The Rugbeian and district reporter. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1882-1883, 1882-12-02
ENCIRCLED WITH COAL.


We in Morgan county are in the very midst
of the coal-held of the State; on all sides
stretch the black layers, richer than the dia-
mond beds of Golcondar, and infinitely more
productive of human comfort and progression.
Scarcely touched yet are these vast coal
measures; in some few places the hidden
wealth is being revealed, but it will be a
generation before they will so enrich the
eastern part of Tennessee as to make it second
to none in the mineral Importance of the
States.
The following counties, including Morgan.
Immediately around US, are within the limits
of the Tennessee coal-field: Cumberland,
Scott, the greater part of Fentress, and con-
siderable parts of Campbell, Anderson, Roane
! Overton and Putnam. In all of these counties
the seams are of considerable thickness, and
in every way excellent. The mountains of
Anderson, Morgan and Campbell counties.
rising over 1920 feet above sea level are,
literally, vast upheavals of coal, rich seams
being found to their very SUBMITS. This
great district is a portion of the most important
coal field of America, running from Pennsyl
vania to Alabama, and covering an area of
1000 square niles Of this vast fed Ten
-pessee has AZ. SQUARE miss. -AId F.
We shall only mention the mines in neigh
boring counties; those in more distant counties
of East Tennessee we have not room to touch
upon now.
In Anderson very extensive mining is carried
on, five or six companies at Coal Creek turn
turning out some 100000 tons per aDnum.
The Oakdale Iron Company, at Winters Gap,
puts out over l2O tons per day, which is cooked
for use in the companys furnace. narrow
gauge railroad. sixteen miles long, runs from
the mines to the Cincinnati Southern Rail
Road, at Oakdale Junction. Coal has long
been shipped from this county to all parts of
the South.
The Crook coal mines at Glen Mary, in Scott
county, eight miles from Rugby, and on the
C.S.RR,, are well, and somewhat regretably,
known in this settlement. About three years
ago these coal lands were sold by the Board
of Aid, for what was thought at the time to be
good round sum, to the company now so sue
cessfully working them. About 200 men are
employed as miners in a seam of some four
feet in thickness, and the output is about 400
tons per day. A few miles up the line, and in
the same county, it is not certain it on the
same seam, are the Heenwood mines. Still
further up. at Chitwood, on the Tennessee
State line. the coal appears with an average
thickness of 81 inches.
In Campbell county, to the east Of Scott,
coal IS mined at Carey'lle. and shipped by
rail to Knoxville and elsewhere.
In Roane county. to the south least Of Nor
gan, coal is extensively worked at lockwood,
by the Roane Iron Company, for use in their
iron furnaces.
To the west of the C.S.R.R. coal is known to
exist extensively, although, at present, it has
not been greatly developed. In Cumberland
county there is coal, seams being known to
exist measuring fifteen and eighteen feet
thick; while in Fentress county a seam Of the
finest quality, between four and five feet
thick, has been fully demonstrated. This will
probably be worked shortly, when the wealthy
Pennsylvania we have heard so much about,
shall have run his rails to the Cincinnati
Southern. This seam has been opened from
3uffalo Cove, and runs under the lakeland.
Coal was known to exist here many years ago,
and was mined, and shipped down the Obey
river.
In Overton and Putnam counties coal is
also abundant, but has, owing to difficulty of
transportation. been little worked beyond
supplying local domestic uses.
We have thus shown that "coal is king" in
all the counties surrounding our own county,
and in four of them-Scott, Campbell,
f Anderson and Roane-is extensively mined.
With more railway communication, and the
: incoming of capitalists, the counties to the
west OF us will turn up their known, but hidden.
: wealth.
Coal is not worked in Morgan at present.
e but it underlies, at a great depth, the whole
county.