Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-10-29
Ches apeake and Ohio Railroad

we puDllsh the following valuable and IN
structive communication from gentleman now
in Cincinnati. The more the subject of the
great enterprise of the construction of the Ches
apeake and Ohio railroad is investigated the
more important it becomes, and the more ex
pansive appear the advantages aud prospects to
all the communities interested in it, Western
Virginia has shown a great zeal in its behalf,
and has subscribed literally to its stock We
hope to hear yet even more encouraging evil
dences Of the devotion to the work in that quar-
ter. Our friends on the Ohio are doing all in
their power to advance the cause
CINCINNATI, Oct. IS, 1867
Editors Dispatch, Richmond, Va:
The great interest which you have manifested
in the completion OF the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad, and the Development Of the material
resources Of Virginia, induces me to furnish you
for publication the following letter from one OF
the most intelligent iron men ofthe great West.
The facts contained in this letter are more valu-
able and will have a more important influence
upon our great scheme than any which have
thus far been brought before the public:
OFFICE G. Il e. MENDENHALL & Co.,
No. 27 Vine street,
CINCINNATI, Oct. IO, 1861. }
j. G. Parton, Esq, Lexington, No.:
DEAR SIR Your note making inquiry re-
specting the character Of Kanawha coal as a
blast furnace fuel is received and in reply
may briefly say that we have thoroughly tested
its quality for this purpose in our furnace near
Wheeling, with The most satisfactory results,
regarding it as better adapted to smelling iron
than any known coal Of the Alleghany field
We used the Campbes creek and Coalburg
Goals with about equal results The estimate in
which our furnace manager holds these Goals Is
evidenced by the fact that | am authorized to
contract Tor supply to be carried up the
river to Wheeling ior use IN our furnace there:
An extensive acquaintance with nearly all
parts of our Aileehany coal field, ustlfies me in
saying that [ know Of no coal equal to 1t in ev
cry respect, and that there is no portion OF the
held so richly developed as on the waters OF the
Great Kanawha, or where it can be brought into
use at so cheap a rate.
The coal in the Mahoning valley, which is
now used by the works of Governor Todd and
others there, has hitherto been regarded as OF
the finest quality known by the works which use
it but our founder, who has managed furnaces
many years IN that valley, places the hanawha
coal unquestlonaby before 1t and the extent TO
which the seams OF that coal are developed bear
no comparison with the seams on the hanaWha,
while the cost OF mining the former must al
ways be two or three times the cost OF mining
the latter.
Since the trial of Kanawha coal by us in A
prll last, two furnaces Of large size have been or
are about to be commenced at lronton, Ono,
designing to use II as a fuel, and one near this
city Is also provided ior, intending to Use the
kanawha coal, Missouri Iron mountain ore, and
the limestone OF this vicinity A careful COM
mar oi ot nj
these materials in this place proves 1t to have
very decided advantage over any other iron dis
trlct in the Ohio valley; an advantage which
cannot be superseded until you can by railroad
connect with the Virginia Central railroad,
or an improvement OF the navigation OF New
river, bring together the rich brown hematlte
ores existing along that railroad and river, and
the Goals of Kanawha, aud also the limestone
of the Greenbrier. | am informed that the
brown hema,ite ores to which L refer can be
mined and placed on the Virginia Central rail-
road at cost OF about one dollar per ton if so,
by reciprocity of freights between this district
and the Kanawha coal region, this ore can be
laid down at the Kanawha sallnes for So per
ton. or for ton OF iron, Sc; three quarter ton
of limestone from Greenbrier, $l.50; and two
and a half tons coal (seventy bushels), at not
over four cents per bushel, $3.50; making the
total outside cost Of material per ton of iron,
5000 These appear to me to be the highest
cost for materials at the present high prices Of
labor. and is less than half the cost of similar
materials in the most favorable of the districts
where iron is now made in the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi valley.
Intelligent iron men have seen clearly since
the trial of the character OF your Goals, that if
the materials have referred to are thus brought
together the Kanawha valley and the ore re-
gion will be at an early day teeming hives ofip
dustry and wealth, and one Of the most impor
tant centres of the iron manufacture of the Uni
ted States must be in this portion of the interior
of the State Of Virginia. Yours truly,
CYRUS MENDENHALL.
The cost of manufacturing pig iron at Gin
cinnati may be stated as follows:
One and half tons of Missouri Iron Mountain
ore at So so per tnn SlZ 10
Seventy-fve bushels kanawha coal, at II
cents per bushel, ............ 900
Half ton of limestone e............ rs
Cost at Cincinnati of materials for ton of
ire IRON o. $225O
Add labor for the manufacture of ton of
IRON ........... 600
Total cost of one ton of iron .. S29 so
At Jackson, Ohio, the ore and coal Of that
locality being used, the cost of making iron is
stated as follows
| Two and tbree-uuarter tons of ore required at $4