Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-07-05
LETTER FROM MANCHESTER, TENN.

To the Chronicle:
The citizens of Coffee county are
justly proud Of their ccunty-seat,
strictly a prohibition town. The
word saloon is no longer seen over
dOor-ways; consequently, riotiOng
IS unknown in Manchester. Noble
men, and a band Of hopeful, detcr.
mined women, caused the abolish
ment OF liquor bringing about the
great change, one year ago.
Schools arc closed, and business q
little dull. Farmers have cause to
rejoice, the wheat crop turning out
fine yield in this county, also in
Warren, Lincoln and others. Oats,
very good yield, throughout this
section.
Citizens OF Nashville and other
points are making Manchester their
home for the summer; the sur
roundings Of the place proving at
tractive and interesting. The
writer, accepting an Invitation to
Join a pleasure party few days
since, visited the old stone fort, a
mile from town. Strange to say
there is no written history Of this
old fertilization, which enclOses
over forty-flve acres of land. The
foundation, of powders, many
seem to have been taken from the
bed of Duck river, on which il
stands. Trees, OF over one hundred
years growth, stand on the eleva-
ton.
In the fort wo found eight dwell
ings, one store, and large paper
mill. The proprietor, Mr.. Kicker
son, kindly explained the art OF
paper-making, leading us first into
a large room where fifteen girls cut,
sort and dust masses of rags and
old paper collected rs it were from
the four points of the compass.
Next to tho boiling-rOom here we
found the rotary boiler in order,
partially cleansing six thousand
pounds of rags at ono time. They
are then taken to the engine-rOOm
and empticd into huge watts filled
with water, in the center of each
an engine which washes and cuts
the rags till reduced to pulp. Six
watts i'm all, bluing and bleaching
waters i'm the last three. Alum and
chloride of lime used i'm the bleach
ing process The water is next
turned OFF, and the drained pulp
thrown by pump to the pressing
and drying rollers, from which they
come forth eighteen hours after the
dust of the street has been shaken
frOm,) i'm large sheets, pure and
white as the "beautiful snow"
The falls of Duck river were next
visited, and appreciated by many
for the beautiful scenery; by others
for fine trout caught at the foot of
the falls.
COperas cave was also taken in,
near which is Il precipice, over
which water has a perpendicular
fall of fifty feet, creating q beautiful
veil, behind which we passed, TO
view the lovefey rainbow formed
by the sun shining on tho spray.
One mile from town is Il fine sui
phur spring.
The lsh ponds belonging TO DIR.
Lasater are of interest TO every
stranger in this section. The carp
pond Is filled with water raised
from the river by am immense
wheel, carrying many buckets. In
revolving, the wheel causes the
buckets to empty into a trough,
twenty-five feet above the bed OF
the river. The water is then car
ried through smaller troughs. to the
pond. The trout and perch ponds
receive water from springs.
Manchester contains a musical
prodigy, introduced to the writer In
the following manner: Pauslng to
speak to a group Of merry children,