Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-07-10

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tenn Of combining, aud tho effect of combining the
various descriptions ociran, ard other kindred met
allie ores This important subject at once attracted
the attention Of the present able Secretary Of War
upon his instalment into cilce and in his tirst ans
nual report he spoke and recommended the subject
in the following earnestly and emphatic manners
1.-THE importance to the public service Of estao-
fishing national foundry has been often brought
to the attention Of Congress by my predecessors,
that nothing but a conviction of its great conse.
quence to the public and private interests OF the
whole country encourages me to mention it again.
"a we'll managed national foundry would very
speedily develop and establish tscss which would
add immensely to our national wealth. 1t is scarce.
ly to be credited, that with the Infinite variety OF
IRON ore and their boundless extent in the United
States, we should not have yet discovered mine
capable Of making the very best gun, if such be
discovered, that there are no means by which the
public service can be bene6tted by it; but such is
the fact. .
"a national foundry would serve as great labor
atory at which the quality and value OF metals
throughout tho whole Coufederacy would be tested
and fixed. Every variety Of iron, with its special
adaptation to particular uses, would in few years
be familiary known in the country, and individual
enterprises would be saved, in experiments. many
times the amornt which the works would cost;
whilst great national branch Of industry might
by this means, receive legitimate and efficient
encouragement
"There is but little doubt that many American
iron ores are equal at least, to those of Norway,
and yet the national armories are driven by necess'
ty to purchase from abroad the Norwegian iron for
the manufacture Of small arms Choosing to have
the best quality of arms must 60 abroad for the
best qalty of iron. A national foundry would soon
teach us to improve the manufacture of iron, and we
would be saved the modification Of bringing iron
from abroad, and the money, too, We have to pay
for it.
"The cost of heavy guns would presently be d.
mnished, and their quality would be, undoubtedly,
very materially improved
ut therefore appears to me that every consldera-
ton of sound policy and economy demands the es-
adjustment of national foundry, which | accord.
ingly respectfully recommend"
So soon as discovered that this subject was again
recommended to the attention Of Congress- at once
felt convinced that North Carolina was the State,
and the Deep River valley the locality which offered
the best facilities for erecting such . work and
when my colleague, (Mr. Branch) at the last ses-
sion, offered bill to this effect, was in hopes the
effort would move steadily forward and that the
claims of North Carolina, and the facilities she Of
fered on this subject, would be we'll considered, and
if well sustained as believe they can be- conceded
and allowed But like most of measures which are
of truly practical and commercial character for
southern State it has been permitted to inger till it
is about forgotten. 1t is now my purpose to revive
the subject. and claim for my State full and fair
hearing in the premises. premise, then, by say
ing that the Deep river valley in the State Of North
Carolina is suitable place for national foundry,
and that the State of North Carolina has peculiar
claims for its location within her borders.
What constitutes a suitable place for national
foundry?
/. Minerals and other materials for use in such
work; and Of these, principally coal and iron ore.
9. Locality, accessibility to tidewater, and mac
feasibility to an enemy in time Of war.
8. Climate and means for subsisting popula-
ton of mechanics and workmen.
On the first l can safely say, without d;sparage-
ment to other places that the Deep river valley has
no superior 1t has coal of the best and most abun
dant quality. 1t is bituminous COAL totally free
from sulphur, or other noxlous element initiating
against its free Use for manufacturing purposes of
any description. 1t is conceded to be one Of the
best gas Goals in the world and yields the greatest
abundance of the best coke for smelling and forge
work, and is we'll adapted for making what is called
hollow-fres for heavy wrought-iron work. Its iron
ore, too, are equally superior, embracing every va
riety. The specular. brown hematite magnetic,
and blueclay Ores are inexhaustible, and are all
bedded together in a narrow compass And then,
and above any other place known on the CONT
nent the only workable vein of blackboard ore in
ternes the coal.fets themselves; not only So but
are the deepest in thickness and extent yet dis
covered in any country. This 10 not assumption,
but fact proven and visible to the inspection Of any
inquirer. A shaft, lately sunk by one of the COM
panies engaged in operating these mines, to the
depth of five hundred feet dscoses no less than up
wards of seven feet of COAL and over eleven feet of
black band ore, all confined in stratum of some
forty fnok &c only hrfo fh
equally favored. But this important malleable arti-
Of ore, for the purpose of making all the descrip.
tons of fabrics for war and naval use, cannot be
| over-estimsted. and should give a controlling infu-
ence in the selection of the locality for such nation.
al work. With the Of this deposit exclusively, as
yet found in workable quantities in the Deep river
valley, combined with the other and harder ores
found in such great abundance, will enable the gov
eminent to make every description of iron fabrics,
from the hardest steel cannon shaft, down to the
softest loop band that can be demanded for any part
of the naval or military departments.
Several very able and lucid reports have been
made by eminent biologists, who base their state.
ments upon actual explorations, made with the
greatest caution and attention to the facts among
whom may mention prominently Professors John.
! son, jackson, and Emmons-the latter being the
authorized State geologist for North Carolina. From
their united opinions and statements in their several
reports the following are some OF their conclusions
l. The coal is Of quality equal to the best New
castle COAL and the best for making gas, for which
purpose 1t would bring in New York six or sever
dollars per ton.
O. 1t is very easy to work, and free of fault.
g. 1t is admirably suitable for smelling iron, being
free from sulphur.
4. Black band iron ore overlies and underlies tn,
coal, and can be mined from the same pits ant
openings.
s. The black band is in deposits eighteen inches
to six feet thick and of better quality than an!
found in Scotland, containing such large portion
of btumen, and of peculiar character that from
twelve to sixteen gallons of kerosene oil can be ex
tracted from it while it is being calcned to fit it fo
the blast furnace. Six to sixteen inches is the usua
thickness of the black band iron ore in Scotland
6. Hematite iron ore, ay-band, and also magnet
ic iron ores, are in enormous deposits within tel
miles of the coal and black band.
7. Pig iron can be made from the above depos
its, Of quality superior to any made in Scotland
in any quantity, and at prices less than in Scotland
the proximity of the minerals to each other NOR