The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-06
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
THE IRON AND COAL REGION OF
NORTH CAROLINA

( 1t has been known for many years that an ar
tlcle equal either to the best English or Pitts
burgh Goals exists in great quantities in North
Carolina, and recently, by appropriations of
state aid, a cheap and reliable mode of access
to a shipping point has been gained. Many of
our citizens, with knowledge of these facts.
have quietly entered the Carolina coal regions.
aud have purchased large mining properties at
cheap rates, waiting for the moving of the
waters. That work is now accomplished and
gas companies can hereafter be supplied at a
cheaper rate than from any other source, with
an article tanking as high as the best, whether
foreign or domestic In the prosecution of
these new coal regions, most unexpectedly the
parties have fallen in with immense fields of
the celebrated hackband iron ORE 1t lies
above and beneath the coal. and is necessarily
mined with 5the coal, and separated from the
coal as slate is nov, so that the product of
single shaft is a mass of coal and IRON Every
inquiry ELECTS the fact that the iron can he
manufactured from this material even cheaper
than it can be made in Scotland, and the time
is now at hand when new developments relative
to the cost Of iron will surprise the dealers in
this article.
But we have before us copies of letters from
Nh. William Gemmell, of Glasgow, Scotland.
who freely gives the following facts respecting
the mineral deposits in Chatham, North Caro-
lina
|. I he coal is Of quality equal TO the best
Newcastle coal, and the best for making gas.
for which purpose it would bring in New York
Sc to - per ton.
2. 1t is very easy to work, and free of faults.
:. 1t is admirably suitable for smelling iron.
being free from sulphur.
I. Blackband iron ore overlies and under.
lies the coal, and can bc mined from the same
pits and openings.
,. The hackband is in deposits eighteen
inches and six feet thick and of a better quality
than any found in Scotland, containing such
large proportion of bitumen, and of so peculiar
character, that from twelve to sixteen gallons
of kreosene oil can be extracted from It while
1t is being calcned to fit it for the blast furnace
Six to eighteen inches is the usual thickness of
the blackband iron ore in Scotland
8. Hematite iron ore, clavband, and also
magnetic iron Ores are in enormous deposits
wirhil ten miles of the coal and blackband.
I. Pig iron can be made from the above de-
posits of a quality superior to any made in Scot
land, IN any quantity, and at price less than
in Scotland; the proximity of the minerals to
each other more than cOmpensating for the
higher wages paid for mining.
:. The Deep river flows through the region.
and its products can be convened to the sea
board from 81 to $l.lO per ton.
>. The lands can be procured at prices not
much higher than agricultural lands and every
acre of the mineral land is | consider, worth
ten acres of the BigV Elm " coal lands in Cum
berland. 1t may be called virgin region.
10. Commodore Wilkes, of the United States
navy. was ordered to report to the Government
at Washington as to the advantages of estab-
fishing national foundry in the region, their
attention having been drawn to it by Professor
Emmons's (the State Geologist) report, and
DR.. Jackson's, of Boston. Commodore Wilkes
with staff of four men, spent some weeks in
the region and he has just completed his report,
10 be presented to the Senate He speaks in
' the most unequivocal terms of its advantages