Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-05-29


egated to q less conspicuous place.
This town,of, more properly speaking,
the city OF Piedmont, for IL has mayor
and city council, was until year or two
ago known as Gross PlStns, which prob
ably came to it from its topography. In
some ways the town could ba ilkened 10
Newport, except tia. its buildings are
severely primitive and II has rather moro
population. Whileit sits app rsn.ly In a
basin. II ia over COO feet above asa level
and ia surrounded by the foothills OF
mountains which loom mp in the distance,
miles away. This valley ia vide, long,
and exceedingly fertile, the lstteg quality
being attested by the splendid cotton il
yields. II is Que OF the beet waterei
sections of land in the state Of Alabama,
the Piedmont tract being penetrated by
two large creeks and several smAller
streams There are springs innumerable
upon this beautiful plateau, some o. &C.
knowledged health-giving properties,
close TO which fire hotel is being built
for the entertainment Of summer guests.
Of the two or three others within the
present town site, one has 3 flaw sufficient
to supply city the size OF Wilmington,
and the water ia cold and pure. This
will form the basis OF Piedmont's water
works.
The property owned by the Piedmont
Land and Improvement Company com.
prises about four square miles, aud in
cludes besides largs tract of valuable
timber number OF huge banks (nsarly
700 acres) Of as hae iron ore Rs can be
found in this oGurtrv. This is very hi b
in metallic iron, with mere tracs Of
phosphorous. tits simply ineNbaustnle,
the banks rising mountain like exposing
enough OF the crude metal to view to
defy their exhaustion for centurieR. This
iron, il Is said, upon the authority of
some axpert mining engineers, 10 be Vt
very superior quality, and ob'ainsble by
the simple cost OF digging, ucns o, the
expensive processes or appliances relative
to mining being requisite to bring 1t into
the furnace.
The Piedmont compapy's land is di.
reotly adjoining the old own formerly
Gross Plains. X rises gradually from
the railroad when cuts the track in t9o,
and gives q gradual slope to summil
which overlookB the town and county
beyond until the vision IS asais.e5 by ths
mountain ranges. II IL reguarly laid
out In streets, many Of which, nave names
familiar TO Wilmingtonisus, such AS
Gsyley, Tay or, Lea, JSAnEon. Smith,
Delaware. The mRtn street, VIII On runs
north and souih, is already graded and
in short time will bs curbea ani pave Z.
The Piedmont bank, OF which ~. s.
Aaines Is cashier, is comprising fne
brick structure, ornamentnd with blue
md gray stoue and the Institution will
b5 ready for occupancy in shot time.
A large business block with five stoss5
has already been completed and will bo
tenanted next week. One hotel has Just
been buiit and is now occupied, and q
nors spacious and pletentiBus binding
is in process Of erection and being bu.-
ried TO the finish az fast as possible.
There are besides lnuumersble houses In
various Stages Of completion 9alttn his
trsot. charcoal furnace with capacity
If 60 tons per day il we'll under way. A
coke furnace will be built Just as soon as it
impossible TO get together lac matttial, an q
All electric plant will DO started al once.
A factory for making ice 10 also to bB
built before summer sets in aud plans
are being made for various other indus,
tries, including car wheel foundry, an
axle factory, and mill for manufacture
ing cotton goods.
The inpatus Riven to this town By thn
tnhuI OF Delaware na and the ibsEtl
employment of capital is astounding, I.
tsH sountry that responds most gener.
ously TO the fostering influence OF onui
taligtio development. II could not b.
othsTwi7s, happily located rs Il is. Fol
so miles in sithsr direction are inez.
haustinle stores Of iron ore 10 The nortl
and soutl superb tim6ar If almost every
variety and to tbs west is the finest cca
employed in working iron 10 Irarks.arit
nerohandise. The ciose proximity OF OIL
these commodities is a source OF wealtl
in itsslf. There are to-day two trunk
railways runriug their lines through
Piedmont. Over these nrs sEippBi III
the marketed mineral md forest wealth
OF Alabama industrial towns. Charter
have been granted four mora lines o.
raIlroa5 S, each oi which ID to run thtoags
Piedmont. This viii give the town ii,
best facilities for marketing her tjt9be
and iron nj the wholesome, 4.Imu!atiut
effects OF /. tive railroad c5llyet,tlon,
The nstIY6 Pisimontians aro BOT alog
to nov Appreciate the Advancement t5si
town has made Ia the past i've month";
aud they have taken M lie sni-it a
activity which uer:ug at4g ~ rythi4y
This is ranst prominently mauIt,st.t d
the valuation ii tg5ir ora uteu4sty.
farm Of 40 acres atioiripg tbi4 ueg,iy AZ
vsioping tract purcaasat fa a yeaf 400 IN
t25 p6r acre VIA bid in ~ tao ~ - q
VI cetass few 6ayg apo at St4J -D-y g,-
end il nov Lid Al 1tIl. A ,Fpal ,iu
Of land VIZ d lay sylG Dy 4 ~ i-lt d
$50 per fyng from, ynioh c-Ed G1v
been tonght a wear moo Tar the nrtre F.,
single foot. These ara uu. TN II