Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-09-08
Tennessee Mineral Wealth.

wealth in her minerals yet unde-
veloped or in their infancy. We
have zinc in Jefferson, Union and
Claiborn counties and in Polk
county we have vast quantities of
copper, but this is the only coun-
ty in the state where copper has
been discovered.
Marble, Tennessee marble is
known all over the world. 1t is
found in Hawkins, Hancock,
Granger, Jefferson, Hambln,
Knox, Roane, McMinn, Loudon,
Blount, Monroe and Bradley
counties in East Tennessee and in
Franklin, Marry. Lincoln and
Henry in Middle and West Tenn
essee. This is the red and vari-
gated varieties and is not as fine
grade as the marble of East
Tennessee. Limestone is found
in all the counties of East and
Middle Tennessee in vast Quanti-
ties. Potsdam sandstone of the
lower Silurian age and sandstone
of the Carboniferous age are also
common in this state. The former
in the eastern division and the
latter in the east and middle divis-
ions of the State, both of which
are used much in building.
Dolomite suitable for basic lin
ing to converters, for the making
of steel are found all over the
valleys of East Tennessee also in
the wells and creek basins of
Stewart county. Hydraulic lime
stone is found in Hardin, Wayne,
Perry and Decatur counties of
this state and was very extensive
ly employed in making cement
before the war. 1t seems to have
been abandoned since the war,
for what reason we are unable to
say, perhaps it was not profit
able undertaking. Roofing states
in vast quantities is found in
Polk, McMinn, Monroe, Blount,
Sewer and Cooke counties of
East Tennessee. The largest de-
posts are at Telico Plains in
Monroe county and on the West
fork of Little Pigeon in Sewer
county.
Petoleum has been found in
quantities in Overton and Picket
counties, and promises of o good
supply on Jones creek in Dickson
county also in Cumberland, Fen
tress and Morgan counties.
In 1890 Tennessee had twedty
six furnaces in blast with a daily
capacity Of 1,S03 tons of pig iron,
of these twelve used charcoal and
fourteen coke as fuel. Two char.
coal and twelve coke furnaces
were located in East Tennessee
and ten charcoal and two coke
furnaces in Middle and West Ten.
nessee. The capacity of the II
charcoal furnaces was 423 tons
daily and the capacity of the four.
teen coke furnaces was 1880 tons
daily, East Tennessee produced
only thirteen tons of charcoal iron
while she turned out LIS tons oil
coke iron daily. Middle and West
Tennessee yielded 205 tons Of
coke iron and 40 tons of char.
coal iron daily. East Tennessee
produces about eighiy-siX per ct
of all coke iron manufactured in
the state, while Middle Tennessee
produces about ninety.seven pei
cent. of all the charcoal iron.
Tennessee produced more iron
in 1891 than in any year proceed.
ing that. The total production for
the state WAS 326,747 tons OF
2,000fb each, of this l,243 tons
was charcoal iron. The yield OF
1891 over 1890 was nine per cent
Since then all coke furnaces have
doubled their capacity and the
cost of manufacturing pig iron
has been reduced about fifty per
cent.
The Chattanooga District in.
cludes the counties of Hamilton,
Maron, Rhea, Roane and franklin,
and produced in 1891, 264, $3.50 tons