The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-11-08

CINE. These enterprises are owned by Inc
Fort Payne Coal and Iron Co.
Light and water had to be provided fuel
and provision abound and nature has ADJUST
ed the climate to perfection. me winters
are not cold, snow is novelty and the mer-
curry falls but little below the freezing marx
Building operations can he carried on IN
| the winter with freedom, foundation ana
work rendered difficult in northern cllmes
! is not interrupted here by the NrOSt. ne
spring opens early and the fall IS late
The hottest days in summer the therm0me-
ter reaches no higher mark than IN New
| England: and sunstrokes are unknown:
The summer nights are cool and blanket
| is needed in order to ensure comfort
There has been no sickness here, no mala-
ria or epidemic; and the health of the city,
will average better than the majority OF
New England cities. 49,
| The soil of the valley is a red sandy loan
with some clay. Right within the city linn
it's are several brickyards where the com
mon brick of commerce is manufactured,
| the dirt being already mixed by nature tor
the press The clay is shoveled directly
from the ground into the grinding and
moulding machine, and the forms are then
material for fire brick; and huge structure
is now being built where fire brick will be
made, and this industry will give employ
ment to from 100 to 200 men. This enter
prise will be running in about month.
Ka0lin, from which white pottery is made,
is also found here in large quantities.
Iron abounds in the hills abou; three 1 eva va
attic and the soft iron. They are found in
veins indicating an almost endless and in
eXhaustble supply. This ore is near the
surface and the cost OF working and min
ing it is reduced to comparatively small
expense. The iron company has made sew
eral openings, and railroad is now being
built to the mines. An analysis OF this ore
shows percentage of iron of over s. per
cent. most remarkable showing. 1t is
claimed that this ore, owing to the ease
with which it can be mined, and on account
of transportation facilities, can he brought
to the furnace at an expense Of about 30
cents ton.
Bituminous coal is found on Lookout
mountain, some five miles from Fort Payne.
The mineral raj road Is now built to the
mines, and when needed the coal will be
hauled side by side with the iron to the fur
mace door. This coal must first be reduced
to coke, and if coal fails to make good coke,
then there is a loss to the iron producer;
but, fortunately for Fort Payne, the coal
here proves to be especially adapted for
this purpose. A recent test of several tons
developed only six per cent. of ASH On
Lookout mountain there are five openings
from which the coal is now being mined,
The present daily capacity is 1000 bushels,
but this can be increased as the force OF
men is increased. The largest vein is some
thing over 30 inches wide and very free
from impurities. Coal is also found at
Sand mountain, and this will be mined
when needed.
The mineral railroad, now in process of
building, is owned by the Fort Payne Iron
and Coal Co. The road bed is graded near,
ly to the coal field and the iron is laid and
trains are running about three miles: This
road starts now at a point on the Alabama
Great Southern road. near the south part OF
the city. Making sharp turn to the north,
it climbs the side of Lookout mountain for
nearly three miles, when passing through a
defile. it reaches plateau on the east side
and taps the coal fields. 1t is proposed to
extend this road to SOmerville, where con-
nection can be made with the Chattanooga
Southern, thus gaining an independent out
let to the north Ultimately the road will
be extended to Rome Georgia, where sea-
board connections can be had. Then to
the west the road will be run to the Ten
nessee river at Guntersville, Ala, and then
the Southern market can be easily reached.
When all this is done the company and the
producers of Fort Payne will have an lnde-
pendent road with rates reduced to a mini
mum. Before spring this road will be IN
operation between the coal and iron fields
and the city, and these products Will be de-
company, which also owns the smelling
and coke ovens now building, far below
the rates of transportation paid by similar
works elsewhere. AS result this concern
will be able to market their iron at a price
almost defying competition,
The smelling works and the coke ovens
will be fired up in February and employ
ment will be given to several hundred men.
There are to be 200 coke cvens and the
ground is now being prepared for them.
The main building of the smelling works is
already built and work is being rapidly
pushed forward on the stack and the other
buildings. Within stones throw OF these
now being built. In connection with this
industry there will be added nail manu-
factory. Another industry already in ope-
ration is the stove foundry which employs
about 80 hands. All styles and designs OF
heating and cooking apparatus are made
that iron and coal play leading parts in the
industries of the place, and this coal and
iron can be handled and manufactured at
minimum cost
Kaolin is found near this city in large
quantities, and from this deposit ultimately
pottery will be manufactured. 1t is claim
ed that the supply will warrant the extern
sive workings of these beds. Building
stone can be had almost for the hauling.
There are several varieties, embracing sand
stone, free stone and kind of red stone.
Several quarries have already been open
ed. Cotton is not found in very large guam
titles in the immediate vicinity of the city,
but IN the Great Wills Valley, few miles
from Fort Payne, east of Sand Mountain,
the annual product is about 10000 pounds.
The cost of natural ice being so high it
was deemed best to establish plant for the
manufacture of this necessity and luxury.
The idea was no sooner conceived than
vunrly q nlonf w hnOun op6 thu oitx-
now has an enterprise gratefully appreciat-
ed in the South, with capacity of 10 tons
day. Not only can the city be supplied,
but market is established for miles around