Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-02-05
@REMARKs OF Mr.. BATTLE,

1,tse e1ds1s9Acet du thorising an erckagge
& e. o0nas aaa Jar 9ther pagaosss'' being an
G6dyfsMs Railroad . 7s''-s
Mfr. Battle agreed with the delegate from New
Hanover, that the Convention should with retuc.
lance engage in legislation, but certainly it should
not hesitate to adopt measures needed for the more
vigorous prosecution of the war. He advocated
tins ordinance, because it will aid in preventing the
greatest Of all disasters the scarcity of iron. With
prudence and energy exsrted last summer, our PEG.
PIE might have been spared the suffering and loss
which have ensued from deficiency of salt. An
IRON famine is impending more terrible than fam
Inc OF salt Let the Convention look the danger in
the face, aud if possible avert it. Y ithout iron
whence will come cannon and balls, with which to
drive back the enemy whence locomotives and cars
10 carry food and clothing to our army whence
agricultural implements with which to till the soil
Inc evil IS upon us now. Why is steel selling at
sixty cents per poundg Why have boiler iron and
Swede IRON quadrupled in price? Not from the
lust OF gam Of some vile extortioner-but because
the demand IS greater than the supply the demand
Is probably inca easng--the supply has diminished
i've fold. As iron wears away SLOWLY. the dimnu.
ton has not been speedily felt but the evil is now
becoming alarmingly apparent.
In 1855, the United States produced in round
numbers $4,000 tons of pig and wrought IRON, and
imported OF those articles, and of iron and steel i'm
plements, 100000 tons. As not more than lO0. 600
tons were exported from the United States, it is
PLAIN that the States now composing the Southern
Confederacy must have consumed about one third
Of the whole, at least 100000 tons. Missouri and
Kentucky being the theatre of active hostities,
out neagre production can be expected from
then-and it appears from the census of 1850 that
the aggregate production of the other States Of the
Confederacy was about go 600 tons therefore there
must be deficit in the South of over 800 600 TONS
As North Carolina is at least one-tenth of the Con-
federacy her consumption Of iron is at least 40 GOO
tons, or onehalf Of uU the production in the Con-
.tsderacy, in 1850. A little reflection on the de-
mands for iron will abate any establishment at this
result. 1t is said cast plough will last years,
ana that on an average one plough may be esti,na-
ted for every slaves aud one for every 10 whites
According to these data, North Carolina REQUIRES
annually 10, 900 new ploughs and l6O,U 600 points.
Again Robert Stephenson calculated the wear
and tear Of iron on English railways, at half ID.
per yard In 1853, the aggregate length of the
railways of the Confederacy, missouri and Ken
lucky not included,) was 5,6l2 miles. and the
length is much greater now. So, that if STEPHEN
sons estimate be true Of our railways as is proba
bic in view OF the heavy transportation they annu
ally require more than 1000 tons of IRON What
may be the demands of war it is impossible to say
10000 muskets weigh more than 5000 600 lbs;
the quantity in huge Dahlgreen guns, shot she'll
artillery wagons, army wagons, war steamers; is
enormous We cannot cope with the Yankee GOV
eminent on the seas, but few gun-boats might
save to US some important river-mght aid in pre-
serving some seaport, Wilmington of great value
to the Confederacy Without iron in abundance,
we cannot build them-wthout coal, We cannot ef-
fectually work them
Mr. Battle cont.nded that a prompt connection of
the Deep River country with the railroad system of
the State, will do much to supply this most impor
tant OF metals-more precious than gold or silver
Already has the Confederate government advanced
large sums to companies as inducements tc begin
the making Of iron. These companies are to fur
nlsh at least $4,000 tons, and much more they
can at remunerative prices. But transportation
will be expensive and tedious. The first question
IS - Are large quantities of iron ore in the Deep
River country" There can be no question of this
fact. Besides the testimony Of DR.. Emmons our
State Geoogist there is the Report Of Commo-
dore Wilkes, who though not much versed in in
ternational law, yet, from his conduct of the tex
pediton" entrusted to his charge, Is man of abili
ty and science. He selected by Secretary Tou-
cey, under the authority of the House of Represen
tatlves, to investigate the mineral and metallic re-
sources of the Deep River country and was accom-
panied by two chief Engineers Of the Z. S. Navy, |
Martin & Hunt He confirms the discovery, in |
quantities not exceled in the mines of Scotland OF
the famous black band" ore, which, according to
high authority, (Overman) "has enabled Scotland |
to be master in all iron markets" He tesfes, too,
to immense beds of the other principal ores-spec-
ular, h&matite, and magnetic One of the depos-
ties is described by hum ION hill known as
Ore Knob 1t is elevated about 800 feet above the !
surrounding country, and covers about $50 acres
The ore is a red ore 1t is visible every where
A massive vein appears to bisect the hill and con-
tinue beyond to the Southwest. Some specimens |;
of ibrous ore were observed. The hill is well sit
uated for mining, and has been opened in several !
places, and we are informed was workeSln the rev.
dictionary war; Some castings are said to have
been found which were made then, and proved on
examination to be of great strength and toughness"
A few miles below the junction OF The TIaw and
Deep Rivers, is another "iron mountain" This !
ore hill, says Wilkes, "rises about three hundred
feet in height 1t passes in southeast direction
for nearly mile, and covers surface of over 300
acres. 1t is somewhat dome-shaped, and appears I
to be one mass OF very rich ore, having solid vein
of pure peroxide, which is feet in width-while |
ores containing manganese and silicious matter ex-
tend beyond each side This remarkable ore
was first discovered by Mr.. WIN. MeLane but few |
years since, and it probably has not its equal as
deposlte OF iron in this country, short of the Iron
Mountain OF Missouri. Professor Einmons saws it
is similar to that ore, or to that found on Lake Su
peror." 1t is known that the iron masters are un-
aole to say from inspection of ore what will be
the quality OF the extracted metal, but by combi
nation of different the best quality can nvaria
ply be obtained. Not only have we the testimony
Of Capt Wilkes as to the advantages Of the Deep
River district, in this respect but the Engineers
who accompanied him. say, from the great guam
titles Of ore we saw in different localities together
with the various kinds and qualities, some exceed
ingy rich, we have no hesitation in saving there is
IN the Deep River country almost inexhaustble
quantities of ore from which by proper selection
and mixing the very best quality of pig or wrought
iron can be made"
The second question is is there fuel sufficient to
extract the iron from the ore? There is ample and
Of the best kind. Even if there were no mineral
coal IN chatham, yet iron could be pro6tably pro-
duced from charcoal which exists in quantities in.
exhaustble in the vast forests which have not been
touched by the Woodlands axe. As engineers, /
hunt q Martin say in their report: "In country |
where iron ore is so plentiful the otherwise useless
forests Of timber might be pro6tably used in the
of iron, as charcoal pigs and blooms
1nd much more ready sale and bear higher price
than iron made with mineral coalc -