There resided on the opposite side of the road
a cotton-planter and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Felix
Shank. They were very pleasant people, and the
husband was a highly educated man who took
a great deal of interest in the country and held
an influential position. I took Charley over one
night to see them, and in the course of a very
enjoyable evening the conversation turned on the
Alabama coal and iron fields, which were then
being developed in a small way by a number of
poor but energetic men. Charley became greatly
interested in the subject, especially as he had just
invested a good deal of the profits arising from his
timber at Avondale in the Clover Hill coal-mine
of Virginia.

After discussing the matter on several occasions,
he said: " John, let's go over and see some of these
new fields, as I am deeply interested in coal-
mining, and the coalfields are on the way to New
Orleans, where I am going down to see my
Parisian friend, Mr. Cliphart."

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