surely, convincing them of the wisdom of their course, which will, it is hoped and believed, eventually result in the general introduction and use of labor-saving implements throughout this division of the State.

TRANSPORTATION-RAILROADS.

West Tennessee is fast becoming a net-work of railroads, the following enumeration including all those which are already completed, or actually in the course of construction:

The Nashville and North-western Railroad, which is now under the immediate control and is being operated by the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad Company, extends from Nashville, Tennessee, to Hickman, Kentucky, on the Mississippi River. This road crosses the Tennessee River at Johnsonville, which is on the east bank of the river, and in Humphreys county, and entering West Tennessee ranges thence west and north-west through the counties of Carroll, Weakley and Obion, passing out of Obion into Kentucky at a point about half-way between the north-east and south-east corners of the county. This road crosses the Memphis and Louisville Road at McKenzie, in Carroll county, the Mississippi Central at Martin's, in Weakley county, the Memphis and Paducah at Paducah Junction, in Obion county, and the Mobile and Ohio at Union City, also in Obion county.

The Memphis Branch of the Louisville, Nashville and Great Southern extends from Memphis to Louisville, Kentucky. This road crosses the Tennessee River into West Tennessee from the east at Danville, in Houston county, ranges thence west through Benton and Henry counties to Paris, the county seat of Henry county; thence south-west through the counties of Carroll, Gibson, Madison, Haywood, Fayette and Shelby to Memphis. It crosses the Nashville and North-western Road at McKenzie, Carroll county, the Mississippi Central at Milan, in Gibson county, and the Mobile and Ohio at Humboldt, also in Gibson county.

The Mobile and Ohio Railroad extends from Mobile, Alabama, to Columbus, Kentucky, where it makes connection with the Iron Mountain Railroad of Missouri. It enters West Tennessee from the south, crossing the State line in McNairy county, and ranges thence in a direction a little west of north through the counties of McNairy, Madison, Gibson and Obion, passing out of West Tennessee at Jordan's Sta

tion, on the Kentucky line. This road crosses the Mississippi Central Railroad at Jackson, in Madison county, the Memphis and Louisville at Humboldt, in Gibson county, the Memphis and Paducah at Troy Station, in Obion, and the Nashville and North-western at Union City, also in Obion county.

The Mississippi Central Railroad extends from New Orleans, Louisiana, to a point on the Ohio River opposite the city of Cairo, Illinois, there connecting with the Illinois Central Railroad. It enters West Tennessee from the south-west, in Fayette county, ranges thence northeast through the counties of Fayette, Hardeman, Madison, Gibson and Weakley, thence into Kentucky, crossing in its route the Memphis and Charleston Road at Grand Junction, in Hardeman county, the Mobile and Ohio at Jackson, in Madison county, the Memphis and Louisville at Milan, in Gibson county, and the Nashville and Northwestern at Martin's, in Weakley county.

The Memphis and Charleston Railroad extends, as its name indicates, in the direction towards Charleston, South Carolina. In its route it ranges east, passing through the counties of Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman and McNairy, thence into Mississippi at a point on the southern line of McNairy county, about twelve miles east of where it touches the western line. In its route through West Tennessee, it crosses the Mississippi Central Railroad at Grand Junction, in Hardeman county.

The Memphis and Paducah Railroad is chartered to extend from Memphis, Tennessee, to Paducah, Kentucky, but at present is not completed. From Memphis it runs to Covington, in Tipton county, passing through portions of the counties of Shelby and Tipton. From Paducah it extends to a point a little north of Newbern, in Dyer county, leaving a gap which is yet to be completed. Work upon this road is progressing very satisfactorily, and when completed from Memphis, it will range north-east, passing through the counties of Shelby, Tipton, Lauderdale, Dyer and Obion, and crossing, in its route through West Tennessee, the Mobile and Ohio Road at Troy Station, in Obion county, and the Nashville and North-western at Paducah Junction, also in Obion county.

The Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad, extending from Memphis, Tennessee, to Grenada, Mississippi, leaving Memphis, ranges south, and passes through a portion of Shelby county, which is the only county in West Tennessee that is touched by this road.

These are the only roads in West Tennessee, except a few miles of narrow-gauge from Raleigh toward Memphis. For projected roads, see chapter on railroads, Part I. of this report.

TRANSPORTATION-RIVERS.

The Tennessee River laves the entire eastern boundary of West Tennessee, and furnishes first-rate marketable facilities to a large number of the West Tennessee counties.

The Mississippi River, on the other hand, washes the entire western boundary of West Tennessee, and of course gives to those persons living on or near its banks the very best marketable facilities.

In this connection, it should be remarked that, with the exception of Henderson county, every county in West Tennessee has either direct railroad or river transportation.

MINERALS.

Though not so rich in mineral wealth as either of the other divisions of the State, some very rich deposits of iron ore are met with in Decatur and Benton counties. Previous to the war there were two furnaces in operation, Brownsport and Decatur. The former only has been in blast since. In Henry, Benton and Decatur counties quarries of very good variegated marble occur. The same rock is burnt into lime, which is the principal source of supply for the more westerly counties. Beds of lignite outcrop on the slopes of the Mississippi bluffs in Obion, Dyer, Lauderdale, Tipton and Shelby. This material has been mistaken for true stone-coal, an error which has led some into expensive and vain exploration. In a number of counties beds of potter's clay abound, much of which is white. In McNairy, Hardin and Henderson a very extensive bed of "green sand" is met with, which has been described in the first part of this Report.

BENTON COUNTY.

COUNTY SEAT-CAMDEN.

Benton county is bounded on the north by Henry county and the Tennessee River, on the east by the Tennessee River, on the south by Decatur county and a corner of Carroll county, and on the west by

Carroll and Henry counties. It embraces about 400 square miles, and had a population by the last census amounting to 8,234, of which 452 were colored. The number of acres of land, exclusive of town lots, assessed for taxation in 1873 was 239,663, valued at $911,277. The whole valuation of taxable property for the same year was $1,012,619. There are twelve civil or magisterial districts, and the school districts coincide with the civil districts.

Outlines of the County's History. The principal portion of the territory now included in Benton county was originally a part of Humphreys county, the balance, including about one civil district, having been taken from Henry county, by virtue of the act of the General Assembly authorizing the organization of the county, which act was passed November 24, 1835. The district taken from Henry county comprises that part of the county lying south of Sandy River, and between that and the Tennessee River. The commissioners who organized the county were Green Howers, Ephriam Perkins, Lewis Brewer, John F. Johnson and George Camp, who accomplished the work assigned to them on the 7th day of February, 1836. The first settlers in the county were principally from the counties of Middle and East Tennessee and from North Carolina.

Physical Geography. Benton county is partly in the Western Valley of the Tennessee River and partly in the Plateau or Slope of West Tennessee, the eastern section being in the former, the remainder in the latter. The point where the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad crosses the Tennessee River is 357 feet above the sea. But as this point is lower than the western section of the county by several feet, it will probably be safe to say that Benton county is, on an average, about 370 feet above the sea. It should be observed, however, that the level of low water in the Tennessee River is about forty feet below that of high water. The surface character of Benton county is very varied, and is difficult to describe. Immediately about Camden, which is located very near the center of the county, the country in every direction for a distance of about five miles is gently undulating, but going east towards the Tennessee River, until the margin of the river valley is reached, there are many steep bluffs, or spurs, which fringe the valley along its entire length in the county. This valley is about, on an average, two miles wide, and not less than fifty miles long, and has a rich, alluvial soil, which is very productive. from the town of Camden, the county becomes more rolling, and the soil is thinner and much less productive. There are generally flats or

But going west

bottoms along the creeks which ramify the county, which flats or bottoms will probably average half a mile from head to foot, and are fringed on both sides by ridges which are distinctly marked, but not very high. The lands in these bottoms are generally rich, but along the ridges is is very thin and produces but indifferently.

Formations. Along the ridges in the southern part of the county there are formations of limestone which are found at various depths below the surface. Along the margin of these ridges a blue limestone which makes good lime. In the third civil district, on Birdsong Creek, in the southern part of the county, is found a variegated marble, which is susceptible of a good polish, and presents when polished a handsome appearance. At or near Rockport, on the Tennessee River, a quarry was opened and worked very successfully some years since, but recently the work on it has been abandoned.

Climate. The thermometer in summer sometimes shows the temperature to be as high as 100°, and in winter sometimes as low as zero, but it is not often as high as 92° and seldom as low as 4° above zero; in the summer it generally ranges from 75° to 80°, the average for the year being about 59.5°. The climate is not regarded as changeable, except during the spring and fall, when the temperature changes more frequently and more rapidly than is comfortable. About the time of the autumnal equinox a very changeable spell of weather may generally be expected. The average rain fall in the county it is thought will not exceed 3 inches per month. The average snow fall is probably about 5 inches per year. About the 10th of October the first killing frost may be expected.

Health of the County. In the latter part of the summer and throughout the fall months the prevailing diseases of the county are bilious and intermittent fevers, and such generally as are superinduced by excess of malaria. In the winter, pneumonia is most to be feared, and in fact it may be said with truth that lung diseases are quite prevalent. But none of the diseases to which the county is subject are, as a class, malignant or fatal, the per cent. of deaths resulting from them not exceeding twenty.

Rivers, Creeks and Springs. There is no county in Tennessee which is better watered than Benton. The following named streams are perennial and are the most important: Eagle Creek rises in the southern part of the county, near the Decatur county line, ranges north-east, and empties into the Tennessee River. Birdsong Creek rises near the