The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-05-14
RICH EAST TENNESSEE,
The Heart of the Great SOuthern'Ap-
palachian Region.
A Future Gold Mme--A Beautiful
Land Filled with Wealth.

lhinu Eliltu Win Wtulths
Written for THE COMET by Col Geo. b. Cowlam.
The mountain country occupying
the center of the Southern States east
Of the Mississippi river comprises
about one hundred thousand square
miles, or one fifth of the total area of
those States, 1t is Il tongue of high
land, varying from less than one thous-
and to more than six thousand five
hundred feet above sea level, carrying
with it the modification and perfect
ion Of climate which its altitude sug-
gests, averaging about dSie hundred
and fifty miles in length, projected in
9. soltAeestSfiy dTection from1be bor-
ders of Pennsylvania aud NSland
through the Virginias, KentAby,
Tennessee and the Carolinas doGn
into Georgia and Alabama :,
A high and continuous valley-eyery
mile Of it historic ground-known in
different portions Of its length as the
Shenandoah Valley, the Valley of VT
ginia, the Valley of East TennesseeC
and Lookout valley-names which re.
call the great struggle which laid in
the enduring cement of patriotic blood
the solid foundations OF our perpet
ual union and nationality--holds the
center of the region from end to end
This valley is bordered with belts ol
iron ore, is filled in with lines, marb.
les and clays, is finely timbered, is
splendidly watered by innumerable
clear, swift flowing streams, is fertile
healthful, beautiful everywhere. The
great mountain ranges and plateauX
which form the northwestern side Of
this region comprise an unbroken Goa
field, heavily timbered. The high and
massive mountain chains which make
up the southern side of this mountain
country, are covered and crowned with
magnificent forests, are packed with
mineral wealth of nearly every kind
known to the arts or used in construc.
ton, and are full of fine water powers
Taken as a whole, no other region in
the civilized world, of like extent, can
at all compare with it in its founda
ton for sustaining in health, comfort
and prosperity, dense population
The extent and variety oiits resources
the natural advantages for their eco
nomical concentration and manufac
ture, afforded by the topography o
the country and the proximity of in
terdependent raw materials lying il
parallel strips,a climate healthful, ,blac
ing and enducing to labor, rich sol
in and around it to sustain the mil
lions who can be prOhtably employed
in mining, manufacturing and ex
changing its wealth, all combine t.
permit and compel the highest pos
sible local development, Its geogra
phical position is singularly command
ing for the most profitable and wide
spread exchange of its surplus. TIL,
southern Appalachian region is fielt
in which the now rapid and steadil,
increasing growth of wealth must no
only diversity and expand the agricul
ture Of the South, but upon which cal
be built that greater and magnificen
home market whose needs will ta
and whose exchanges will enrich tn
soil of the west and the industries Q
the east. From the Potomac to tn
Coosa, and from the Piedmont cour
try of Virginia and the Carolinas t
the Ohio valley this whole region
| awakening to a realization of its need
its wealth, its powers and its possibil
ties, not only to develop from its II
sources riches for itself, but to tax
the place for which nature has so mi
nifcently endowed 1.-THE head Of th
column in the march for solid, symme
rical material national progress. TIL
work well begun will grow faster an
faster day by day. 1t has made tha
good start which is half the battl
and as it grows the national stride ca
be heightened and changed to a quic
step throughout the procession.
The writer was one of party sevel
ty five thousand in number, who wei
: invited by Abraham Lincoln to loC
into certain conditions prevailing
the South, twenty-nine years ago III
work of that party, and of several 9th
larger squads, which were called in
assist as the task increased, was lon
hot and weary. But it made the peop
Of both sections acquainted, and, o
Of that rough acquaintance has con
mutual respect and fraternity 1t ga
u knowledge Of the resources al
needs of our land and the powers
our people, and it saved to the Repu
lie, with clear title, the fairest al
richest portion of the national domai
wherein for everyone who fought
}. arms a hundred may now work safe
and proftably in peace. From tn
early boyhood day until now, my wo
has made me more or less famili
with the mountainous portions of t
Southern States. For the last h
dozen years the carrying on of railro
surveys and reconnoisances, the stu
OF the work of engineers and expe
since the war, the examination of t
vast bodies OF mountain lands a
other labor, incidental to an endeaN
to acquire accurate and minute as W
= as comnrehensiye and general ltn(