chemist of the Geological
Survey, also attests the great fertili-
ty of the soil of this valley. Mr. l..
IL. DeFriese, in his report on the
forests of the North Cumberland,
says there is fertility of soil here,
and growth of timber that he had
never seen surpassed; the finest old
forest walnuts he had ever seen
massive yellow pOplars six and seven
feet in diameter, with trunks sixty
to eighty feet high and he says, af-
ter describing the timbers that exist
in great belts, /" the splendor of the
forest can hardly be imagined"
Excepting the clearings of the val
leys, says Mr.. Proctor, State Cool
Ogist Of Kentucky, " the timbers of
this section remain almost untOuch-
ed. The difficulty of running logs
over the falls of the Cumberland
and the Smiths shoals, has been the
cause of the preservation Of this
magnificent timber region" 1t
stands there to-day, awaiting the ad-
vent Of railroad transportation, and
when that comes what vast supplies
will be here obtained for the work
shops of the North, and even for
expectation
We can not better, in short space,
present the natural advantages of
this section of country, which need
only transportation facilities to make
them available, than by some brief
quotations and COMBINATIONS from
&" Resources Of the North Cumber-
land Valley" by John r. Proctor,
State Geologist of kentucky, to
which we are already indebted in
the preparation of this paper:
''The coal measures here have thickness Of
over two thousand feet above DIR inage-thicker
than elsewhere in America "
"In Il report on a Reconnaissance I'm the upper |
Cumb' rland section, Prof. A. Il. CrandAH says: |
The thickness Of the coal measures are greater
than ia any other part Of Ke- lucky. Ths number |
of the Goals is also greater The quality Of the |
Goals of this valley is most excellent. The pro-
portion of ash and sulphur is very low in ali that
has been analysed, with the exception Of one /
camel esal, and the fixed carbon Is high"
'sProf. John l. Stevenson has recently made ex-
pIorations on the head waters Of Roaring and |
Pigeon Fork, OF PowelI's river, near the Ken
lucky line. and reports csa Of great thickness and
superior quality"
Mr.. A. S. McCreath, chemist to
the Geological Survey of Pennsyl-
vania, analysed these Goals, and says
that the analyses speak for them
selves, and indicate Goals of remark
able purity.
Prof Stevenson says that speci-
mems of coal from this region yield
ed coke marvelously rich, excellent
and Of great strength.
Iron ores, not so rich as can be
had near these Goals are carried
hundreds of miles to be smelted. In
speaking Of the iron ore, known as
" dyestone and fossil, - Mr.. Proc
tor says there are large deposits of
it near Cumberland Gap, and that
the quantity along the eastern out
crop of coal is unlimited He states
the fact that ore of this kind has
been carried from Alabama to
Louisville by rail, carted from the
railway through the city, loaded on
boats, and carried to furnaces in
Ohio and Pennsylvania; but the
excellent ores here existing can be