The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-02-22
East Tennessee.

up your tennessee trlpY We are anX-
ious to learn your Impressions" The
above lnterrogations and declarations
have been fired at the writer by good
many persons since our return from
East Tennessee. 1t is Hi evidence
that many people are interested in our
former letter to the Chronicle concern
Ing the section of country | wrote
about and are DESTROYS III hearing
more about 1t. Now, it is All easy
matter to visit strange section of
country, and quite another thing to
write correctly and inteIligently re.
garding it, and still another thing to
induce the reader 10 believe what is
written. So let it be und rstood, how
ever, at the outset, that the purpose OF
our visit was not to produce an incor.
rect estimate of the section seen. 1t
was to visit friends and form an intel
ligent and honest opinion of Johnson
City and its surroundings, and this
fact shall be kept in view to the end.
East Tennessee, or that section of
country known as the EASTERN division
OF the State OF Tennessee. comprises
thirty.three counties, and nearly all Of
the territory lies betwe. two vast
ranges of mountains, the Cumberland
mountains on the north and the
unaka ranges or Smoky mountains
on the south. As every student Of
geography 10 aware, these mountAin
ranges run from northeast TO south
west, Between these mighty noun
tains areOthersmaller ranges and be-.
tween various mountain ranges lie
broad aud fertile valleys, through
nearly all OF which broad rivers wind
their way southweSLwsrd, and Nil are
united into one magnf cent stream,
the Tennessee river, which is navigA-
BILE all the year. The general makeup
OF the country isrolIing and hilly. The
valleys, first and second bottom lands,
are doubtless more fertile and suscep
tihle to n greater variety OF sgricultu'
raj purposes than are the hills. The
valleys AMI table lands. II properly
cultivated, are capable VI producing
81 kinds Of cereals, grasses and vegs.
TALES in great abundance. while the
higher lands are especially adapted to
the growing OF fruits Of all kinds.
The great mountains are also possess
ed of almost unlimited wealth in the
form OF various minerals, cons sting
OF iron ores, mica. copper, zine, and
,ead silver and gold are found min.
gled with the ores OF zinc and lead
minerals are very abundant The
coal fields extend over great part oi
the country and are the most extern
sive in the Union. Only small por-
tion Of the vast coal fields and mineral
tends has yet been developed. East
Tennessee marble has already obtain.
ed national reputation the colors are
varied. When taking the marke:s
into consideration the resources of the
country, whether agricultural OF 9th.
erwIse, become an active factor in the
problem, and enter largely into its
satisfactory solution. 1t may be stated
IN brief that the markets of East Tn
nessee are good and improving 'arih'v
hv reason OF new lines of railroad he.
ing op med
The people are hoSpitahle aud in
tligent no man need fear u settle
IN East Tennessee, tie his pnllti ur
religious opinions one After th' Wal
ihi- vas not thu case III this S.,li "a
II tho country The Union N.'hpr>
ihru were cpntruIl' d by their passion
and prrjud c"s, and The excess" ma
were cOmmilt'd were very damaging
% the country A great many Con
" ,erate soldiers We're not permitted
10 return. and are in ,Xilr vet Bui
lti4 has largely disappeared, and T."
one need have any fear on that sub
iec'. met u great many suldirrs
ahuhad worn the blue and the gay,
Ill appearing to be~pxcrllrnt gentle.
men J0bu.un Civ il the home OF
General Wilder, All able Union gen.
eral, Major C"ntwell, Mr.. Taggart and
vari,ns other comrades; ~ the Con.
iederate side, Colonel Dickinson, al
Lide Mr. Berry and Others, and must
say the boys have their fnn in abusing
eacn uther about the chickens the
Union boys stole, and the wenche.
10th sides Rugged turing the Iste I'M
pip8Santness.
The general appearance Of the soil
to the northern man il not very in
citing at first sight Nearly all OF the
bottom land and much Of the hill
lands il OF reddish color, much re-
semb'ing the surface around oul
northern brick kins where burned
bricks have been crushed to dust, and
the Iowan going there would concI''de
the soil did not amount to much
Nerv little of the soil contains either
sand or gravel to any great extent. j
is more strictly red clay loan, nm
derlaid with strong red clay subs i.