The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-04-30
COL. MING on TIE TENNESSEE
RIVER LKPR0 FKAENT.

the House Commlltee on -hlyefS and
Harbers-which we publish, to-day
lis an excellent enc, full of sensi-
bic and practical suggestions. A
gentleman who was present, informs
us that it was very wellrcceived by
the committee. Mr.. King is one of
"the csming men" Of his sections
Mr. Chirman and gsntlemed of
the Csnimitte. Tbs memorial which
is before you was necessarily con-
fined TO the presentation Of gener-
al facts touching the material
wealth awaiting the opening of the
Tennessee River, to be developed,
except the briefrefsrencO to the in
crease in the output Of coal sAd the
manufacture of iron. .rnr5
| conceive that more particular
statement as to some of the elements
of wealth embraced in the region
through which the larger tributar-
les of this river flow may possibly
tend to demeAStrate the national
importance of the work to which
we invite the attention Of Congress.
Mr.. Pcttibone, who represents in
this Congress the first Compression
al District Of Tennessee, has, in the
remarks no has justsubmitted, kind
ly anticipated much that had in
! tended TO say, and he has mythanks
for the zeal he is displaying in this
cause which so nearly concerns the
veal of his constituents. s5.c
TO give you somc idea of the
magnitude of undevelopsd resources
of the immence region which will
be, in measure, opened to COM
merce, by the completion of the
canal around the MuSssl Shoals, /
desire at the outset to say that
there are more than 100000 of
acres of virgin forest drained by the
upper tributaries of this river in
East Tennessee, Western North
Carolina, and South Western Vir-
ginia. These forest are composed
of various kinds of oaks, pine, pop
lar, walnut, chestnut, hickory, ash,
buckeye, &c. | have seen chestnut
trees in this region that measured
thirty three feet in circumference,
and were estimated to be one hun
dreb feet in the first branch | have
seen poplar trees that measured
thirty feet in circumference, and
were estimated to be eighty feet TO
the first branch. 1t is true, trees of
such large growth exceptional, but
from this statement you will be able
TO give me credit when | say that
this region now affords the most ex-
tensiTe and varied supply of mer-
charitable timbers that exists in the
United States. Along the upper
Tennessee both above and below
Knoxville, lie the beautiful vario-
gated marbles of Tennessee, which
have a worldwide reputation. These
marbles are not being quaried at
various points over a distance of 60 |
miles up and down the river whore |
it is contiguous to the railroad, and !
are being shipped 10 the Eastern
and Northern cities by rail at bur-
densome rates of freights. .5
Extensive and rich deposits of |
both lead and zinc ores are known
to exist upon the CliRch and French !
Broad rivers. Some small shipments
have been mado, but the cost of
transportation eats up the profits.
A great many years ago salt wells
were dug on the North Fork of the
Holston river IN Smythe county,
Va, and large works were erected
for producing salt; as were also mills
fer grinding the gypsum, which is
found hard by an Immense quaint
ity. The salt and gypsum were
sent down the river in fiat boats,
and afforded almost the entire supp
ly of these articles to all the valley
of East Tennessee and North ala
bama t1 ari7H
But, unquestionably, tho most
Important element of wealth (al-
though undeveloped) existing in
upper East Tennessee, Is the coal
and iron. z3dlFa e9{
The memorial speaks of the ex-
tent of the coal measures: therefore,
| will not tresspass upon your time
with further reference to them.
But, OF the iron ores alongethe up
per tributaries of the Tennesse, /
think n word should be said. gfea
In the first place, these ores are sf t
great variety,-so much SO that
believe l am safe i'm saying that, in
this region, every quality heretofore
found in tho United States can be
duplicated. 3}ai m
Secondly: These different varie-
ties of iron ores are near to each
ether-ars in elese proximity with
the coal, and in juxtapesition with
the pure limestone for fuXing, and
are situated. on and contiguous to
the water courses. rsI
Thirdly: They are Of inealcul-
able extent. In one ceunty-the
county of Cooke, on the French
Broad within radius ten
miles, have personally examined
three actual mountains Of ir,n ores
two ofthem limOnite, on sdecuIar. /
One Of these mountains is within IL +
miles of the Fronch Bread river,
another within six milas Hnd an
Their within eight miles.
The French Broad isnavigabIe to
within few miles Of these ores, and
the head ofnayigation could be east
ly reached by rail.
But these iron mountains, vast in
extent as they are, do not compre-
bend any very great percentages of
the iron ores of this wonderful re-
gion.
For the want Of transportation
facilities, all of the eres in upper
East Tennessee and Western North II
Carolina arc unused, except the ores /
from the Cranberry mine, to which
a narrow-gauge railroad has been
built by fennsylvania capitalists,
who haul the ores hY rail Ia -IahnsI II