Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-06-08
=. For the Standard.

49, CHATHAM COAL FlEbDS.S -
Mr. EDIToR: According to PROMISE / viii give
you some account of the iron and coal-felds in
Chatham county, and what is being done In the
mines. - So 49,.
Arriving in that region, first visited Ore Hill,
twelve miles above Egypt, on Deep River, where l
found blastfurnace nearly ready for the blast i
am indebted for much information concerning the
coal and iron deposits of this section to the polite
ness of Mr. B. B. Darlington, gentleman Of much
skill and who has had considerable experience in
making iron from the ore He accompanied me to
Ore Hill which comprises about five hundred acres
of one solid mass Of iron-ore. | was informed, and
my own judgment endorses the opinion, that this
ore will yield 4S per cent of iron. There is large
quantity of it already got out for the furnace This
is the hemetite ore of which iron is made for such
articles require great strength, such as milgear,
car-wheels, cannon, &c. l was also conducted to
the coalhouse, where they have very large amount
of coal to be used in the furnace and next to the
furnace-building, which is completed, and has the
ponderous stack already up. Mr.. B. informed me
that he would be able to take out about six or eight
tons of iron per day. After a survey of the works
at this place, l bade adieu to my gentlemany con-
ductor, with hearty wish that the company may
meet with the most abundant success.
next visited the "Gulf" on Deep River. where
found three men raising coal by hand-power, with
wnd-lass The coal is obtained about twenty feet
below the surface, and they informed me that they
were taking out about hundred bushels per day,
and the coal is of very good quality. next came
to the Egypt coal-ields. 1t is known to the public
that the company operating here met with serious
misfortune some three or four years ago, by having
their shaft blown up by fre-damp. Since then, the
mine has not been worked, for want of an outlet
The Coal-feld Railroad from Fayetteville is COM
pleted to within two miles of this place. The com.
panv who these mines, seeing the troubles that
were coming upon the country, and knowing that we
must soon look entirely at home for our supplies OF
coal and iron commenced to clear the shaft of the
water, of which it was full, to accomplish which
will involve expense Of several thousand dollars
Mr.. Mclean, who superintends the operations, in
formed me he would be able in short time, to raise
forty tons Of coal per day. He said they had the
power to raise two hundred tons per day, but If
they find sale for forty tons, he could keep going
and pay expenses.
Now shall this company be sustained, or shall
it be allowed to go down? that is the question. l.
hope it will be sustained not for the benefit of few
only, but for the whole State 1t be sustained,
and spring into new life and vigor, if the Conven-
ton, now in session, will authorize an appropriation
to erect rolling mill at the Coafelds, for the pur-
pose of rolling out barron, railroad iron, and iron
for other purposes for the use of the State. sup
ply of coal and pigron can be furnished by indivd
ual enterprise, to keep the mill constantly going
Every industrial pursuit will be checked and many
entirely stopped unless something of this sort be
DONE 1t may be said by some that the State is not
now able TO enter into this thing; so be it. And
we soon will not be able to our plows, nor our
mills nor repair our railroads. nor build houses or
vessels. Let the enterprise be fostered by little
State aid, and we will soon be independent of the
North and of every where else in this respect, at
least No richer mineral deposits lie imbedded be-
meath the surface Of the ground than can be found
in North Carolina, and no State can come nearer
producing everything required to give her people
all the necessaries and uxuries of life than She
1t is only necessary to go to work and develop her
natural resources, to make her almost independent
of the world and to turn the current of trade as to
make her exporting importing people.
These facts, Mr. Editor, l have hastily thrown
together for the consideration of the Convention
and of the State, and hope they may receive that
attention to which their Importance, and not my
imperfect sketch of them, is entitled.
Yours, &c, PRACTICAL.