Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-11-27

We invite the attentions Of our readers, shd slpe-
cialy the attentions Of the members Of the Legisa-
ture, tote following letters from practical and ex
perlenced gentleman in relation to the mineral de-
POSTS Of the Deep River Valley in this State The
importance of reaching these deposits by means of
transportation, and Of thus bringing them forth for
use by the world cannot be overstated:
New YoRK, Nov IL, 1863.
DR.. DeRosset:
DEAR SIR Mr. Brown invited me Yesterday to
give you my ideas of the capabilities of the deposits
i'll Chatham county for the various branches of man.
ufacture in which the coal, iron ore, Claws sands
&C., may be used that are found there in such ex-
uaordinary quantities and qualities.
The first and most prominent of these is the man.
ufacture of IRON In this branch have put in wri-
ting some memoranda for use offrends in Baltimore
and hand you a copy herewith. This, you will OBJ
serve, is exclusively confined to pig iron, and from
my knowledge of the manufacture of it in Scotland
from similar materials saw around us in our
tour of inspection, l speak with confidence that
the article can he made thus. 1t will take tons
of blackband ore, raw, to make one ton of pig at
cost of 50 40, say 2 ~
1t will take 81 tons of coal to melt, heat the
heater, and fire the engines, say at 20 cts per
tOn l 80
Limestone for Flues, say 10 cwt at So per
tOn so
Labor at furnaces engine, &C., go per ct.
more than in Scotand), 2 co
Incidental charges wear and tear, interest,
salaries, &C., Is
The pig iron would not cost per ton, So 90
Two furnaces erected on Scotch principle capable
of each making $50 or $50 tons per week this is
the usual make of Scotch furnaces with the latest
improvements to make iron from backband ore, and
it far exceeds in quantity the produce of any furna
this continent and also the produce of furna-
n fhaV
blessed with the blackband-
The consequence is that Scotch pig iron costs
less than any produced in the world But in Chat
ham county the proximity of the coal to the is
more favorable than in Scotland and there lord
ship is paid for the coal of shilling (25 cts.) per
ton. These two facts far more than counterbalance
the extra price that will be paid for white labor and
pig iron can be made cheaper in Chatham than in
Scotland
TO manufacture pig iron into Railroad mer-
chant bars costs with us, Gin Scotland) including
profit to manufacturer, about in round numbers
double the price of the pig-that is to say if man
ufacturer pays 60 shillings per ton for his pig he
afford to sell his bars with handsome profit at
e6 per ton. provided he does not pay more than
IS to As. cd per ton for his coal In Chatham county,
the Goals be mined for 90 cts per ton and bars
can be made much cheaper than in Scotland
For reasons | stated to you verbally would not
choose to identify myself with any other branch of
iron manufacture than pig although all the other
branches which will grow out Of the supply of pig
iron, such as bars, plates. rods locomotives, &c,
will hold out most tempting inducements to people
from Pennsylvania. &c, to locate themselves with
their capital where they will find such cheap and
good iron and coal.
Then the command of cheap pig will attract foun-
ders to the region, for manufacture of pipes and
other castings. In Glasgow founder does good
business if he pays Cos. for his pig and gets Sos.
for his large pipes Brooklyn is using just now
10000 tons of water pipes for which the corporation
pay about Sal per ton-these could have been made
in North Carolina at So per ton for the iron and So
to 81 for casting-say $50 per ton.
The specular, magnetic and hematite ores are of
such richness purity and quality and the coal is of
quality, and such splendid coke can be made from
it. and there is such an abundance of wood to make
charcoal that it is my belief that blooms steel and
wire can be made cheaper and of as good quality
are to be found in the world.
The blooms Mr.. Patton intends to make on the
| Tyler property he informs me will not cost more
than $50 per ton, and they will bring now in New
| York $50 to $40 per ton. A few months will suf-
flee to prove the quality of the singular natural cal
cned blackband saw on this property and its
fitness to make blooms Mr.. Patton is most sanguine
that it will be found perfectly suitable and if so,
very large fortune will be the consequence to himself
: and partners.
am not certain that it will be found profitable
desirable to extract the oil from the blackband
ore at Egypt but there can be little doubt that the
coal will give an ample and very large return of Ke-
oil and this article is in very large con-
sumption, and it can be purified on the spot or made
into Benzole or Perraphim l was told that the re-
! giOn aboundcd in clay and sands for pottery and
| glass, and from the cheapness and quality of the
coal these articles can be cheaply manufactured
there at any place on this continent or in Europe
have put down my ideas very roughly and hur
riedly, and if you make of them to forward the
of access to the region, whether by the river
or by railroad or both, must trust to you to put
| them into a more readable shape.
am, dear sir, yours truly,
VIM GAMMELL.