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BUSINESSMEN ADVOCATE RIVER WORK
CITY NATIONAL BANK.
City National Bank. (W. S.
Shields, president; E. P.
Haynes, vice-president; W.
T. Marfield, cashier; R. E.
Mooney, assistant cashier.)
Bankers. Knoxville.
W. R Shields, president of the City
National bank, said:
“I am In favor of the Improve
ment of the Tennessee river and its
tributaries. I hope to poo It ac
compilfched at an early date. rt
would prove of great value to Knox
ville and East Tennessee. Even if
It did nothing more than regulate
freight rates, aa if. would surely do,
it would save many thousands of
dollars to Knoxville yearly. Then
the advantages the lumber, marble,
slate and many other Interests
would gain from an open river are
innumerable. I know of grain and
other interests that are forced to
store and hold their purchase and
await a rise in the river that will
enable them to move the products.
To carry on their business, they
must go to their hanks and pay
Interest on a loan. If we had a
navigable river the entire year,
this would not occur.
“it would enrich the people of
East to such an extent
that in the way of increased^! a x*s
and r* venues the government would
find It a profitable Investment. I
know of no movement, of so much
Importance to the manufacturers,
the merchants, the farmers and the
public in general as the river Im
provement.”
WHITTLE-SPENCE TRUNK CO.
Whlttle-Spence Trunk Company.
Wholesale trunk and bag
manufacturers. Factory,
Central market building. Of
fice and salesrooms 305 Gay
street, Knoxville.
Col. Carey F. Spence, president of
the Whlttle-Spence Company, when
asked for his opinion as to the im
provement of the Tennessee river
eakl:
*T am for Knoxville, first, last
and always, arid I believe the Im
provement of the river would do
more for the e.ity of Knoxville than
anything else could possibly do.
Congress has certainly not yet been
shown the necessity for the im
provement of the Tennessee river
to the business Interests. When it
fully understands how Important an
open river is for the bind ness wel
fare and progress of our city, I
believe it will readily meet nil
reasonable demands made upon the
treasury. When we can g**t an ap
propriation annually for this work
commensurate with Its importance,
one will soon see an awakening ac
tivity all along the line and Knox
ville will then hike her place in the
world as one of the first manufac
turing cities of the United States.
By every legitimate means urge the
government to give us a navigable
stage of water 365 days in the year.
Then watch us grow.”
EVANS MARBLE COMPANY.
Evans Marble Company. (W. H.
Evans, president; J. E. Wil
lard, superintendent.) Mar
ble producers. Knoxville and
Baltimore.
Tn a recent Interview J. Tv Wil
lard, of the Evans Marble company,
expresses himself as being ardently
In favor of the movement to Im
prove the Tennessee river and Its
tributaries to a navigable stage 365
days In the year. He further said:
"We use the river considerably,
even Tn Its present condition, but
from four to six months In the year
we find It very Inconvenient owing
to the uncertainty of navigation. As
to Its being practicable, there Is no
question. We have only to point
to the Ohio river, with less water
than the Tennessee, to show what
the Improvement of the stream with
locks and dams has done for Its
territory. What we want Is a lock
and dam system constructed on the
upper Tennessee, that will furnish a
stage of water from four to five
feet from Knoxville to Chattanoo
ga at nil seasons of the year. The
bed of the river Is solid anl any
Improvements made will 1 • perma
nent. I learn from good authority
that a ten-foot dam placed at the
Head of liponey’s Island Mould give
from four to five feet of water ns far
up the llolston river as Cnsw. 11
Btatlon, and up the Fren*h Hrond
to Rlverdale. (>n the Tennessee
look and dam system M'ould furnish
n three to five foot stage for at
least fifteen miles. These Improve
ments would Insure i three foot
Stage to Chattanooga, p’aelng us on
a footing with ’hntt ■ -. or a as to
freight r iles The !:tt >’ r vfivnn
boats Mould e. !V * Up t > Know-file
and we moul 1 ha\ i thi •
of boats to St. I
points and local st.-amboatmen
would keep ahr east with the times.
The contract ays* in. with
prlatlons large enough to n. <m
plish something that would be per
manent. Is the only method by
which we can make at y progress.
I hope to see congr. ss mke u: <nir
cause and give the upp- rTv - •
the consideration to whhh : is :
Justly entitled, and v th* y do
this we will surely get what we
need and want.” 1
KNOXVILLE NURSERY CO.
Knoxville Nursery Company. (N.
W. Hale, president.) Knox
ville.
N. W. Hale, president of the
Knoxville Nursery Company, said
as to the Improvement of the Ten
nessee river:
*T want to say that I am most
heartily in favor of the movement.
I do not know of anythin*? of more
Importance to the entire south than
the improvement of the river. TO very
business Infer'-vt would be bene
fited indirectly if not dirrctly. Every
<>■ would f< • 1 the result of this
improvement by the Influx of capi
tal that would f! . to the various
; dions of the so jth in the way of
developments, manufacturing and
investin' nfs reuniting from an oj < n
waterway tlia? would Rive uh acc(, s
to the noriliw :f and far south and
on the line to the ' 1 t and far en.s!-
ern countrif-M This could f'v. 1
broad field for the marketing' of our
products. Put me down ;.s 1 ■>!l
- y in favor of the movement.”
J. T. POWERS & SON.
J. T. Powers & Son. (J. T. Pow
ers and L. T. Powers.) Brick
contractors. Knoxville.
Jj. (\ Powers, of J. T. Powers ft
Son, w b'-ri asked to express his
views upon the improvement of the
river, said:
“We are certainly in favor of the
improvement. W feel that it is
n i.ni'li needed improvement, per
haps more so than the general pub
lic can com ive. h would benefit
every line of business In East Ten
nessee. We are now paying one
third more for feed for our sto r k
than we would if our river was nav
igable at all seasons. The supply of
ft e.i and hay comes largely from
a section, the product of which only
the river can handle to advantage.
The improvement of the river will
be of vital Importance in the build
ing up of Knoxville's commerce,
opening up new fields for Invest
ment that would readily follow
where cheap transportation goes.
We are surely entitled to nil the
consideration we sk at the hands
of the government, and we trust
that this congress will act prompt
ly and in our favor.**
COWAN, McCLUNG A CO.
Cowan, McClung & Cos. Whole
sale dry goods and notions.
C. J. McClung. of Cowan, McClung
ft Cos., Is very enthusiastic on the
subject r*f the Improvement of the
Terinepsoe liver and its tributaries.
Recently he expressed himself as
follows:
"I know of no movement one-half
as important to the southern states
ms the improvement of rivers of the
states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Vir
ginia, Alabama and Georgia. In
fa< t. the entire south should be
vitally Interested, for all southern
states would be greatly benefited.
II the* Tennessee river had been lo
cated In Ohio, Pennsylvania or New
Vork state, it would have been open
to navigation 40 years ago. We are
located itt a mountainous country
where our natural resources are un
limited. Wo have iron, zinc, copper,
slut*- marble, lumber and many oth
er products of nature that cannot be
worked and marketed with profit
without the use of river trans
portation. Give us twenty-live mil
lion dollars, spent in yearly install
ments in sums sufficiently large to
enable us to accomplish something,
and we would soon have the great
est river traffic in the Unit'd States.
We need to av aken our sister states
and their representatives to tire
importance of this movement, they
do not seem to realize what it
means to the south. There is one
point to which I want to call at
tention, and that is that our Ten
nessee riv* r Is mostly a rock bot
tom and when oik e it is cleared and
opened, it will stay that way for
ever. Most other rivers throughout
the country have shifting sandy
bottoms and conli.uu.tliy need clean
ing to keep them in a navigable
state.
“Our natural resources do not
need quick transportation, but they
do need cheap transportation Ik",
days m ti e year, to handle them with
profit. The world needs wh l we
have and we will find a ready market
f<>r all the products of this East
Tennessee country. The United
States government would reap a re
ward forty times the value spent.
What we want is to bring the value
und necessity of this improvement
forcibly before tin* iim,
of th*> various southern states, and
insist upon them giving their best
efforts to secure this improvement
that means so much to the south.”
IMPERIAL HOTEL.
Imperial Hotel. (R. W. Farr,
manager.) Knoxville.
K. W. Farr, manager of the Im
pel . . I hol'd, said :
' I have not given the improve
ment Of the tiv r tie* thought that
I feel sure it should have from ev
ery business man in Knoxville.
Therefore, I c m only sj • ak in a
general way. 1 am, of course, in
favor of the movement to improve
not only the Trim* sv*-*e, but its trib
utaries to a J 1 \ . *. 1 1 > 1 <• stage, and I
can readily roe the import.thee an
open liver would be to our city. I
strongly advo no this movement
for the homo cud glory of Knox-
BENTON M'MILLIN'S VIEWS.
Kx-CJov. I’-niton McMiltln writes:
Nashville. Tenn.. iVt. 20. 1903.
1 r i\ .a <lii t the invitation to ; tteml the convention of the Tennessee River Improvement association, October 22, and had fully determine
* to .• • I v\ v t uni .••; nvo\ . ? a. i>y attend;. ., <• ,i tilt.' funeral of my predecessor as governor. Judge Turnej’.
1 tf h rt ai ili you in nuir movem tit. an 1 regard it as of the highest Importance. I believe in river and harbor improvements by
th g Thi- work cannot possibly b done by the states Many of the rivers flow through different states and concert action can
i•’ bo ti \\ h ‘al t s.; .ivm it the money were obtainable through state sources. Besides, our navigable rivers are, under our con
s,htite 1 : * v u- iur sdie• hn the federal government. Our waterways afford, first, the cheapest possible means of transportation for
,1! ' ■>' g "u; • : ily. tln y are free. and th fore not subject to such * mbinations and monopoly as are possible where the means of
it "sj 1 by i \ .to ownerslve The government has expended b tween one and two hundred millions of money and two million
land ’ in \ subsidizing railroads which they do not own or c mtrol. The only competitors that it can aid In giving cheap competi
-1 -i " :*• >' u . The giving of cheap transp atation has been important to our people at nil times. Its importance will Increase as our
i ’id on ba i d.aise and out induct *s metv extended. The Importance of Improving the Mississippi and its tributaries will be increased
by the constrin of tb- isthmian canal, which will and should b constiueted at an early date.
1 ' ’l > 'o if - b but \vh •' t: u r tb- r person all > or not. 1 will be with you In heart and stand ready In the future, as I have stood In the
past * la-ip by . . \v imate means the Improvement not only of the Tennessee, but the other tributaries of the Mississippi.
Wishing you great success. I am BENTON McMILLIN.
BROOKSIDE COTTON MILLS.
Brookside Cotton Mills. (James
Maynard, president; W. 8.
Mead, secretary and treas
urer; W. T. Lang, agent.)
Ccttcn manufacturers. Knox
ville.
James Maynard, president of the
Brooks: • < niton Mills, when ap
proach'd on the subject of the im
prove!' cut of the Tennessee river
and its tributaries, said:
"You if ay put me down as being
most heartily in favor of the move
-110 at. It. would certainly prove
most advantageous to Knoxville,
East Tennessee ami to the states
bordering on the river. It appears
to me that the one item, the marble
irip • ; of East Tennessee alone,
would Justify the improvement.
Take the lumber, slate, zinc, iron
and coal, with which East Tennes
see abounds. There is grain, hay,
corn and live stock of all kinds that
could be moved by cheap water
transportation to our southern mar
kets. The same boats and barges
would bring us cotton for our cot
ton mills. Produce of all kinds
would find a ready local market
where now a very large percentage
of it is lost for lack of transporta
tion. Low water comes Just at the
season when most produce is ready
for the market. The more bulky
freight or raw material would find
an unlimited market in New Or
-1 uns, and in the far eastern coun
tries by way of the Panama canal
which now seems to be almost an
assured fact. And so one could go
on naming advantage upon advan
tage that would accrue to our mer
chants, our manufacturers and our
farmers throughout the upper Ten
nessee territory and then the half
would not be told. In short, the
value of the improvements needed
are inestimable. I hope at an early
date to see congress take up the
question and decide favorably as to
our needs and demands.”
KNOXVILLE TRACTION CO.
Knoxville Traction Company. (R.
Lancaster Williams, presi
dent; E. L. Bemls, vice-presi
dent; W. S. Shields, secre
tary and treasurer; C. H.
Harvey, general manager.)
Owners and operators of
street railway system, Knox
ville.
When asked If he was in favor
of Improving the Tennessee river
and its tributaries, and if he
thought It would be of any benefit
to Knoxville, C. H. Harvey, general
manager hf the Knoxville Traction
company, expressed himself as be
ing heartily In favor of the move
imfit. lie said:
"Of course, we are very much In
terested in any movement that will
advance the interest of and build
ur- the city. We firmly believe in a
great future for Knoxville and feel
that this movement means much
toward that end. I can readily see
the many advantages to be gained
bv river transportation. Manufac
turers will locate where they can
get cheap transportation for both
raw material and the finished pro
du< t, An open river the year round
would offer every inducement to
manufacturers to locate here, and
there Is no doubt In my mind but
that many would seek to locate
here, and In a few years Knoxville
would be a city of 100,000 with all
these possibilities realized or in
view. You can safely say T am in
harmony with the movement.”
KNOXVILLE BRICK COMPANY.
Knoxville Brick Company. (MaJ.
D. A. Carpenter, president.)
Empire building, Knoxville.
Major D. A. Carpenter, president
of the Knoxville Brick Company,
when 3(**n at his office In reference
to the necessity of improving the
Tonmssoe river and its tributaries
to a navigable stage of water 365
days in the year, expressed himself
as being ardently in favor of such
1 r v. :.,i a:> a* are needed to give
Knoxville the benefit of an open
river for the navigation of steam
boats and barges and that would
furnish to the business Interests the
means* of cheap transportation. He
believes it would prove beneficial
In buil’ing up all interests, not
only Knoxville but throughout
Fast Tennessee as well.
HOUSE "ft" BURWELL.
House & Burwell. (Thomas
O'Conner House and John S.
Burwell.) General Insur
ance agents. Empire build
ing, Knoxville.
Thomas O’C. House, speaking
for the insurance firm of House &
Iturwcll, said:
*T think the Improving of the
Tennessee river to a navigable
stream 365 days In the year Is
something which we heartily favor.
Although we are not shippers of
merchandise, we deal with those
who are shippers, and we would un
doubtedly feel the effect of the
Improvement In our dealings with,
the merchant and manufacturer.
And, too, we believe In a 'Greater
Knoxville and are In favor of any
improvement that would advance
the Interests of our city. We cer
tainly think that an open river 365
days in the year would build up the
business Interests of Knoxville.”
ARNOLD, HENEGAR, DOYLE.
Arnold, Henegar, Doyle & Cos.
(M. D. Arnold, Edward Hen
egar, J. S. Doyle, J. E. Doo
ley.) Wholesale boots and
shoes, Knoxville.
“Mr. D. Arnold, when approached
on the subject of Improvements
desired for th Tennessee river and
its tributaries, said.
“I am in favor of Improving the
river say to five *eet of water all
the year nroy With that
much water river M'e could
depend upon ffilar movements of
steamboats trat would ply the
river carrying freight This
would put us on the same footing
as Nashville and many other points
in the way of freight rates, and
that means a saving of thousands of
dollars each year to the merchants
of Knoxville. We certainly need
the Improvements and if we can
bring congress to see and under
stand what the Improvement of the
river means to Knoxville, East Ten
nessee end the entire south, It will
act In our favor. Concerted action
and fight to the finish will in the
end win for us this much ne<eded
Improvement.”
HAYNES, HENSON & CO.
Haynes, Henson & Cos. (J. P.
Haynes, J. A. Henson, Frank
Preston.) Wholesale boots
and shoes, Knoxville.
*'l. P. Haynes, of Haynes, Hen
derson & Cos., said In a recent talk
upon the subject of river Improve
ment:
“I am earnestly in favor of all
river improvement, and especially
for the upper Tennessee and Its
tributaries. But the only way I can
see that M'e will ever get the ap
propriation we people of East Ten
nessee are so much entitled to Is
by a concerted action that will
show to congress that we need and
want and must have these Improve
ments. We use the river in making
shipments of goods whenever we
can do so. but In its present con
dition it Is so uncertain that we
cannot depend upon it six months
in the year. We could use It every
day to advantage If It M’as navi
gable 365 days In the year. The
benefits Knoxville would derive
from an open river are Incalculable.
In regulating freight rates it would
mean a saving of thousands of dol
lars each year to the business men
of Knoxville. We must keep up
the fight for what -we are so justly
entitled to until we secure for the
upper Tennessee an appropriation
worthy of our needs.”
T. T. ADAMS.
T. T. Adams. Wholesale hard
wood lumber and soft yellow
poplar. Greeneville Tenn.
Concerning the river, Mr. Adams
writes:
*‘l really think this end of the
state Is entitled to some consider
able expenditure in putting the
Tennessee river In condition for the
transportation of the vast quantity
of timber In this section of coun
try. It is generally conceded by
all parties who are in a position to
know the facta In the case that
the mountain section of this coun
try Is the last stronghold of the
beautiful yellow poplar timber,
and there is also an almost Inex
haustible supply of oak, white pine,
hemlock and other valuable timber
that Mould add to the resources of
this state if there was some atten
tion given to cleaning out llie bed
of the river so that the
timber could.gotten down It and
handled to an fid vantage. Such an
improvement ti the Mater course
would largely facilitate the hand
ling of timber In this section of
country and would be the means of
bringing large Industries Into this
section In the way of wagon, chair
and furniture factories. I know
of better location for such enter
prises, since they could get the
raw mat rial, thereby securing a
b.-.sis of supply at a price that
Mould make It attractive to any
large organization of the above
named kind. East Tennessee has
bt on very much neglected and I
think It very creditable on Tho
FmtlneTs part to attempt to bring
about such action as you Indicate.
If you wish any further Informa
tion from me, or If I can be of any
further service to you, please bear
it in mind that you can command
me at any time.”
SAXTON LUMBER COMPANY.
6axton & Company, Limited. Ex
porters of lumber and logs.
Knoxville, Memphis and
Nashville, Tenn., U. S. A.,
liverpool and London, Eng
land.
Saxton & Company, Limited, ex
porters of lumber and logs, Knox
ville, Memphis and Nashville,
Tenn., U. S'. A., Liverpool,
and London, England.
"We are very much interested In
the river Improvement Mork and
anything that will be for the bene
fit and advancement of Knoxville.
We have a river furnished by nature
for our use, and we should not rest
until we can see It In proper shape
to be used every day in the year.
The river Rhine had as many shoals
as the Tennessee, still it has been
Improved until It is one of the best
and most useful M'aterM'ays In the
world. The river Rhine Is alive at
all times with vessels of every de
scription taxed to their utmost ca
pacity. Why, at the town of Man
heart one would think he was at a
large seaport city Instead of an in
land town, so great is the business
done there by the river since Its
improvement. What has been done
for the river Rhine is not only pos
sible but practicable for the Ten
nessee. We are buyers of large
quantities of lumber up the Tennes
see and Its tributaries, and often
are compelled to ship it a round
about M*ay to get it to our plant. This
is at additional cost In freight, and
It Is often the case we refuse to
purchase In some sections on ac
count of the uncertainty of tho
river. If we had a navigable river
865 days In the year It would not
only be advantageous to us, but
profitable to the timber Interests
throughout East Tennessee.”
D. M. ROSE & CO.
D. M. Rose & Cos. Lumber deal
ers and manufactures. Knox
ville.
D. M. Rose Is quite enthusiastic
upon the subject of improving the
river. He said:
‘‘"We use the river In its present
condition only for bringing down
logs, but if it M-as navigable all
the year, we could use it to ad
vantage In shipping lumber. Chat
tanooga show's the current of busi
ness that can be done on the river,
from the improvement that has
been made below that point. It
would regulate freight rates and
give Knoxville the same advantage
that Chattanooga and Nashville en
joy. The natural resources of East
Tennessee, such as Iron, zinc, slate,
marble, lumber, etc., are abundant
and cheap w’ater transportation to
move this raw material M’ould justi
fy the government for any expendi
ture made In opening the upper
Tennessee and its tributaries. Tho
opening of the Panama canal which
now seems to be an assured fact,
will improve the value of every
navigable river In the middle west
and will furnish through water
transportation for our natural re
sources. Knoxville would derive
untold benefits, in saving thousands
of dollars in freight rates to her
merchants and manufacturers, and
In bringing capital to this vicinity
to develop our minerals. It would
be an Inducement to manufacturers
to locate here; would build up our
city and its business Interests in
every line of trade. New life and
activity would be displayed on
every hand. A lock and dam sys
tem would furnish the means of
power and In a few years the banks
of the river M'ould be lined with
manufactories of various kinds. By
all means let us have a navigable
river 365 days in the year. It will
prove a good investment for the
government.”
S. B. NEWMAN & CO.
S. B. Newman & Cos. (S. B. New
man and W. S. Teall.) Print
ers and book binders. Knox
ville.
W. S. Teal, of this firm, said:
"I am certainly in favor of im
proving the river and its tributaries
to a navigable stage the entire year.
The more railroads M'e have, the
better it will be for Knoxville mer
chants. We need the railroads and
we need river transportation just
as we need railroads. An open river
gives an additional means of trans
portation that would regulate
freight rates to the extent of sav
ing many thousands of dollars year
ly to our shippers. It would bring
to the market of Knoxville great
quantities of produce that are now,
for lack of transportation, lost to
us.. It would open up a territory
rich In minerals of all kinds, that
require cheap transportation to
Justify them being worked with pro
fit to the investor. It would prove
a good investment for the United
States government and I think it
should be done on the contract sys
tem of yearly appropriations. I
am sure every business man In
Knoxville realizes the urgent ne
cessity of this improvement, and
the advantages that "will accrue to
the entire business community. We
should urge congress to grant us
that consideration and relief to
which we are so justly entitled.”
HENRY FONDE.
Henry Fonde, general agent of
Southern railway, president
of Knoxville & Ohio railway,
Knoxville.
Henry Fonde, v/hen approached
on the subject of the improvement
of the Tennessee river and its trib
utaries. said:
“I am ardently in favor of im
proving any river, and especially
do I favor improvement of the
Tennessee river. It would undoubt
edly prove a great benefit in many
ways, and to many people located
along Its banks through the states
in which the river flows on its
w'ay to the Ohio.
"I am in favor of the government
improving the rivers M’ith the lock
and darn system, such as is in use
upon the Ohio. It it the only M'ay,
and should be dona on contract
system of appropriating a suffi
ciency of money each year to ac
complish something. The small
sums that have heretofore been ap
propriated were scarcely large
enough to keeps things In repair.
They have permitted little Improve
ment or achievement in the work.
Railroads are not in opposition to
river improvements 1 , for they ap
preciate the value of rivers as feed
ers to a railroad, and they will
share in the benefits of river im
provements as wilt every business
interest in the state.”
W. H. D. STEWART.
W. H. D. Stewart. Livery and
sales stables. Knoxville.
“Put me down as in favor of an
open river all the year round,” said
W. H. D. Stewart.
The advantages M’e would derive
from the improvement of the Ten
nessee river are untold. It appears
to me that the people of Knoxville
do not know the advantage we have
ever other cities. Here are a few
as I see them: Location about the
center of the United States; climate
unsurpassed; resources, coal, iron,
lumber, marble, slate, zinc and
other natural products of the soil; in
fact, everything that produces
wealth. It will not be long until we
will discover oil. What more do we
want to make a great city? We
want to see the river alive with
steamboats every day in the year.
There can be nothing of more im
portance to East Tennessee than
the improvement of the and
its tributaries. This would relievo
the congestion of freight that has
been a source of trouble to the
shippers. It would regulate freight
rates, induce manufacturing indus
tries of every description to locate
here and along the river that would
use our raw' materials and bring in
creased wealth and prosperity to the
entire Tennessee valley. Let us
awake and be doing and not rest
until M’e have M'hat nature intended
w’e should have — a navigable river
from its source to Paducah all the
year round. I am strongly in favor
of this movement and believe we
are entitled to all we ask of con
gress, and that we should not be
satisfied until M'e get all that we
need.”
W. J. FITZGERALD & CO.
W. J. Fitzgerald & Cos., Brokers.
(Representing the O’Dell
Commission company,of Cin
cinnati.) Empire Building,
Knoxville.
W. J. Fitzgerald, M'ho represents
the O’Dell company, of Cincinnati,
M'hich has branch offices from To
ronto, Can., to New Orleans, was re
quested to give his views on the
Improvement of the Tennessee river.
He said:
“I am heartily In favor of the
movement and I can readily see the
advantages to be gained for Knox
ville In having a navigable river 363
days in the year. Knoxville M'ould
grow rapidly In both business and
population, for with the advantages
of river transportation, in addition
to the increased railroad facilities,
many new industries would seek to
locate here. Put me doM'n as being
earnestly in favor of any move
ment to advance the interests of
Knoxville.”
SOUTHERN OAK EXTRACT CO.
Southern Oak Extract Company.
(George Oberne, president;
George N. Oberne, vice-presi
dent; John E. Oberne, treas
urer and general manager;
William J. Oberne, secreta
ry.) Manufacturers of tan
ning extracts. Knoxville
and Chicago.
George Oberne, president of this
company, said:
“I am in favor of river Improve
ment. I think It w'ould be a bene
fit to the general business interests
of Knoxville.
‘‘Compare the improved water
ways of Europe and the immense
tonnage of freight they carry to
ours. The money spent on the
European rivers has proved a profit
able investment for the government.
M’e use great quantities of bark,
and the improved river would un
doubtedly prove a benefit to us.
We could then get bark from vari
ous points along the river at loss
expense than now. We use the
railroad altogether now, but M'e
realize the advantage an open
river M'ould be to the general pub
lic. We heartily endorse the move
ment.”
EAST TENN. BREWING CO.
East Tennessee Brewing Compa
ny. (A. C. Cochran, presi
dent; E. B. Cochran, secre
tary; J. M. Cochran, treasur
er.) Manufacturers of bot
tled and draught beer. Knox
ville.
In a recent Interview, A. G. Coch
ran, president of the East Tennes
see Brewing company, said:
“I am most heartily in favor of the
improvement of the Tennessee river
and its tributaries. It means more
to Knoxville and the entire south
than we manufacturers In East
Tennessee can estimate. Knoxville
has great prospects for development.
Having within the year come from
the middle east, perhaps I can more
readily see the advantages of river
improvements needed here than if
I M’as native born. We have only to
look at the improvements made on
the Monongahela and Alleghany
rivers in the last few years to real
ize the advantage we would gain
by the Improvements on the Ten
nessee. It means that freight rates
will be regulated. Both banks would
would be lined with large manufac
turing plants. Cities, towns and
villages would team -with activity.
It means nen' outlets for our coajj
lumber, marble, slate and all raw
materials -with which East Ten
nessee abounds. We do not use the
river to ship our goods at present,
because it is miserable in its pres
ent stage, but give us a navigable
stream and M'e can use it to advan
tage. Our business is growing rap
idly and M’e could reach every tow T n
on the river. By all means let us
demand, and if needs be, fight for
the improvement of this waterway
that nature has laid at our very
doors.”
J. ALLEN SMITH & CO.
J. Allen Smith & Cos., Incorpora
ted. (J. Allen Smith, presi
dent; H. R. Goforth, secreta
ry and treasurer.) Owners of
KnoxvilleCJty mills,manufac
turers of flour, meal and feed.
Daily output 1,000 barrels of
flour, 2,000 bushels of meal.
Knoxville.
H. R. Goforth, secretary treasurer
of J. Allen Smith ft Cos., the Knox
ville City Mills, one of the largest
industries of Knoxvile, and the
largest buj'ers of grain in East
Tennessee, when asked his opin
ion on the improvement of the
Tennesse river, said:
"We are vitally interested In this
movement to improve the river,
for its present condition is very
unsatisfactory and unreliable. We
are large buyers of grain up the
river and are often compelled to
store our grain and await a rise in
the river to bring It to our mills, as
the river is practically the only
means of transportation we have
from the upper section. Prices of
ten change before we can realize
on the grain M'e have purchased
and are forced to store at various
points to await a rise in the river
M*hen it can he moved. This often
causes us to sustain heavy losses.
Thus you can see M'e are heartily
in favor cf a navigable river every
day in the year. Taking a broader
view of the subject, the improve
ment of the river means much to
our city, and the M’hole Tennessee
valley. It would furnish us cheap
transportation for our raw ma
terials, which are needed and are
in demand throughout the entire
country. To market our lumber
and marble alone through river
transportation M'ould justify any
expenditure the improvement M’ould
cost, and in a short time would re
pay the government. Our needs for
an open river are certainly worthy
cf consideration, and every effort
should be put forth to advance this
most important movement.”
R. G. ~DUN"& CO.
R. G. Dun & Cos. Mercantile
Agency. (Seiden Baldwin,
local manager.)
A mercantile agency has nothing
to receive or ship in the way of
freight, nevertheless C. Sj/Baldwin,
local manager of the R, G. Dun ft
Cos. Mercantile Agency, takes an
active interest in the contemplated
river improvements. In a recent
conversation on this subject he
said:
‘‘l am surely in favor of improv
ing the Tennessee river to a stage
of M'ater sufficient to enable large
steamboats to navigate every day
in the year. I cannot conceive
anything of more importance to
Knoxville than an open’ river. It
means more manufacturing plants,
more business houses and a doubl
ing of population. I am not ex
travagant, I hope, In my views,
and I hope to see these much need
ed improvements made with as lit
tle delay as possible.”
C. M. McCLUNG & CO.
C. ITS. McClung & Cos. Jobbers of
hardware, vehicles,
Knoxville.
C. M. McClung, when asked his
opinion as to the importance of im
proving the Tennessee river and its
tributaries, and if he w'as in favor
of the movement, replied in a very
enthusiastic manner that he was
most decidedly in favor of tho
movement.
“It is just what we need and need
badly at this time,” said he.
“Knoxville is n growing city and
the demands now made upon our
freight transportation facilities is
enormous, and is often met with
difficulty and delay. Each year, as
we grow and prosper, the freight
question will be a difficult one to
take care of unless mt© have river
transportation to assist. In tho