Evening star., 1934-02-12

tapped. but which is being studied
intensively-that of mining 1t is
estimated that 80 per cent OF all the
known minerals in the world are
represented in North Carolina. most
of them in the mountains. The actual
wealth Is unknown. Development in
the past has been largely on paper,
in the form Of stock speculations, with
very little actual pick-and-shovel
work.
Great Industrial Possibility.
Then comes the valley of East Ten
nessee. It is a part OF the great APP
palachian Valley which extends, al
most unbroken, from the St. Lawrence
to Central Alabama. Here, with cheap
electricity, is the possibility for de-
velopment of a great industrial region.
Already there has been considerable
progress in this direction with the old
industrial cities of Knoxville and
Chattanooga and such new industrial
centerS as KingSport and Elizabeth
ton. On the western border Is the
so-caIled Cumberland escarpment with
high-grade coal in continuous strata
from Chattanooga into southwest VIZ
ginia. This. together with the Ken
lucky coal fields. gives reserve of
almost so 900. 900 900 tons of coal. 1t
is estimated, within easy reach OF the
region. Added TO this is the approx
imately 100000 horsepower OF cleo
tricity available from the streams. 1t
is described as by far the greatest
power region in the South. which
should become one of the greatest in
dustrial areas in the United States
with the development of its electrical
resources. 1t started olt to be. 6O
years ago. During the 7Os and
sos there were from one to nVe
iron works in every city in the valley.
The iron industry, with charcoal as
the fuel. began in fact shortly after
the arrival of the earliest settlers
But it never has developed according
to its early promise. At present there
are wide variety of industries
through the region-knitting spinning
and weaving mills. big rayon plants
paint and lead works. one OF the larg-
est aluminium plants in America, and
a number Of others.
The Tennessee Valley Authority con-
fidently expects the industrial develop
ment-but it is to be an ordered ana
controlled development. 1t constitutes
one of the most delicate problems
of the whole project. 1t must be
brought about without disturbing the
industrial balance elsewhere and II
must be kept in orderly proportion
to the needs of the population.
Rich in Coal and Iron.
Next comes the westward turn OF
the river as it cuts marrow gorge
through the Cumberland Plateau-a
land of abundant coal and iron re-
sources which one geologist descrloeo
as the greatest potential natural gas
field in America. 1t is not looked
upon as offering very great agricul-
tural or industrial prospects.
Next comes the great Alabama val
lev centering around Muscle Shoais'
Agriculturally, 1t is rich cotton coun-
try, although much OF the lana mas
been impoverished by erosion ana lack
of crop rotation, together with the
unwillingness or inability OF the small
farmers to invest in fertilizer. Here
is the possibility of enormous indus.
trial expansion with the coming Oh
unlimited power. There is little liKe.
lihood it should be emphasized that
this industry will center at any one
place. The ease Of power transmls-
sion renders this unnecessary. 1nous-
trial towns no longer will hug the
river The Tennessee Valley Authority
is not laying the foundations 1or any
new PittsburghS or Chicago.
(Copyrisht. 1884. by the Washington star3