The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-05-22
ATKINSON ON THE SOUTH.
What the Great Statisticinn has to Si.I
About this Section as the Center OF
tie Manufacturing World.
Knoxville Tribunc.)

Hon. Edward Atkinson and distin-
gushed party of New England capitalists,
arrived in the city Monday afternoon,
over the X. g. O., and left Tuesday morn
ing for Chattanooga on No 3.
To reporter Mr.. Atkinson said: We
have visited Roanoke. Pocahontas, Mid
desborough, Big-Stonc Cap, and will 60
from here to Chattanooga, thence through
the Sequachee Valley and to Atlanta.
have been South before myself. and
have thought a great deal about it, but
the other members OF the party have not.
What think is this We are now just
about the center Of the future greatest
industrial enterprises on the face Of the
earth. You have everything, coal, iron,
timber, agriculture and various metals.
Your own danger is going too fast, that
is YOU try TO boom land too high and
build furnaces with not enough money to
operate them. This, however, while un-
fortunate for the few who undertake the
enterprises is beneficial to the masses,
for when factory is built il-One man
don't operate another will.
"If | had money enough to bald =
manufacturing and Industrial city this
would be NY plan: would not sell q foot
of land for five years. If business man
wanted to locate and engage in business
and wanted piece of property worth
81 900 | would give him his papers for the
property and take his notes for it payable
in five years would simply charge him
ground rental Of 500 per year for the
five wears and let him keep the s. GOO in
his business.
have said and repeat that to start on
the Potomac, run westward to point ON
the Ohio between Wheeling and Cincin
natl then turning south at right angles
with the Blue Grass region, following the
| western base of the Cumberland Noun
tains thence southwark to Birmingham;
thence eastward to point east OF Allan
| ia, thus entirely skipping the cotton belt;
! thence eastward along the base OF the
Allegheny mountains, across the Carroll
mas and Virginia, back to the starting
point, YOU have territory about as large
rs France and twice the size OF Great
Britain. The territory has an agriculture
as prolific az either France or Great
| Britain, anu mineral NcaitH much
greater than the two combined. And, sir,
there is no doubt in my mind that this
territory will lie the future great manu-
featuring and Industrial empire on earth
1--WE, of the east, have to compete with
you on this basis; you have al the natur-
al resources, that is coal, iron, timber.
metal and agriculture. We have neither,
but we have got men and money. We
propose coming South, combining our
men and money with your resources ard
starting your prosperity. When two
countries have as free and unrestricted in
terchange as do the North and South, the
prosperity of both is assured.
-"You have got land too high. Your
great trouble is going too fast.
''What you want now is good men,
more saving banks and homes owned by
mechanics. II has only been 4 short
time since the people of the South learn
ed the use Of pennies. ton vii! never
get rich until YOU come TO distinguish the
difference between IL nicklc and Il penny.
This is Il great country in resources, the
greatest on the earth, and when | say this
/ talk understandings for others. |
thoroughly comprehend its real magni-
fuda