736 Transa ctions of the American Institute. 



is said that every known species and shape of iron ever rolled was 

 represented in that track, and many miles of it were simply hard 

 wood sleepers. Yet even then it transported 100 tons of coal per 

 day for nearly three years ; now from 110 to 125 tons are daily shipped. 

 Then there was along its route an iron furnace, with two stacks, and 

 a rolling mill. General Wilson's raiders ended both of them. The 

 former will be rebuilt ; the latter never on its former location, but 

 having excellent machinery, still undamaged, may yet be worked at 

 some other point. 



The conclusions taken from the Cahawba coal field are : It has at 

 least seven veins of workable coal ; these will vary from three to five 

 feet in thickness ; one or more of them are good for making iron 

 without being coked ; they can be mined at a profit of two dollars 

 and fifty cents per ton of 2,240 lbs. ; several of them are very superior 

 as grate and furnace coal, burning up to ash without clinker ; the 

 veins are compact, without intervening slate or fire clay ; the present 

 means of transportation are good, the railroads proposed for the future 

 will give still better. Iron ore is abundant, from hematite on the south- 

 east and fossiliferous on the north. Then as to cost of delivering this 

 coal in the market : The completion of the North and South road through . 

 this region gives it an access to the world ; the completion of the Mont- 

 gomery and Eufaula railroad makes a through line to Savannah and 

 Brunswick. Therefore, as all these lines are of the same gauge, a car 

 loading at any point between Calera and Birmingham, or on the A. 

 and C. B,. E,., can run through to New Orleans, Mobile, Savannah, 

 or any city south of North Carolina. Columbus, Ga., is by its 

 superior water-power, destined to be the great manufacturing site of 

 that State ; hence we take it as a starting point. Mr. Shaw, superin- 

 tendent S. and N. R. R., says he can deliver coal in quantities to 

 Columbia ; two dollars cost to miner, one dollar for profit, freight, 

 three dollars and sixty-five cents — total, six dollars and sixty-five 

 cents ; Macon, seven dollars and twenty-five cents ; Montgomery, 

 four dollars and sixty cents ; Brunswick, eight dollars and forty cents ; 

 Savannah, eight dollars ; Mobile, seven dollars ; Pensacola, six dol- 

 lars and fifty cents ; Eufaula, five dollars. In all these data two 

 dollars per ton has been allowed as cost to the miner. If, by increase 

 of manufacturing industries, the miner can sell his dust and nut coal, 

 he will have ample profit at two dollars per ton, provided he is 

 enabled to do a large business. The peculiarity of this Cahawba field 

 is that so far it has been mined almost without pumping, that much 

 coal may for years be gotten in the same manner ; in the future, how- 



