Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-27
The Iron Country.-Ironton,A Arcadia, Pilot
Knob, &c.
Correspondence Of The Star.

IRoNrON, Iron county. Mo
DEAR STAR:-Iou will probably be surprised
to hear that an old subscriber has turned IN in
this ont Of the way place terra incognita 70 one
half Of your numerous readers Thinning a sn-
perhcal description of this so long neglected mart
OF our Union, might be Of some Interest to some
OF your readers, l'll try to give them sketch Of
what I've Seen
Iron County derives its name from the immense
Quantity of iron found within its limits There
Is certainly no region Of its size that contains so
much mineral as this. This county is reached by
taking the Iron Mountain Railroad. which is in.
tended TO connect Memphis with St Louis but
whose present terminus is Pilots Knob Sc I,liIes
south OF st Lonis: The princp pal towns in the
county are Pilots Knob, the village of Arcadia
and the embryo city Of Ironton The village of
Pilots Knob is chiefly inhabited bv the mploves
OF the Pilots Knob Iron Company. Ironton has
population Of about 700. is the county seat and
has some fine buildings among which are a
courthouse. lately built, two churches, Society
Hall, &c. The original proprietOrs and projectors
OF the town, hlessrs Tong Carson, have been
very liberal in donating lots the several church
organizations, and have laid of the town in a
neat manner. This is the only incor porated town
In the county. 1t is two miles distant from the
present railroad terminus
Arcadia is situated in beautiful valley and =
a great summer resort The world renowned Pr
lots Knob Is solid mass of iron ore of the purest
quallty Its base covers some 500 acres The quarry
from which the ore is taken being at an elevation
OF some $50 feet from the foot of the mountain 2
railroad has been constructed for conveying the
ore to the toe Of the furnaces small cars are used
and the descending car pulls up by its own weight
inc ascending one, by means Of endless wire
cable. WHY
The company owns some $4,000 acres of wood
land In the vicinity, but as great part Of the
wood is already used up in charcoal the ore will
PROBABLY soon have to he conveyed to another
part of the State, where wood is more plenty.
Ihe furnaces of the company are well deserving
OF WISH This ore has been analyzed by Prof
Cullon, of France. and the result is as follows.
Iron, 66; oxygen, 26; alumina, 2; SILICA. s. That
of Shepherd Mountain. which is situated west of
tne lermer, resulted in iron 6j oxygen. -; field.
spar ana quartz :. The ore found in the latter is
hlgaly magnetic, but has not yet been used
The shape of Pilot Knob is an elliptic pyramid.
OF beautiful proportions, the whole crowned by
cluster Of rocks of fantastcal shapes AS hi,
mountain is the only one separated from the rance
OF iron mountains, and is seen from greater dis
lance, 1t probably derives its name of Plot Knob
from ane TACT that 1t has often acted pilot to
the pioneers OF the country.
During the summer months, some DOG visitors
may be seen in one day, climbing up this moun
tain. Though the ascent is somewhat Iaborions,
the visitor Is amply repaid by the splendid PIANO.
rama stretc he'd out before his eyes
Near to the foot of the mountain, Ironton draws
his attention; the court house, with its splendid
cupola. reflects the rays of the setting sun Close
to 1t is the South Arcadia, nestled amid gre, n
fields and gardens. To the north the VILLAGE of
Pilot Knob, partly hidden by the steam and smoke
rlslnS by day and night from the smelling fur
naces All is life; some 2o1 miners are engaged
In blasting and breaking ore, which disappears
directly in the capacous jaws Of the furnaces
ihe ore which is seats red all the sufac Of
the mountain, and with which good part of the
read leading to lronton Is paved would alone
give Work TO quite a number Of furnaces for wears
TO come. But az long they can obtain by a
single blast tons Of 1t, nobody will trouble him
sell by picking small pieces.
Shepherd Mountain whose base covers An are,
OF .OJ acres, and which is some hundred feet
higher than the Knob, is nearly one solid mass Of
ore, whose quantity value Is beyond calculation
Besides the aforementioned. the w hole ride Of
Mills In the neighborhc contain iron enounh TO
supply the demand Of the world for some time to
come But not onl y is iron found in great album
dance, Dut within radius Of fifty miles we have
copper, Lead nickel. &c, in large quantities
This countryca can furnish the world with metals,
ana VIII yet be the caAse Of enriching capitalists
IL VIII benefit not only this State but the whole
Union. At present, all the iron is shipped to
rttsourgh, and 10 small quantity finds its way to
massachusetts,, from whence We buy it again in
the shape OF axes, shcvels. &c paving them the
price OF labor, which we might as well earn
ourselves, and furnish cheaper work. saving. of
course, the cost Of ansportaton
The country in this State and county is second
10 none in the Union in natural beauty and pro-
ductlVeness. There is plenty of good land to be
mad, ranging from soc. to 81 an acre according 10
chance to furnish himself with the comforts of
lie, and enjoy at the same time a salubrious
climate, which Is not often INST with in the low
lands OF other parts of the West
Inc gentle rays of the Star find even their wav
to our valley, although don t receive il very req
ular, probably owing to Its being directed by
mortal power, unlike its namesake. '.WaShny.
ton Gossip Is of course considered the lead ny
feature OF II by the people here. VICTOR.