The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-03-13
AN ENTERPRISING CITY.
The Remarkable Industrial
Development at johnson
City, Tennessee.
A NOTABLE HERON CENTER.
Gen. Wilder q Leading Spirit in the
Progressive Movement.
JOHNSON UITS, March 3.

To the Banner
1t was in the month OF May, 1867,
that the late Hon. VIM, d. (Pig-Iron)
Kelley, of Pennsylvania, in public
speech at Montgomery, Alabama, said
"Iron and coal are the most potent
agents Of modern civilization. Mere
muscular power has become thing OF
secondary consideration, Iron is the
muscle of to-day, and coal -ignited
coal-is the nervous force that ami
mates it,"
1t was in that same year of 1867 that
the intrepid Gen. John I. Wilder
blazed the way, pioneer.like, to the
development of our wonderful re-
sources by building at lockwood,
Tenn, the frat coke furnace ever
planted on southern soil. Since then
furnaces have been built at other
points in Tennessee, Georgia, Alaba-
ma, Kentucky and Virginia, and to-
day these states are commanding the
attention of the world, bringing to US
millions OF money, valuable acquisi-
tions OF men, and all the industrial
energy and enterprise that our sec.
ton is so we'll adapted by the munifi-
cence OF nature to maintain. Follow
ing in the pathway opened up by Gen.
Wilder for the development OF coal
and iron industry in The south have
csme thu Fnsleys, Shocks, Chamber
lains, Warmers, Browns, Inmans, De
Bardlabens, Hillmans Colyars, Sloss,
and others, until the question is set
tied in favor OF the south rs the com
ing iron and steel.preducing center OF
the world, and thus is demonstrated
the practical wisdom of Wilder, while
the words OF the now deceased Penn
syIvania congressman are more than
verified.
The grand wave OF industrial
thought is southwark, Perhaps no
section of the south is attracting more
attention than Tennessee, and no sec
ton of Tennessee more shan that
from which / write. Here we are in
the very heart of the great magnetic
iron belt, the celebrated Cranberry
ores-the finest ever yet uncovered by
the hand of man-and making higher
class iron and steel than the best OF
the lake ores and at less cost while
to the north of us but few miles are
the great coking coal fields of Ken
tucky and Virginia, "extending sixty
miles north from the Clinch river in
Virginia over into Kentucky" Wher
it is stated upon competent authority
that the Cranberry iron bed at III
eastern end is from 300 20 400 feet II
thickness, and that it has clearly-d de
fined length Of twenty eight miles
some idea OF its magnitude may b'
had, and its practically inexhaustibl'
quantity understood 1t is to be re
nlembered this ore is in the noun
tains, high above drainage, and stand
perpendicular in its bed,
1t is the presence Of this wonderfu
deposite Of iron and coal that is jus
sow giving Johnson City such for
ward impetus 1t was to develop ant
utilize these that the Chsrleston, Gin
cinnati 4 Chicago railroad was pre-
iected and 10 now being rapidly built
This line when completed will extern
from Charleston harbor on the Altar
tic to the bead of lower navigation o
the Ohio river at Ashland, KY, an
will be the longest linO ever built b
Individual d private means in tn
country. Longer lines have been col
atructed and put in operation, br
they have enjoyed government ai'
-ehile this road, which is 70 open Il
the wealthiest country under the SUI
and is destined to become the mo
profitable and prosperous Of all sout'
ern trunk lines, depends upon 7
subsidy for itgtreriicv snd ifr 1t
almost an air line from Ash.ap
(where it has connection with tt
Ohio river and by rail with the gre
northwcst) to Charleston, where
touches the Atlantic ocean, where
will have important feeders all aloi
It's route-at Sumptcr, Camden Jun
ton, Lancaster, Blackshurg, Marie
and other points with special liz
in its system from Blacksburg to A
gusta direct. Through its Nor
Carolina connections the road W