The Newtown bee., 1889-11-08
Chattanooga, Tenn.

! the first post office was opened in 1887. The town continued a trading post until late in the '40s, when the steamboat in terest on the Tennessee began to give it considerable importance. Chattanooga s )on became the trans-sh;pping point from steamer to rail for all the cotton grown in the vicinity in the rich Tennes- see bottoms. In 1852, d city charter was granted, although the town would then not rate as a village of the first class in populous States. The increase of popu- | lation: 1860, 2545; 1870, 5O91; 1880, 12,- S79; 1881, I5,l64; 1882, l7,054, 1883, 20,666; 1881, 3,0oG; 1885, 25,10l; 1886, %, ,70l; 1887, 36, 90}; 1888, 47 500. As many veterans in Connecticut remember, Chattanooga was a desolate place at the close of the war. A stranger visiting the city will now find a city of over 50,000 active, thriving, public spirited citizens, largely of northern birth.
 The city is much like Cincinnati in To- cation and prospects of greatness. For 50 years, q project set on foot by John c. Calhoun has been pushed and now, at a cost of hundreds of thousands, the Mussel Shoals no longer form a barrier to navigation, so that miners can float coal to New Orleans for 40c ton. We know no more certain measure of the total wealth of a community than it's as sessed valuation. Assessments in Chat tanooga 1881, $3,9l2,3lG; 1883, S5,52l, 1SSS 1887
 The increase from 1885 to 1887 was the result of raising the assessment from q low valuation to one that is about fair. Chattanooga's tax rate is only $l 60; to- tai debt $20G,O00 The credit of the city is first class and growing stronger. Her G per cent bonds sell readily at q premium of per cent. and rates of interest are higher here than in the East.
 The manufacturing interests of Chatta noOga have had an enormous growth. In Hamilton county in 1860, there were but ? industries; capital employed $209 300; hands employed 2l4; value of products $395, ,3S0. To-day, in Chatta- nooga alone, are l52 manufacturing JltitIbS Cio- IltittS tp''.uOp-opc Stt Dl- tai employed, producing $l0,000,000 and paying $3, ,000, ,000 in wages. Of these concerns, B are wood working, includ- ing the largest coffin factory in the South; 10 large blaming mills, six furni- ture factories, five large saw mills. The lumber actually cut from the log in the city limits in 1888 reached 30,000,0 900 feet and the amount handled and dressed in the city annually will leach more than 100, 100000 feet. There are 30 iron and steel works. Chattanooga has the larg est tannery in the United States; two of the largest fire brick and sewer works in the South, one of the largest slate pencil factories in America and two dynamite factories; also the largest hoe and tool factory in the United States.
 Great inducements are offered manu- facturers their property is assessed low and the price of coal makes steam power here about equal in cost to water power in New England.
 Chattanooga is the center of one of the greatest mining regions of the world :; scores of specimens of ores are on exhi- bition at the chamber of commerce. Prof McCallie, in his geological report, st;t cd that within d radius of 100 miles of 1 Chattanooga there lies buried, within easy reach, mineral wealth to the amount of over $l50,000, 100000. The accumu- lated wealth of the United States ill 1880 was only $43, ,000. 100000 and this vast sum was the accumulations of the labor of many millions of men during period of over 100 years.
 One great advantage for the iron man. ufacturer is that the six varieties of iron ore are all found near together. Copper, lead, zinc, silver, gold and slate are all found in paying quantities. There are 22 coal mining plants in the Chattanooga d dstrict, with an annual output of ,250,- 900 tons, with 2400 coke ovens and nearly 500 more projected. An immense amount of limestone is now being removed to make room for a large internal revenue ] building.
 Market gardening can be successfully carried on in the rich bottoms, but in stock raising and dairying every advan- tage is offered. Grass starts in February and stock can be wintered at half oi quarter the expense in Northern Ohio ol Connecticut. Even in mid- Winter, the cattle will find good feed ill the fields oi
 blue grass, which, though brown on top
 are sweet and green underneath.
 Berries, fruits and vegetables thrive
 abunGantiy. Sweet potatoes are more common thgn Irish potatoes and easier of cultivation. The climate is so milo
 that you will find the fronts of storel open all Winter. The mean temperatur,
 for July during the past 10 years aver
 aged 7s.7.
 Every crop, save two, raised ill Cal.
 fornia, can be raised here, with the ad vantage of being 2000 miles nearer tn Atlantic seaboard, with equally as heal thy climate, better schools, better sys
 tenn of transportation and more eonven tent markets.
 [ One question a Northerner asks is !. s:Have you good schools? ?'' The answe
 is iii the affirmative with emphasis. Chat
 tanouga has four brick buildings that ae : commodate 5000 scholars; also a colore
 school for 800; value of buildings $l4I
 900. Even in the country schools out
 side the city, county examinations ar n held. There is also in Chattanooga a university of the NJ. k. church costin r S13o,0oo, built in the Norman style of al y chitecture.
 There are 10 railroads centering
 Chattanooga. Few cities of it's size al