The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-24
THE SOUTHERN COAL QUEEN.
Maud st. Pierre and Her 100000 Acres of
Coal and Mineral Lands.

The reply came from q lady OF commanding
and very striking appearance. She was rather
above the average height, square shouldered,
figure well rounded, the keen gray eyes, nose,
chin and frmset mouth indicating vigorous
force of character while the graceful manners
betrayed the most finished and lady-like com
posure. The rich. brown hair was brushed
plainly back from high forehead. The air of
the lady as she rustled the folds of maroon
velvet and motioned the reporter to seat,
was one of Partisan dignity. The impression
mas somehow gone abroad that when one of the
genter sex branches out into business and as
s.mes the functions supposed to belong by dl-
vine right to the man, she is necessarily attend
ed by short hair, strong minded and masculine
views, and disposition to talk bass Miss
Maud St Pierre does not meet any of these con-
ventlonal requirements The hair certainly had
the proper feminine luxuriance; there was not
the faintest symptom in the conversation that
Followed OF any wish to advance heterodoX no
tlons or tear existing society up by the roofs;
and her voice, so far from rejecting the mascu
line lower register, appeared at first to contain
and liquid was its flow. This impression, how
ever fades away as the lady warns
into enthusiasm over her subject. and the eyes
and cheeks glow with purely natural fervor.
Add to this most remarkable gift of diction,
and you have slight notion of the celebrated
Southern Coal Queen. the happy possessor of
nearly 300 600 acres of mineral treasure in Ten
nessee, Alabama and Kentucky, which she
Yields the sceptre of a practical business en-
chantress.
And so you want to know something about
me she archly inquired. Well, there's no.
special mystery. My native State is Louisiana
Most of my early life was passed abroad, and l
came back here just about the time that Bir-
mlngham, In Alabama was looming up as a coal
and iron center. l had already known of the
vast mineral wealth of that entire region, and
was on the lookout for purchase. Luck seemed
70 favor me. Down in Franklin county. Ten
nessee, near the Alabama State line, there lives
an old gentleman named John +. Anderson.
Sixty five years ago he went from the East and
settled there. After he got under way he made
1t rule each year to add a thousand dollar slave
and so many acres to his possessions When
the war broke out he was an immense owner of
land and slaves, but his wealth in the latter was
swept away, and by degrees he became what you
call land poor
'The moment heard that he meant to dis
pose of a IA, 000-acre tract made it convenient
to appear In the neighborhood and advertise my
intention to purchase. He came to see me, the
transfer was soon made, and have since added
enough in that region to bring my acres up to
22,OOO. The property lies on either side of the
Nashville Chattanooga and St Louis railroad,
forty-nine miles from Chattanooga and 102
miles from Nashville, Immediately on the Ala
bama State line, and extends from Anderson to
Sherwood, six and one-haif miles on one side and
nearly eight miles on the other side of the rail
road which there runs directly north and south.
''These two ridges, rising up from the valley to
height of nearly five hundred feet are
among the last great spurs of the Cumberland
range, and are magnificent in their natural
beauty. Crow Creek a stream running into the
Tennessee fourteen miles away, winds through
and fertiizes the valley, making Of its lands the
richest corn, wheat and cotton plantations ia the
State.
"Oh, yes, the mines are opened, and railroad
is now In course of construction, two and half
miles long, to the mouth Of the main entry. You
have no idea of the mineral treasures of that
realm. On one single mountain we have valu-
able iron deposits large deposit of red hem
attic sandstone beds, beds of ochre, red, yell
low, in varying tints; heavy timber, with acre on
acre of red cedar. averaging two and one-half
feet through and forty feet in the STEM Why,
on the very day after my purchase | was offered
simply for the timber on the land, fifty cents an
acre more than hsd paid for the property. And
coal! why, there are incaculable quantities of it,
1t is hard in quality-the finest CRATE coal known
south of Pennsylvania-aud as reported by Prof.
Killibrew. the former State Geologist, equaling
that OF Plttsburg for gas and cooking purposes.
There are four veins, the one now being worked
facing five feet without slate or shale in the en-
tries and having an outcrop on the opposite base
of eleven feet nine inches clear in the seam.
This vein has bean tested by engineers over
bed of 900 square miles and gives an average of
six and one-half feet
'Do fancy this sort of life and adventure
Why, of course do. Why not, pray9 Here are
mountains, natural and commercial grandeur
pure air and the most absolute independence
Here land the lady drew rough chart) is tho
spot where am building my cabin. You see it
is right on mountain spur, equidistant from
the two roads leading to the mines Tho view
is superb. And it will not be your typical cabin
when | get it finished. The interior will be
tapestried in Queen Anne style, and with my
books and horses why can't l be happy on that
mountain peak among the clouds2 Men are the
most peculiar Individuals They seem to think
all valuable rights of property and sentiment are
reserved for their special amusement. Now,
have coal-black mare, cousin of Maud S.
feet as a whirlwind and more intelligent than
most persons l meet In the early blush of the
morning leap on Mole's back, gallop UP to the
mines, inspect the works, and when l start out
for q long brush over the hills do you suppose
that because | happen to have long hair and
wear skirts | can't feel glow of satisfaction in
travelling whole day over my. own possessions9
Business is not intricate thing by any
means. The principles are simple enough.
hate lie and love fair dealing. When | first
began operations at the mine the wiseacres
down there were full of advice. 1t had been
customary to pay day laborers at the rate Of
twenty-five cents, and the pay came in the shape
of bacon at twenty-five cents pound. This
was all nonsense. l gave my men dollar day.
This was supposed to be fatal, and was
sagely informed that 1t would lead to
Generalization and that | wouldn't have q
single hand left in week. In order to offset
possibilities established the rule of cold water
to drink, and from that day to this have lot
lost but one hand and am working sixty
What about the luck you have struck at
Chattanooga queried the reporter.
ooh, you mean the mountain spring. Yes.
that is luck, as you say. Well, only this, that /
recently obtained the title to Lookout Mountain,
and that way up IN one Of it's caverns spring
has been discovered that yields volume of over
thirty barrels minute. This is at height of
225 feet above Chattanooga and triae over two
miles from the town. Here is water supply.
that, with inch main, will furnish Chatta-
nooga until it reaches a population of 100, OOO
This mean to turn to practical account. The
present water-works company Of the town claim
that the corporation granted it an exclusive
franchise, but this is stoutlY denied by the
authorities. When it comes before the courts
have no fear OF the result. If | can supply
Chattanooga with water at rates far below those
now paid, public sentiment will force the au-
thorities to cancel the existing contract This
project is not fairly started yet, but it will yield
1fc