OOC: Onwards! Towards the Smoke of the South, a 'timeline in a week' I want to do. Which will last most likely more than a day, and less than a week, 
Part I
“Do you not see the black smoke rising from the land of the Yankees? That is the indications of industry, and railroads, something we lack. The aristocracy of this nation needs to realize we must work on our own to counter the north! Cotton will not last forever.”-Diary entry of Julius Klein, 5/9/1868
The end of the First American Civil War, also known as the War of Southern Independence, had brought a victory for the Confederacy against the Union. Nonetheless, following the victory against the Union, other issues began to arise, more along the lines of economical. The main economic aspect was the exporting of cotton, something vital to the textile industries of the United States, Britain, France and other nations in Europe. Nonetheless, the growth of cotton in India and Egypt was to pose a problem to that, as cotton growing increased over the years, lowering the amount of cotton that was bought from the Confederacy. In addition to the fact was the matter of recognition. The British public did not like the matter of supporting a slave nation in their goal for independence, but what was done, was done. The matter of foreign investment was minimal, and they themselves had little financial availability in terms of banks.
The Panic of 1867, would occur, as a matter of the collapse of cotton prices across the world, due to large harvests from India, Egypt, and the Confederacy. This led to the purchase of large amounts of cotton on the market, which in turn depressed the price. With the depressed price, and much of the nation's economy relying on export cotton, posed a serious issue to the Confederate's economy. In Richmond, sharp debate echoed over the matter of what to do regarding the economy, and such issues deadlocked the government, as the Democrats, the majority, wanted to keep taxes low, and hope for the price of cotton to increase once more. Nonetheless, action was already occurring in areas of the nation.
Kentucky, and Tennessee, were two of the main 'Upper South' states of the Confederacy, and at the time, were slowly letting go of the realms of slavery. The creation of the Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company in 1862, would be focused at first on mining coal within western Kentucky, and at times converting the coal into coke. The depression of cotton prices, did hurt it, but did show a factor which could change the nation. Jack E. Webster, an immigrant from the United Kingdom, had arrived in Kentucky in early 1859, seeking out a job, and started work as a coal miner. The creation of the Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company would see Mr. Webster rise to managing one of the coal mines that they owned by early 1868, following an accident. Mr. Webster's diary would note that with work on one of the company's railroads in Eastern Kentucky, much of the iron mills were shipped in from the North. While Mr. Webster may not have liked the matter of slavery as noted by his personal journals, he remarked, “This is a business opportunity which must be done.”
Nonetheless, nearly two weeks after, the management of Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company would receive a letter from Mr. Webster suggesting the idea of looking to setup an ironworks, which would be beneficial in the construction of railroads by the company, not needing to require to buy the materials from other companies or the United States. The idea was met, and discussed, but if it were not for the discovery of iron deposits in Southern Kentucky near the Tennessee River, it would not have been passed. The issue of economics aside, the management of Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company were willing to take a risk, and began setting up an iron mine in the iron deposit, which was planned to be shipped down to Paducah, Kentucky, where an ironworks would be setup. The Paducah Ironworks would start receiving its first iron ore from the mines near Eddyville, Kentucky, while coal came via rail from Madisonville, Kentucky.
The mines near Madisonville and Eddyville used significant amounts of slave labor in the extraction of the coal, iron, and limestone necessary to create pig iron, wrought iron, and steel made in the Paducah Ironworks. Paducah Ironworks, nonetheless, had received as it started to work a significant boost, with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad ordering a significant amount of rails to be built, to allow a railroad to be built from Paducah to connect to the line going from Memphis, Tennessee to Louisville, Kentucky. Nonetheless, in other areas of the country, work was beginning on other aspects of light and heavy industry.
In Vicksburg, the city had grown from steamboat traffic due to large amounts of cotton being shipped. The Panic of 1867, would severely impact the city in terms of economic, due to the matter of little amounts of cotton being sold due to the sharply depressed price. Terrance Smith, an owner of nearly four steamboats, who regularly carried cotton up and down the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, had seen the impact, and had received word from a cousin from New England who had remarked that the textile mills were booming. The remarks nonetheless, had given idea to Smith, who had capitol he was planning to spend to purchase an additional pair of steamboats, hold out on the idea, instead planning to build a textile mills in Vicksburg. The significant position of Vicksburg, and the issue of economics with the depressed cotton prices, allowed Smith to began construction of the textile mill in March of 1868. By November of 1868, the textile mill was done, and Smith began to purchase cotton, and traffic the cotton down via steamboat towards the mill in Vicksburg, which already began making textiles for purchase. The commercial move by Terrance Smith showed that as the 1860s ended, the textile industry could grow, with the still depressed cotton prices, allowing major production of the textiles for sale.
Part I
“Do you not see the black smoke rising from the land of the Yankees? That is the indications of industry, and railroads, something we lack. The aristocracy of this nation needs to realize we must work on our own to counter the north! Cotton will not last forever.”-Diary entry of Julius Klein, 5/9/1868
The end of the First American Civil War, also known as the War of Southern Independence, had brought a victory for the Confederacy against the Union. Nonetheless, following the victory against the Union, other issues began to arise, more along the lines of economical. The main economic aspect was the exporting of cotton, something vital to the textile industries of the United States, Britain, France and other nations in Europe. Nonetheless, the growth of cotton in India and Egypt was to pose a problem to that, as cotton growing increased over the years, lowering the amount of cotton that was bought from the Confederacy. In addition to the fact was the matter of recognition. The British public did not like the matter of supporting a slave nation in their goal for independence, but what was done, was done. The matter of foreign investment was minimal, and they themselves had little financial availability in terms of banks.
The Panic of 1867, would occur, as a matter of the collapse of cotton prices across the world, due to large harvests from India, Egypt, and the Confederacy. This led to the purchase of large amounts of cotton on the market, which in turn depressed the price. With the depressed price, and much of the nation's economy relying on export cotton, posed a serious issue to the Confederate's economy. In Richmond, sharp debate echoed over the matter of what to do regarding the economy, and such issues deadlocked the government, as the Democrats, the majority, wanted to keep taxes low, and hope for the price of cotton to increase once more. Nonetheless, action was already occurring in areas of the nation.
Kentucky, and Tennessee, were two of the main 'Upper South' states of the Confederacy, and at the time, were slowly letting go of the realms of slavery. The creation of the Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company in 1862, would be focused at first on mining coal within western Kentucky, and at times converting the coal into coke. The depression of cotton prices, did hurt it, but did show a factor which could change the nation. Jack E. Webster, an immigrant from the United Kingdom, had arrived in Kentucky in early 1859, seeking out a job, and started work as a coal miner. The creation of the Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company would see Mr. Webster rise to managing one of the coal mines that they owned by early 1868, following an accident. Mr. Webster's diary would note that with work on one of the company's railroads in Eastern Kentucky, much of the iron mills were shipped in from the North. While Mr. Webster may not have liked the matter of slavery as noted by his personal journals, he remarked, “This is a business opportunity which must be done.”
Nonetheless, nearly two weeks after, the management of Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company would receive a letter from Mr. Webster suggesting the idea of looking to setup an ironworks, which would be beneficial in the construction of railroads by the company, not needing to require to buy the materials from other companies or the United States. The idea was met, and discussed, but if it were not for the discovery of iron deposits in Southern Kentucky near the Tennessee River, it would not have been passed. The issue of economics aside, the management of Kentucky Coal and Railroad Company were willing to take a risk, and began setting up an iron mine in the iron deposit, which was planned to be shipped down to Paducah, Kentucky, where an ironworks would be setup. The Paducah Ironworks would start receiving its first iron ore from the mines near Eddyville, Kentucky, while coal came via rail from Madisonville, Kentucky.
The mines near Madisonville and Eddyville used significant amounts of slave labor in the extraction of the coal, iron, and limestone necessary to create pig iron, wrought iron, and steel made in the Paducah Ironworks. Paducah Ironworks, nonetheless, had received as it started to work a significant boost, with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad ordering a significant amount of rails to be built, to allow a railroad to be built from Paducah to connect to the line going from Memphis, Tennessee to Louisville, Kentucky. Nonetheless, in other areas of the country, work was beginning on other aspects of light and heavy industry.
In Vicksburg, the city had grown from steamboat traffic due to large amounts of cotton being shipped. The Panic of 1867, would severely impact the city in terms of economic, due to the matter of little amounts of cotton being sold due to the sharply depressed price. Terrance Smith, an owner of nearly four steamboats, who regularly carried cotton up and down the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, had seen the impact, and had received word from a cousin from New England who had remarked that the textile mills were booming. The remarks nonetheless, had given idea to Smith, who had capitol he was planning to spend to purchase an additional pair of steamboats, hold out on the idea, instead planning to build a textile mills in Vicksburg. The significant position of Vicksburg, and the issue of economics with the depressed cotton prices, allowed Smith to began construction of the textile mill in March of 1868. By November of 1868, the textile mill was done, and Smith began to purchase cotton, and traffic the cotton down via steamboat towards the mill in Vicksburg, which already began making textiles for purchase. The commercial move by Terrance Smith showed that as the 1860s ended, the textile industry could grow, with the still depressed cotton prices, allowing major production of the textiles for sale.
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