The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-05-07
Its Industrial Prospects and
Possibilities
As Seen and Forecast by A Gentle
man Of Long Experience.

one Of thirty years ago, the other of
today. In that of thirty years ago,
the South was largely an agricultural
section; but in this of today, the
South is the necleus of any undevel-
oped industrial empire But to I'M
derstand thepresent conditio Jf our
undeveloped empire let us notice the
condition OF the States making the
South. These are North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkan.
sas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Florida, Virginia and Texas. These
eleven States make our lovely South
made SO at least by the rude hand Of
secession and countersigned ~ the
sword. The conditions and institu-
tions Of the aforesaid territory seemed
to the leaders OF the people antagonis-
tic to those of the North, but when
slavery was overthrow, it compelled
the South to look into new fields for
investment and enterprise. Either
by instinct or sagacity coupled to en-
ulation or imitation, the astute south.
ern minds sought to develop the nat
ural resources of her mines and Tor
ests in addition to the resuscitation of
her farming territory. To do this
industrial skill must be cultivated
capital must be invested in mines
machinery and railroads. Skilled
labor from the North and from Eu-
rope was sought, Consequently from
1860 to the present year, 1890, (four
years excepted) more solid advance
ment was made in southern develop
ment than had been made from 1900
to 1860; or for period of sixty years.
In order to do this the capital needed
and not in the hands of southern
men, must be solicited from the North
or Europe. With characteristic ener-
gy the people turned to their late foe
man and asked for help in time OF
need To that call noble and gen.
erous response was made and that
auspicous star, success once more,
blazed in our southern
skies. But let us sketch southern de-
velopment as it has actually occurred
In 1860, the only notoriety the South
had was in the production of cotton,
except this, Tennessee and Alabama
led all the other States in the produc-
ton of corn for that year. From the
election of Lincoln to 1865, nothing
was done because the brain and
Drawn of the South were engaged in
an unsuccessful contest. While this
time seems lost, yet it taught that
section how to use her vast resources
of brains and muscle as we'll as the
breadth Of her forest area and mine.-
al wealth. Then it formed the train
ing school OF her future industrial
leaders in the ca npaign that has fol-
lowed. From 1866 to 1869, formed
the period of reconstruction During
this period, the South was brooding
over the past, and striving to regain
her former political supremacy iii nat
ional affairs But while thus engaged
capital was seeking for Investment
and southern scions, fields for mental
activity, where they might lay the
| foundation for their fortunes for theii
generation. Then we might say that
from 1880 to 1890 is the period in
which the South has made the rapid
strides that have placed her near thC
vanguard IN the march for wealth
and power Then let this little sketch
serve as an introduction to what shall
follow in this article. Then we shall
particuarize each, tell what each
State produces in the main, and from
that, make our predictions In doing
this let us draw a line from the north
ern boundary OF Virginia, East ant
West, through the map OF the United
State. This being done, the indus
trial and political student can consid
or II larger area than before. BY dont
this we include the States Of Wesl
Virginia and Kentucky, when we say
"the new SOUTH" making Thirteen
States in the undeveloped empire
This territory is S27 ,2S5 miles square
and has, by the census oi1SS0, 1882,
1863 souls, or 776,363 more than one
fourth of the whole population of the
forty-eight States and territories o
the nation. From the whole we come
to each one of its parts.
First, we take Virginia with pop
ulation of ,512 ,565, and n territory o
1880 square miles. This State ha
marble quarries, ten sandstone quar-
ries, sixty-fve ship building establish
ments, 907 lumber mills with $9,434,
1853 worth Of manufactured lumber
1885 flour and grist mills with an an
ual production Of $40, 210270, Found
ry and machine shops worth 1861,
23l, Iron and steel products valued a
1855 800, cotton goods worth $l040
962, tanned leather worth 81, 0I,500
This will give grand total Of OIL
industries with capital invested to tn,
amount of$26 ,96S,990, and value 0
manufactured products of 1851, 7S1,
900. The productions of her zin,
mines are 10,44S tons The lates
iron and steel products are 1S2,32C
tons, lead, II 200 tons was dug in 1885,
the year of which we write. All OF thi
is surroun led by a golden circl
worth $4,000 and that circle is mad,
of her gold productions in 1882. Wha
brilliant star in our southern gal
axyl The brilliant generaliSt nigh
say, multiply this statistics by thir
teen and you will give us view O
the industrial South OF today. Thi