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30	MEXICAN	GULF	COAST	ILLUSTRATED.
THE CITY OF MOBILE.
Mobile is one of the historic cities of the western continent. Its germ was a settlement in the earliest period of French occupation on the northern shore of the Gulf of Mexico. It still retaii^some of its ancient French and Spanish characteristics.	'**»
It is built, upon a gradually rising plateau, and covers an area of seventeen square miles. From a recent publication by The Commercial Club it is seen that the city has six miles of improved river frontage, besides as much more yet unimproved, with a natural depth of water of thirty feet. Situated at the mouth of Mobile river and at the head of Mobile bay, its location gives her superior advantages as a commercial entrepot. Seven rivers with an aggregate mileage of navigation exceeding a thousand miles, draining an immense territory rich in agricultural resources, in mineral wealth, and in valuable timber growths almost, beyond computation, gives Mobile exceptional facilities and advantages for making a great commercial and manufacturing city. Vessels drawing feet of water load at her wharves. An excavated ship channel of about thirty miles in length and with a depth of 19% feet at mean low tide, connects her wharves with the Gulf. For almost the entire length of the channel the depth is 23 feet, and within a year the work being done will admit of loading of vessels at the wharves drawing 23 feet. The general government is constantly widening and deepening this channel, and the Port of Mobile will soon be open to the largest ocean steamers.
explanation of map.
i*The'States comprised in the large circle contain a population of 15,0\),000 and produce 51 per cent, in value of all exports of the United States (except petroleum). Every acre of the vast empire thus comprised, lies nearer to Mobile than any other Ocean or Gulf Port.
The small circle encompasses the great mineral basin of the South, iron, coal and limestone, and the richest timber and agricultural section of the United States.
It has been abundantly demonstrated that excellent. pig iron and steel can be here produced at less cost than anywhere else on the face of the earth, and the already very large output is rapidly increasing.
This entire basin is opeu to water transportation direct to Mobile through the Tombigbee, Warrior, Alabama, Cahaba, Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers.