The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-03-25
The South and Its Industries.

louisville, March 24.-Therc is every
reason for persons who are interested in
the development Of the mineral districts
of Kentucky, the two Virginias, Tennessee
and Alabama to rejoice in. The. present
prospect. Every report of the census
bureau tends to confirm their confidence
in the vastness and value of the resources
of that district and the belief in speedy
and unparalleled activity. Many may
complain of the hardness of development;
but il should be remembered that at the
close Of the war there was little stock left
for the farmers Of the South; the railroads
were few and almost worthless for either
freight or passenger transportation, their
bridges having been destroyed their in
ferior iron rails worn and broken; the Ia
bor system had been revolutionized; there
was little money in circulation. and we
had in addition al the havoc and demon
alization of war to contend against. But
to go back no further than ten years the
census reports show that within that pc
Rod the short and dilapidated railroad
lines have been consolidated, steel rails
have been substituted for iron, road beds
have been improved, strong bridges built
rolling stock has been increased and the
mileage in the five States, viz, Georgia
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Ken.
lucky has increased from 5000 to over
10000. The number Of passengers have
increased from 300, 900 to ~, 800, 600; the
freight earnings from SIC, 100000 to $685.
600 900 per annum; the number of passen
GER cars from ga to 1900; the number Of
freight cars from 800 to 81 900, and the
total earnings of the roads from $50, 7OO,-
900 to $7l 100000. The output of iron
has reached from few hundred tons tc
9 ,O0O0 900 and coal to 2O,OO0,00O.
These additions and improvements IN
TRANSFORMATION have been made chiefly III
the direction Of the mineral regions and
to meet their present and prospective de-
mands for outlets. Previous to the de-
cade, commencing with 1850, railroads IN
the South sought the agricultural plains
and stunned the mountains; now they
seek the mountains rs the most profitable
field for production, and pay less regard
to agricultural tonnage. This tendency
will continue until every valley in the APP
palachian region is penetrated by the vast
systems that are now seeking mineral
tonnage, and henceforth there will be no
lack of transportation.
Sagacions managers like Milton Smith
and John Inman early appreciated the
value of this new field for railroad enter
prise and they have persistently pushed
the extension of5the systems under their
charge in the direction above named.
Another significant fact indicating the
new direction which the lines of traffic and
transportation have taken may be found
in the official report which shows TINT
nearly 5O% of.the exports of the United
States during the month Of November
1891 passed through Southern ports, not
including Any port on the Pacific Ocean
in the LIST. This proportion OF exports
viii be exceeded each sear until the sl,alk
of the vast product Of both grain and
minerals FROM gil points South OF Chicago
mud iriclading that viii 6ad I'm outlet
through the South Atlantic md Gulf cfan-
.neis. It,isnot generally kncHn that Chi
sage is seyeaty-fiye miles nearer Norfolk
shat il To New York, and that ST Louis.
ss two hundred miles nearer Savannah,
that fosihe same port. The salabriss Of