The exports from the City of Jefferson, for the year ending September 1st, 1886 were not less than 25,000 bales of cotton; for the year ending September 1st, 1872, the exports were: Cotton (bales) 76,328; Dry Hides 84,762; Green Hides 18,471; Wool (Lbs.) 87,623; Peltries 48,210; Bois d’arc Seeds, (bushels) 9,721; Cattle 5,381; Sheep 821; Lumber (feet) 121,000.
The Steamboat arrivals for the same period were 226, with a carrying capacity of from 225 to 700 tons each.
Being situated at the head of navigation, on Big Cypress Bayou, a port necessitated by reason of the immovable raft, which long since formed in Red River, above this point: heretofore Jefferson has been compelled to rely on water transportation; it is, therefore, with a great degree of satisfaction that she witnesses the movements on foot to make her a great railroad center. When her facilities for transportation are thus increased, no town in Northern or Eastern Texas will have a brighter future, or greater commercial advantages. For a long time past this city has transacted more business annually than any city in Texas, with the single exception of Galveston. What then will be her capacity when the above named railroads all come to her aid?
JEFFERSON AS A MANUFACTURING DISTRICT
But great as our city is as a commercial center she will yet develop other and more important interests, and that too within a limited period of time for it has been demonstrated to the entire satisfaction of all capitalists, who have given their attention to the matter that there is not in the whole south a district which combines so many advantages for manufacturing on an intensive scale, such an endless variety of articles as the city under consideration & the country immediately surrounds it. In support of this statement let us descend to particulars:
There is, for instance, within the immediate neighborhood of our city more iron ore than can be consumed in centuries, and this ore is richer than any other yet known in the United States. Six miles from the center of Jefferson are iron hills towering above the surrounding country which alone will yield an inexhaustible supply of ore and, this ore is richer and more easily worked than that found in Missouri’s famous “Iron Mountain.” But the whole country contains more or less ore of this character, and here, where the raw material is so abundant, and water and fuel for steam purposes so readily procured, and transportation by railroads and by water so accessible, there can be erected furnaces, forges and foundries that would successfully compete with any now in existence in this country. Already the largest iron foundry in this state is in operation four miles from the city, and two miles this side of the iron hills of which we have spoken; and this foundry—G.A. Kelly’s at Kellyville is manufacturing on an extensive scale cooking stoves and heating stoves that are unsurpassed by any imported to this market, either in beauty and finish or in quality, and the plow manufactured by this establishment is pronounced by all those who are using it—and a large number are now in use—to be equal in all respects to the Hall and Speer or Avery plow, and much more durable by reason of the superior quality of our iron. Such is the demand for the products of this foundry the owner is now seeking to increase his manufacturing facilities by organizing a joint Stock Company, with a capital of $200,000, as nothing short of this amount will enable him to fill his orders in the future.
Again 20 miles from this city, and adjacent to the route of the East Line and Red River Railway, we come to a vein of copper ore, impregnated with both gold and silver. This ore in the hands of the assayer has been found to be very pure, quite as much as any in the South, not excepting that from the Wichita country. The supply is by no means limited. In fact its limits have not as yet been ascertained. In that vicinity, also, as well as in many other sections within striking distance of this city by rail as soon as the projected roads are completed, there is a great abundance of cannel coal of a fine quality. Manufacturers will comprehend at a glance the significance of this fact, and know how to appreciate it. That there is coal enough of this character for all local manufacturing purposes there is no doubt.
No section of country that can be named offers a better quality or a greater variety of timber for building and manufacturing purposes than that in the immediate vicinity of the City of Jefferson. For building we have, in the greatest abundance, the very best of pine, black-walnut, gum, white-oak and cypress; for manufacturing, we have not only the above named but also hickory, cedar, Bois d’arc, etc. The quality of our pine and oak is unsurpassed North or South and at the Mills as good a quality of black-walnut as one could desire can be had in any quantity for $2.00 per hundred feet; contrast that with the prices paid in the North, and West and the advantage we possess will be appreciated, For the manufacture of wagons we have an unlimited supply of hickory. Bois d’arc and white oak within striking distance and for wooden ware we have all the oak, cedar and cypress we need.
Going west, along the line of the Texas and Pacific Railway, we soon come to those immense prairies, whose settlers must rely, during our day at least, on other sections for their building materials, wagon materials, furniture and wooden ware, and everything else which requires timber in its construction. Right here, then at this end of that great thoroughfare, we should and must manufacture ready-fitted timbers for building, including shingles, sash doors, and blinds and every other article needed in the construction of houses as well as furniture and wooden ware for the same. We say ready-fitted timbers because these can be prepared by machinery, like sash doors and blinds, in a better manner and at much less expense than on prairies, and the purchaser will then only pay the freight on what he actually uses. That is he will not be taxed for freight on waste materials.
This brings us to the natural conclusion that here, where, the materials are in their native state, should be the manufactories. That is here should be the saw mills, the planing mills, the shingle machines, machinery for the manufacture of ready made houses, furniture, wagon and wooden ware manufactories, etc. Besides, here too, where we have the iron and the white oak and the hickory we should manufacture every kind of agricultural implement our State requires. There is no earthly reason why we should import these—why others in their manufacture should falter at our expense. We have all the requisites, all the essentials right here at home; let us avail ourselves of them.