Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-26
CAAffAAOcGA's CHANCES,
As Seen by Member Of the South
ern Press Association.
A Pen Picture of the Southern
Pittsburg-Aim of the
AssO citation.


The meeting Of the Southern Press
Association, held at Chattanooga,
Tenn, on the 18th of the present
month, was as pleasurable as it was
important. Tie Tie place of the meeting
had no little to do with the enjoyment
Of the occasion, and as the very atmos-
phsre Of Chattanooga seems to carry
the Infection Of energy, the vigOr and
sound tone Of the individual members
may on this ground be partially ac-
counted for.
When gliding along over the we'll
ballssted railroads that lead into the
city, through vast stretches of precipi-
tous mountains and barrens, whistling
along the edges of precipices, thunder
ing through tunnels and over splendid
lodges, with hardly a human habita>
ton in sight, ones mind is appalled,
by the awful solitude and he is i'll pre-
pared for the final and sudden plunge
into the city of the wilderness, the
great throbbing heart of the wild re.
gious of East Tennessee heart
with sinews of iron, valves of
steel, blood of gold, a giant of
the wilderness, breathing fire
and smoke. 1t seems like the touch
of an enchanted hand that has planted
in the midst of these wild and infer
tile mountains a teemiDg, busy hive Of
busy workers. The roads reaching it
are wonders of mechanical skill, and
the wonder is how man ever found his
way through this difficult country to
the spot where now nestles, Swallowed
by towering mountains, the Pittsburg
of the South. Attention is first
attracted by the grand union depot,
where it seems the trains are never at
rest, but always moving, some in and
some out, all crowded to OVERLOOKING
With passengers travelling to all parts
of the couatry. In the city itself
signs of life and activity are every
where visible. New houses spring up
like mushrooms, giant manufactures
spring from the ground as if in obe-
dience to the touch of a wizards
wand; the hand of progress seems to
have grssped the place and is forcing
its industries along with incredible
rapidity. In the resident portion of
the city there is an air Of freshness,
cleanliness aud simple architectural
beauty, quite refreshing 10 the eye.
The streets are well kept and wide,
the sidewalks are level and we'll made,
the police regulations excellent, and
everywhere marks of vigor and evil
denees of the firm foundation upon
which the business of the city is
built, are plainly visible. At night
the electric light blazes from a thou.
sand lamps, seeking out and destroy
ing the dark corners. and dispelling
the gloom of night. Clouds of black
smoke which hover above
the city suggest at once
her chief industry-tkat of
manufacturing. These are diversi
fed and of vast importance. Every
mill means princely fortune, every
puff of smoke a handsome revenue
We're these places minis they could
hardly make money faster. Along the
beautiful Tennessee river most of these
manufactures are situated. Here
stands the largest tannery in the world
1t contains eleven hundred vats, and
the procurement Of tan bark alone fur
nishes profitable employment for hun,
dreds of men. Every inch of the
space is occupied, still the market
calls for more, and the capacity will
soon be increased by half. Hides are
sent here to be tanned, not only from
the surrounding country but from
cities hundreds Of miles away shipped
by the car and train load. The supe
rior facilities and the excellence of the
work done are its recommendations.
One foundry is devoted principally to
the manufacture of fish bars, bolts,
nuts, and spikes, but in addition
it turns out 100 kegs of nails per day,
by the aid Of machines into which
bars Of red hot iron are thrust by
workmen, the number of nails being
only limited to the number of times
he can twist his wrist in day. A
nail is literally made "by a twist of
the wrist" Sleight Of hand, you say?
Yes, it looks that way, but all the
Sleight of hand performers in the
world couldn't bite one of those nails
in two after making it. Then there
are foundries after foundries, rolling
mills for sheet iron, chair facto
ries, furniture factories-well facto-
ries for almost everything un-
der the sun. 1t is i'm
possible to enumerate them all. 1t
may give the reader some idea of the
vast amount of manufacturing done
in Chattanooga, however, to state that
the various railroads delivered no
less than $4,000 carloads OF material
to manufacturers in that city last
year, an average Of more than 100 for
each working day. This, of course
does not include the large amount Of
ore delivered by steamers and barget
by river; and Chattanooga finds 4
market for it all, and finds it neces.
sary to daily increase her facilities
There are now seventy-two manufac
tories in Chattanooga, where only twc
1 i