| From the Raleigh Standard |
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| February 12, 1862 |
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| Remarks of Mr. Manning, Of Chatham |
| In the Convention, upon the ordinance in relation to
the Chatham Coalfields Road |
| I trust, Mr. President, that the motion of
the delegate from New Hanover, to postpone indefinitely the
consideration of this ordinance will not prevail. If it is at all
important that there should be a connection by rail between the
coal-fields and iron mines on Deep River, and the N. C. Railroad, it
is of the utmost importance that it should be done at once. If there
is no coal and iron on Deep River, or if it is not found in sufficient
quantities to be of any service to the Confederate States and the
State of North Carolina, in this great struggle for our liberties and
independence, then reject this ordinance. |
| I look, Mr. President, upon this war, as
one of long duration -- a terrible struggle for existence between two
great and powerful nations. The South may have to pass through such a
war as Holland did, in her efforts to throw off the Spanish yoke; and
I trust she will meet it in the same spirit of constancy and calmness.
And, if we may judge of the character of this war from the proportions
which it has already assumed, and from the relentless and unflinching obstinacy
with which it has been persevered in, we must feel assured that it
will last for several years to come, and that we shall encounter
trials and dangers far more painful and imminent than any we have yet
endured. However this may be, it is certainly the part of prudence to
conduct this war, so far least, as the calling out the energies and
developing the resources of the State is concerned, as if it was to
last for years; and I expect to be able to show that the building of
this road is a necessity, which the Convention, having in charge the
liberties and property of the people of North Carolina, cannot
overlook. |
| In the first place, then, Mr. President,
are coal and iron to be found on Deep River in sufficient quantities
to be of service for any considerable length of time, and worth any
large expenditure of money? The deposits of coal and iron on Deep
River, have been known ever since the revolution of '76; for our
ancestors appointed Commissioners to take them in charge and work
them, but owing to the cost of transportation, they were, after a few
years, abandoned. This region has more recently been examined by Prof.
Johnston, Dr. Jackson, of Boston, Com. Wilkes, Prof. Emmons and Dr.
Mitchell, and they all concur in declaring it to be the richest
deposit of minerals known in any country. Dr. Mitchell at one time
entertained and expressed the opinion that the geological indices of a
regular coal basin did not appear in such form as to demonstrate that
the Deep River valley was a coal basin. But the sinking of the shaft
at Egypt, and the wonderful disclosures it made, convinced him that it
was a coal basin, and might confidently be relied on to furnish a
supply of coal and iron for ages to come. The coal basin has been
proved by actual boring to extend a distance of thirty miles in
length, and from 1 1/2 to 3 miles in width. The shaft at Egypt, the
slopes at Farmersville, and on the Taylor property, the pits at the
Gulf, Murchison's, and Foushee's, demonstrate the number and thickness
of the seams of coal and iron ore and their relative situation to each
other. The shaft at Egypt at the depth of 464 feet from the surface,
cuts a seam of coal six feet in thickness; next, a seam of black band
iron ore, of 16 inches; next, two feet of coal; next, 6 inches of
slate, 7 inches of coal, 3 feet of black band iron ore; next, 35 feet
of sand-stone or waste, then 3 feet of black band iron ore, one foot
of coal, and last, three feet of black band iron ore. The position of
these seams of coal and iron ore, in respect to each other, is the
most remarkable feature of this coal region; they are in
juxtaposition, and the same car brings to the surface both of these
minerals. And at Egypt, the facilities are such that a ton can be
raised every two minutes. I had the temerity, Mr. President, to
descend the Egypt shaft myself, and I have therefore seen what I state
with regard to the position of the coal and iron in that shaft. |
| I propose, now, in the second place, Mr.
President, to consider the quality and kind of the coal and iron ores.
The coal is bituminous of a high order, not equal to the Breckinridge
coal, says Dr. Emmons, in its volatile matters, but equal to it in its
combustible products; and the analysis of Dr. Jackson, of Boston,
shows that probably no coal is better for all the purposes for which
coal is employed. As an agent in the reduction of metals, and in
generating steam, the British coals do not exceed those on Deep River.
It burns briskly with a bright flame, and makes a light porous coke
which has been used by the smiths in the neighborhood for years, and
has been found to be more economical at 40 cts. per bushel than
charcoal at 5 cents. This coal has been proved by several experiments
made at the Manhattan Gas Works to be a most excellent gas coal. Of
course, Mr. President, what I have said as to the quality of the Deep
River coal, except so far as it is used in the smiths' shops and
grates, I have gathered from the reports of scientific men who have
tested it, and given to the world the results of their labors. |
| Now, as to the iron ores. I will remark,
in the first place, that these iron ores are co-extensive with and in
juxtaposition to the coal throughout the basin. the most important
ores of iron are the argillaceous, black-band, specular, magnetic and
hermatitic. The argillaceous is found in a bed from 5 to 6 feet thick,
and 70 feet above the first coal seam; the specular, you find six
miles from the Gulf, on the plank-road leading to Graham; the
magnetic, six miles further in the same direction; the hermatitic, at
what is known as Ore Hill, and the black-band throughout the whole
coal region. |
| Now, Mr. President, I ask, what is wanting
to bring this coal and iron into market? Nothing, Sir, but 30 miles of
railroad. Why not develop and give to the world this rich and
inexhaustible mine of wealth, and thus put our good old State in the
van of her Southern sisters? Coal and iron rule the world, and England
is mistress of the seas, because she has coal and iron both. Now, Mr.
President, is there not a pressing necessity for this road? Look at
the rolling-stock of our Railroads fast wearing out, unable to
transport more than half freight, and consequently utterly
unable to transport the government supplies, and the produce of the
farmer, who therefore, has no market except the Commissary and the
Quartermaster. |
| Mr. President, I tremble for the safety of
our gallant volunteers, if we do not speedily set to work to make
axles and wheels. We can no more fight this war without railroads,
than we can without men. Is there no necessity for this road, when
iron and steel have risen in price one hundred per cent. in the
market? Is there no necessity for this road, when our farmers do not
know where they are to replace their agricultural implements, now fast
wearing out? Is there no necessity, when Eastern Tennessee, from which
we derive nearly one-half of our present supply of iron, is threatened
by the enemy? The Confederate government is alive to the importance of
this subject, and is looking earnestly to Deep River for a supply of
iron, and to stimulate the development of that section, it has given
two large contracts to companies with liberal advances for the purpose
of making shot, shell and pig iron. Mr. President, I do hope,
therefore, that the motion of the delegate from New Hanover will not
prevail. I hear no objection made to the particular plan proposed in
this ordinance; it is not said by any one that the State will risk a
single dollar, of which both the principal and interest is not amply
secured. |
| Mr. President, I am proud of my State --
proud of her past history -- proud of her present position, proud of
the gallantry, honesty and modesty of her sons, and as she won the
first victory in this second war of independence, so I hope she will
be the first to encourage manufactures and arts, and the first to
prove her independence and sovereignty by raising her own coal and
manufacturing her own iron. |
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