The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-26
o. q Mandatory 81
nrom fn the South

lron Ia the osuth.
Nassr.. n. n. JoHRA L +. HA1vI4 and
Tnoe H. CAxpsxLL wers,ia February last ap-
,,osr.eA hv n meeting Of The Prssidents Of sew.
er.i rsilroed companies committee to 70.
rors uroa the subject Of the manufacture OF
r>flrosd iron, locomotives, c&rs. and other
aupplies for railroads, In the Sonth. Al sub
,eousnt meeting Of the officers, the committee
pressated . report, which~was adopted, and
which has besn published. The report a..
samss that the Southern States, exclusive OF
Maryland, have spent go O00 600 for the con.
sauction and equipment Of railroads now In
operation. and that Virginia alone has spent
eli, on, 100, all Of which has been drawn from
vths slaveholdinx States, and sent to enrich
tNOse whose hostility 70 the South has been
growing and Increasing annually. The report
further says that there TRhst continue 70 %
sent from Virginia 81 ,0O.OOO per annnm. and
from the other slave States &, 600 goo per an.
mum for years to come. 1tcontends that TINS
large supply can Be furnished in. the South
eaatly and successfully, and under many ad-
vantases. Richmond 10 pointed ont as possess-
ins greater advantages for rolling and re-
rolling rails than any other place in Virginia,
because 1t has facilities Of obtaining iron ore
from the James River and Kanawha Canal,
which has developed immense beds Of ore, and
also from some OF the railroads, where ore has
been found in large quantities, and large
furnace only short distance from the city
Is soon 10 60 into the operation of manufac-
turiEg pig iron because coal is convenient in
any quantity; because 1t Is accessible to the
lines Of roads in this State and those connect
ing with other Southern States, aud because it
has the advantage of water communication
with the sea. The cost Of rails here allowing
reasonable profits, the report assumes, would
Be not more than $50 per ton, while the ave-
rage price Of English rail from 4s to 80 was
&55 per ton, it having in that time varied from
$40 to SO. During the same period, the ave.
rage in this country was S5779. The report
says that there lie a diversity of opinion about
the quality of English iron and its durability
on roads. But 1t 10 assumed that if the manu-
facture Of railroad iron to order were to take
place under the eye Of the officers Of rail.
roads ordering 1t, there would be a great deal
gained in the faithfulness and durability of
the work. as to much more than counter
balance any small difference there might be in
the price. 1t is further contended that there
would be an immense saving in the mere mat.
ter Of freight Of old iron sent Oft to be re.
rolled.
1t is suggested that q large establishment
might be founded in Richmond by the joint
subscriptions of railroad companies and iudi.
viduals. Such mandatory, it is urged, will
turn out well for the interest of all concerned,
doing good work under the supervision of the
roads ordering it, ard retaining our capital at
home, instead OF sending it abroad. The com.
mittee state that an establishment similar to
this is in operation at Atlanta. Georgia, and
competent railroad manager thinks it is turn
Ing out better rail than he has ever seen.
The report concludes with resolutions in
accordance with the views Of the committee
declaring that 1t is the interest Of the Virginia
and Southern roads to found a flrst.class
here-that they should combine
for the purpose of establishing and sustaining
it-and that the consent Of the Legislature be
obtained for such an enterprise.