Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-05-23

~'N@~@ F@N~~
Twenty years ago the South Lev
PROSTATE from the effects OF il dinas.
trous war. Her people everywhere
S were 30 imposirhed that they saw moth
ing promising IN the near future. III Q
idea that it could never become a
manufacturing section WIS looked
upon as the delusive dream Of the
industrial fanatic. At that period
slavery with all its concomitants had
Just been abolished. Cotton wss King
and It was believed that this King
could only be upheld by the arm Of
slavery. Eut the war with It's 6isas-
ters, with all its losses of life and
property, with its destruction OF a
system engrafted upon the country by
the combined effort of the people of
every section, was blessing in dis
guise for il taught the South sellreli-
ance and lively faith in its own
abounding resources, which never
could have been learned with the old
j |, as that prevailed. IL was found that
the industry and talent of the South
could find a fitting field in manufact-
uring pursuits, and thither the eyes OF
progressive men we're turned. So
cieiy. with all its crudities, was revol-
utionized, and the people sought a
basis Of wealth more enduring than
that secured by slavery. Manuiactur-
ing establishments began TO spring up
all over the country. The first coke
furnace ever erected i'm the South was
put up at lockwood, in Roape Coun-
ty, Tenn. i'm 1868. The first cotton
mill erected in Nashville went up in
1870.
1t is true that iron hid been made
in Tennessee in limited quantities
since 1890, in bloomaries and small
charcoal furnaces; and cotton yarns
and a little sheeting we're manufacture
ed at a few inland towns but no sys-
tematic effort TO aggregate large capi-
tai had ever been attempted. There
were some thrty-two furnaces in oper-
alton in 1866 in the State OF Tennessee
making annually 40O00 tons Of pig
iron; but these furnaces were small
and Ill-constructcd affairs, which were
kept in blast about nine months ia
the year, the remaining three months
being consumed in repairing and lay
ing-in supplies OF ore and fuel. The
output of irion in the State is
now four times as great during the
utmost period Of depression as it was
in times of the greatest prosperity in
the iron business before the war. An
other fact in this connection equally
rs significant is that .he largest coke
furnace now in Tennessee will make
AS much iron in one year as the thirty
two that were in operation i'm 1866.
There are now in the State seventeen
stacks with an estimated aggregate ca
pacity per year OF 265,5O0 net tons and
which actually produce about 10000
Tons Tennessee has also four rolling
mills, one of which makes Opon hearth
steel and one crucible steel.
Alabama has made still more rapid
progress In 1870 there were but lit
lie more than 1000 tons Of iron pro-
luced in the State. There are now
twenty one complete stacks with an
lnnual capacity OF 29i,7O0 tons, and
i've or six new furnaces are IN process
II construction, besidcg four compile
ed rolIingmills.
In the manufacture of cotton goods
he South is rapidly advancing. In
lSGO there were 2yS,33l spindles in
operation, and i'm 1880, 542US4. The
number of looms has risen from 2l3
n 1860 10 to SlS in 1880, and since
$3.50 the number Of spindles and
oonis have increased sull twenty-five
Der cent.
Our object is not 10 go into any
greater details, but enough has been
aid To show that we have formed a
nucleus around which may he formed
me OF the grandest manufacturing
centres in the world. The South,
hough shorn Of its financial strength
Turing the war, has concentrated her
Inergies and savings She has catered
he lists, and is now successfully com
,eting with Old and New England in
he manufacture of cotton goods, and
Pennsylvania in the pro-
Iuction OF cheap iron. And we have
lot fairly begun. Tho coal and iron
elds OF Alabama and Tennessee are
destined within few years to become
lIe great centre OF pig iron produc-
ion i'm the new world The vastness
nj richness OF these undeyeloped
esources are just beginning to attract
he attention OF capitalists, which they
eserve, throughout the financial
rorll. The evidence OF this is shown
n the TACT, that IN 1880 tbs output Ol
,nl in Alabama was only 3s2.934 tons,
MI in 1884 ia exceeded 4,OOO,O0O tons.
We have the mines, cotton, the timber,
he agricultural products, the labor TO
make everything independent OF for
ign assistance, that nation or poo.
le can desire for their colnl0rt or
lppOrt The brightest and most
heering prospects appear ON every
and, which will, in time, prove golden
ealities.