The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-06-12
WHOLE NO. 800
Johnson City 10 be the Central and
Distributing Point of the
Iron. Making Section.
From the Helper

IrOn.Making Section.
From the Helper,
1t will probably be Of interest to the
readers of this paper to know what the
South has accomplished in iron max
ing in the last few years. It's real start
in iron making on any improved scale
was made by Gen. Wilder after the
close of the war at lockwood, Tenn,
in 1867 At that time no railroads
were run anywhere nearer the place
than Chattanooga, Tenn, and all the
iron made had to be transported by
river to Chattanooga. Coke iron was
made there, and when it became
known to Eastern furnaces that the
South was making iron they laughed
at the folly, as they termed it. "He
who laughs last laughs best.' Now it
is the South's turn, for from one small
furnace the iron industries OF the
South have become so large that we
have become a thorn in Pennsylva.
MAS side that pricks more every year.
Interested as ! have been in a great
many iron enterprises in the South, |
have watched the developments with
great care. In selecting Johnson City
as site for future greatness, do not
think the judgments of the various
gentlemen interested here are at fault
in any particular. The country I'M
mediately around johnson City is rich
in agricultural resources, and the MIN
eral deposits Of which it is the centre
are unsurpassed in quality and guam
tity anywhere in the South. 1t is thus
evident that the richest gifts OF nature
have been deposited here to be util-
lied. As an iron making centre this
place will be to Tennessee what Bir-
is to Alabama, but in way
far superior, for to-day we can make
Bessemer iron at about the same av-
erage cost that the other districts
make low grade irons. To iron mas.
ters generally throughout the country
this wonderful district is not unknown,
but heretofore we had suffered for
want Of railroad facilities, as the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia road
would do little or nothing to develop
the resources of the country. The
building of the Three C's railroad,
which is being pushed as rapidly as
men and money can do it, will open to
this place the vast ore and coal mines
of this region. johnson City will be
the central and distributing point, so
that in addition to our many advan-
tages, we are bound to become a big
railroad centre. The coal fields which
are being opened now will be ready to
deliver iron in October, and il is the
intention of the railroad to be there
before that time The field is OF i'm.
mense proportions and contains cox
ing, camel and superior household
and steam coal in inexhaustible guam
titles. South from here the railroad
runs to the celebrated magnetic ore
fields and through large deposits Of
red and brown hematites These will
be ready to deliver in the fall The
railroad will be grand trunk lice
from seaboard to seaboard, extending
from the Ohio river to Charleston,
opening up one of the best harbors on
the Southern coast Already n fur
mace of one hundred and twenty-five
tons capacity is being built here,
equipped with all the latest improve
ments. 1t is the intention OF the com.
pany to make strictly Bessemer iron
from the magnetic ores This is no
experiment, for it has been made from
these ores before. Professor Chandler,
of Columbia College, New York, in
commenting on some f this ore that
he analysed stated "This is the best
iron ore ] have ever Analysed" The
deposit must be seen to be appreciated.
1t is found in great vein, running
east and west, through the counties OF
Carter, in East Tennessee, and Mitch.
ell, in North Carolina, some twenty.
eight miles in length, and crossing the
State line between those States. and
= skirting the northern base Of Roam
Q Mountain, one of the highest summits
] OF the Apaachians, being 6,397 feet
above sea level The ore exists in greal
quantities, being 300 feet thick at III
eastern end and tapering to about L
i feet thick at its western extremity. i
/ is plain fact, apparent to all, that w
. enjoy here many advantages lha
other towns claiming prominence di
not possess With Bessemer iron mad,
/ here, we can manufacture steel at
d price so far below our Eastern rival
that the difference in freight alone
without taking into consideration th
e other advantages, would make yer,
:, handsome profit on the money invest
" ed and | predict that in less than tw
years our Southern railroads will b
S. getting all their rails from Johnso
T City and vicinity. Our Eastern friend
= who have so long held the monopoi
u will have to seek other markets, fc
ID they cannot possibly compete with I
ID in price, or better still, move their in
a. mense industries here. w. II
10 An Editors Faith.
N The editor Of the Advocate publisl
" ed at Greenville, Ala, expresses h
~ fo;4b IN g g & .ttTha oocd IL.