Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-05
From the Richmond inquirer
Iron Ores, ana Manufacturing Of Iron,

cTafTen, producing cast IRON; but the Colo
MES were prohibited from manufacturing
rolled or wrouehGiroa. After the termina-
ton Of, or during the revolutionary war,
these furnaces, which had been a great
source Of profit to the State, were abandon
cd, and new era in the history Of the iron
trade commenced. 1t proved a wonderful
era, the result Of which has been truly as
tonlslllng; asherins III, emphaticaHy, the
s''rom oye." Yet we have not proGted by
the demands ofthe age, though we were
the first to inaugurate the era Of iron in the
New World; though eur facilities for the
manufacturing Of the useful metals, were
and arc, of the most favorable character,
unlimited. and unparalleled; though we our
selves feel the want of these metals, iron
particularly. more intensely than our neigh.
bors, because our territory is more extern
|slve, ard because we fecl The want of con-
ccntration mere than they, who are crowded
IN smaller space we want iron bands to
link our towns and cities together, and to
the arts and pursuits which promote eur
happiness and Our comfort, our strength.
our power and our influence. We have
built about 1000 miles of railroad, which
have cost us including equipment and trans
portation, but little short Of $50, 000, coo,
for ,fop atone and this sum of money we
have paid to strangers principally, with
whom we do not trade to any great extent
and even if we did trade with them, there
can be no reason why We might not have
manufactured our own iron, every particle
of it, since we can furnish labor as cheap as.
it can be done in the North or even in En-
gland; and in regard to material and means.
our facilities are unriyallcd. But should
we fall short Of labor, the Old World swarms
with industrious millions, who would glad
~ accept all invitation to labor here all
they want is food and clothing What more
do the great mass Of the working classes
obtain in the North or elsewhere /?
The irtn manufactures Of Virginia pro-
duce at present, less than 20, 900 tons Of
metal per annum, or less than the produc-
ton Of a single manufacturing establish
ment in Pennsylvania, while one of the
great ircn establishments. Merthyr Tydvil,
in Wales, produced over hundred thou
sand tons Ct pig metal each year-most of
which is converted on the spot into rails
and consumes nearly 2 900 tons Of coal per
day. But instead of increasing, our iron
manufactures on this side Of the Allcgha-
mics arc decreasing, and are in d sure de-
cline, unless a great change is made, for
tue simple reason, that mcrchantablo iron
frtali Baltimore Or Philadelphia, can Be car
glsa 10 3as very heart OF tlse cyuntrv heap
/ III shan Il is made here BIZ the present pro-
Eaess nus iron ID carried for blacksnlitIls
and otlter purposes. into South Western
Virginia; at a cost for tran sportaticn Of over
Sl5 per ton cheaper than it is matlo Ut
Wwhevlle, where ores are rich and album
dant, and where coal can easily be obtained
This is for want Of coal or the knowledge of
| its uses.
| The South will yet want many hundred
thousand tons Of rails, before her conncc-
tons arc completed; she will require 30
goo miles, and its renewal will use up not
| less than 200, 900 tons ror annum, iii rails
and c1ulments; to supply. which, the Ka-
nawha region and South Western Virginia
have the most favorable opportunities. -
| The first has L stperabundance of material
in the most available position, with the
great rivers of both South and West atFor-
ding facilities for cheap transportation in
almost every direction. We cannot sec
how the iron of England or Pennsylvania
or even Pittsburg could come in competi-
ton with this peculiarly favored region !;
since the actual cost Of transporting iron.
from either of the first named places, would
be almost equal to the price of manufactu-
ring it, under iudicious treatment there. -
Yet the facilities for manufacturing iron IN
the South Western counties are perhaps
still greater since the ore there exists in
more extensive deposits and in greater va
| rieties; anthracite coal is also found in close
proximity to the ore and the limestone,
which saves the cost and waste of coking
| The facility for transportation towards the
South is also great, and, what is Of still
more advantage, there could be no success
full competition from abroad, since the cost
of transportation inland; TO that part Of tire
State would be heavy enough, in fact, to
prevent its introduction. An establishment
there, which could produce even 100 tons
Of merchant iron, Or rails daily, would have
the advantage of $l5 per ton over the man
ufactorics Of Maryland or Pennsylvania, or
$3.50, 600 per annum!!
We will locate pint (say Central de-
pet) on the Virginia and Tennessee road
which has admirable facilities for smelling
establishments Of iron Or copper. It has
an abundant water power III the New river;
and iron ores, limestones, and inexhaustible
beds Of anthracite coal, arc as accessible az
could be desired
The cost Of erecting pair of furnaces
capable Of producing 100 tons of pig metal
per week, is about $15, 900; obtaining wa
ter-powcr and material for hot blast, with
grounds, buildings, Sc, $40, 00G-total
SS5, 900. TO produce Is tons Of metal
per day would require 10 tons Of good an
thracitc coal, 81 tons Of average, hematitc,
fossilifcrous and other ores, and tons Of
limestonc-:'o tons costing about 81 per
ton delivered. as an average price, at Cen
trail depot; which, including charges for
smelling, &c, would make the pig iron
cost about 1913 per ton. The average price
of producing iron at the Lebanon furnaces,
Pennsylvania is about ST. per ton, and in
Wales and Scotland from S1l to s15 per
tom. The ores of those countries only av-
erage 33 per cent, and therefore double
/!