The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-19

acres awaiting purchasers. II is estimated
that there are $50 square miles OF this coal.
and that |, will make ~ good coke az Is
made in the United States Shrewd Tenn
essccans, foreseeing the development OF
the valley, have bought tracts Of the land
on speculation. II Is ayerred that the
Hon. Benton McMillin not long ago rolled
up his blankets, mounted his horse, and
Travelled down into the Sequa,chie coun-
try McMilin is q good geol0gst He
| spent some weeks In the mountains, and
then invested u little money which will
probably return him a large fortune. With
u huge fortune, backed by his inestimable
intellectual qualities, he might make
break IN craftsmanship that would aston.
isli the world at large. Even rs it IL, he
is regarded rs the forthcoming Governor
/ of tennessee. Mr.. John II. Imam has
! been buying these coal lands for several
| years. lie has paid from 81 90 10 50 per
acre. That is about the price OF the lands
| held by the farmers today, and there are
! plenty OF them in the market The veins
are easily opened. They run through the
mountains ut such hight that they drain
| themselves.
The first effort TO develop the wealth Of
the valley was made In 1875 by party of
Englishmen. They had alghtod upon the
coal fields and the iron beds They bought
considerable property and founded town
on the Tennessee River about six miles
from the mouth OF the valley Il is today
known rs South Pittsburg. Here they be-
gan the erection OF blast furnaces. The
protector OF tho enterprise died very sud.
denly before the furnaces were fairly at
work. The president OF the company was
soon after killed by an explosion. Tho
Immense property then passed into Amer
lean hands. South Pistsburg quickly be.
came the center OF operations In the val
| ley. IL now contains over 4, 900 inhnb.
itants. II has three blast furnaces, stove
factory, a water pipo factory foundry,
hoo and tool works, a pressed brick and
terra Gotta company planingmill and
two sawmils.
The slope and the valley are dotted with
tasty residences. The purest water is sup.
| piled. and the glow Of electric lights is seen
at night A thousand men are employed
ut the furnaces and sad iron factory. The
furnaces produced $1,000 tons OF pig iron
last year and the sad iron factory 1000
tons OF irons. Tho brick works have ca.
| paciy OF lO,OO0,OO bricks per annum, and
! the pipe works can turn out IL, 900 tons Of
| Pipe year. Their owners employ 100
hands About 900 men earn living at
the stoye works. They can turn out 3d.
| 600 stoves year The tool works and
! planing-nills afford employment for 1850
moro hands. Last year the railroad com.
pany handled 10000 tons OF freight and
$4,000 tons was foalod down the Tennes.
see River
A Few miles above the town the railroad
forks. One branch runs 30 the lnman iron
mine and the other 20 the Whitwel coal
mine. They aro the only mines as vet In
operation. Their OUTPUT Is consumed by
the Tennessee Coal aud Iron Company.
who own the furnaces ut South Pittsburg.
| visited both mines At the iron mine
the most OF the work was done by con.
yicls, 80 per cent. OF whom were colored
They wore striped clothes, and were quar-
tered In n stockade near by. The State
Government receives Sl00,OO0 year for
tho laborol It's conviuis. Tho contractors
feed aud clothc the prisoners. Guards are
posted around the mines and ut the stock.
AIDE, and very few prisoners escape The
soil around tho mine Is the color OF red
chalk. The ore itself bears the color. Tho
air Is filled with dust OF n similar color
II gives the negroes In the mine a coppery
tingc. Even the birds get this color. /
bottoms with dark rcd plumagc. The air
Is full Of the dust, aud an old hen aud
chickens were the color OF the quail. The
coal mine at Whitwell was also visited.
The coal In brought down from the noun.
tain by an inclined plano.. II IN screened
az the foot OF the plane AMI Is dumped in
cars ior transportation. Much Of IL, how.
ever goes into ovens and Il turned into
coke. There are 100 Of these ovens at the
base oi the mountain. Others are being
constructed. Tho coke Is of an excellent
quality. There Is a demand Tor Il In Mex.
leo aud Colorado Tor smelling silver ore.
it, owners claim that IL IL superior 10 the
birmingham coke because II contains less
sulphur.
Fortunes In coal and iron, however. are
not the only fortunes 10 be made la the
scquatchio Valley. Tho whole country is
dcnsely wooded. Bass, oak aud walnut
trees grow In proiusion. Tho sound Of the
circular saw N frequently heard Young
Fitzpatrick, son Of a wcll.known builder OF
| New York, has Hcnscd the situation, and
Is rcaplng fortune. lie has bought sew.
oral hundred acres Of land at bridgeport,
the entrance OF uo valley, aud erected a
/ great sawmill thereon. Night aud day il
the mill running Tho logs are borne 10 IL
| ny iuN TtluAlNNlt anu lno ltnuNNacn
! Rivers, aud scores Of cars leave Rriigc-
port every day laden with the lumbcfS
bridgeport IA the natural portal OF the val.
/ ley, aud everything that the valley pro.
/ duccs must pass through Il. The land Is
Increasing In value hourly. aud the fore.
sight OF the young man will evidently pro.
ducc marvellous pccuniary results
Nor il this all. Tho extraordinary rich.
ness Of the valley u giving Chattanooga
business boom. The city u ouigrowing It's
clothes. Spectators appear 10 be a. plen.
tiiul a. hcilics la late June. Every branch
Of industry Is thriving Queen Anne cot.
tagcs arc appearing ON every elevation,
aud the tinklcoi the horse car bell Il heard
In all tho outskirts. New storcs are open.
ing daily, and nj night the city Is lighted
by the flames that issuoirom the chimncys
oi iron and rolling mills. AL IL industrial
arteries aru alive with energy. Everything
Is growing apace, and the goose really
hangs high. It's banks arc thriving, it,
manufactures growing aud IL newspapers
are filed with tclcgraphic nova Within
ten years u bids fair 10 have nj least 1900
Inhabitants
saw enough TO convince mo that tho
Scquatchic Ia destined 10 be another great
mining aud manufacturing ccntcr In the
South. The opening OF the Muscle Shoals
Canal In September will give II a water
outlet by tho Tennessee River, while It's
railroad facilities la i've years bid fair 10
equal those OF any southern mining dis