Plateau gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1883-1884, 1883-06-30
The Wealth Of the Plateau.

an interesting and useful letter, datec
Pomona, Cumberland County, Tenn.
appearing in the columns Of the New
York San of May 3lst:
The resources of eastern Tennessee
are comparatively unknown. Tit
average reader knows that it has noun
tains and mules, and that during on,
late war battles were fought on its soil
but no more If half the possibilities
OF this State were known, capitalists
would quickly invest their money where
it will multiply itself rapidly.
WhenNsettlers in the Northwest are
suffering for fuel, and trains are snow.
bound for days at time, the inhabi.
tants of this region sit by blazing fire
places, comfortable in the thought that
they can have all the fuel that they
wish at the bare cost of cutting and
drawing. In other places bat few
miles distant they burn coal dug from
the immediate neighborhood, wh.re it
crops to the surface Of the ground.
With few frosty mornings the winter
passes, and is succeeded by a summer
quite as comfortable, that enables the
farmer to work in comfort all day.
famed by deliyhttul-breezes, and shel.
tered by wide-spreadipg trees when he
would rest.
Tennessee is the country for cattle
raising. On these heights, 2,lVO feet
above the level Of the sea, is the para.
disc for herdsnen and cattle. Horses
also can be easily and successful /,
raised, while mules are destined to have
u corner in the market here for long
years to come. During the months. OF
late autumn and winter young cattle
can be bought for 50 per head, which.
II well fed, will bring at the end of the
year a return OF ninety or a hundred
per cent. To make them grow rapidly
1t is only necessary to feed thom-twice
Il day in cold weather-oilce with dried
grass and once with eorn-stalks from
drill corn, sowed for the purpose. There
are native farmers here, however, who
let all their stock run in the woods
through the winter, and as a result have
'crawny animals in the spring Should
some one come here with good stock
the Durham, for instance, that grows
arger ON the same care--he would more
han double bis money on his invest
nent.
We have spoken of cattle raising, be-
'ause it is one of the great possibilities
II these mountains, as yet awaiting a
brilliant future, and needing Compare
lively little labor to bring large re-
urn OF money invested. But the mines
IT Tennessee are sources of wealth al
eady proved, and promising marvellous
esults. At lockwood, at the foot of
he mountains on the line of the Gin
'lnnati Southern Railroad, is the Roam
jompany's iron works, that give en-
'loyment to nine hundred men, and
ends out daily over one hundred tons
# pig iron. This iron lies at the lower
'art Of the mountain, above which are
o he found the limestone and coal ne
essary for smelling purposes.
With such vast mines underlying the
Mountains, and heavy growth of tim
yer above only waiting for energy and
apltal to convert it into the best OF
lumber, the future Of Tennessee is as
ured. t
There can be no picture truthfully
lrawn as bright as this without cor
shadow. With health,yood
water, pure air, mines, and opportunity
o amass wealth, there must be some
lrawback. 1t is in this cass a small
ne, but, nevertheless, it is a fact not
o be ignored. 1t is ticks. They are
lere in large numbers, ind will stay
Until the WOODS are CLEARED away.
hey are persistent in their attentions,
nd annoying; but we have no mosooi-
oes to buzz and bite, and no man can
ave the whole earth. The fruit here
) large and luscious-apples that have
size and favor indescribable. and
lackberries that grow wild, sweet, and
srge. Grapes ripen finely, and you
eed never suffer for fruit on the Cum
erlands.
vs~>~. /