Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-08-09
A can for Enterprislng Men.
HopEwEIL, BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa, I
juno %, 1867, I
EntroRs .JoURNAI, or MINING;

HopEwEIL, BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa,
juno 26, 1867,
EptroRs JOURNAL or MINING:
Gentemen:-I have frequently been re-
ouested, BY q number OF my friends, TO call
public attention to this interesting portion
Of our State, through the medium of your
valuable journal, which has, doubtless been
the instrument through which more true
and valuable information has been impaired
to the American public, than perhaps any
other source. Owing, however, to the rap
id and startling events which have followed
each other during the last FIVE or six years,
! have up to this time, deferred doing so,
believing that the public mind was not in a
situation to calmly look into and examine
the peculiar advantages of any particular
locality Of our great mineral State, until the
important issues in which we were involved
were properly adjusted, That time having
arrived when the supremacy Of our govern
ment has been fully established, and the in
detatIgable energy, that is characteristic Of
this great nation in peace or war, is now
ready to be directed, and is anxiously inqui-
ring for information as to where capital and
industry can be the most adyantageously
employed in developing the hidden resources
Of our vast country. 1t is to this class of
our citizens that / wish particularly to call
attention to this hitherto neglected portion
of our State, as having all the natural adj
vantages and resources that can be desired
TO open up a great field of enterprise, and
which must eventually become one of the
most extensive iron manufacturing districts
in the State. II has been said that a
prophet has no honor in his own country,
the same may be applied with equal truth
to sections of this country, which really
possess more wealth than the same breadth
of territory, embracing the richest gold
mines of California. But, for some unex-
planned cause the peculiar advantages that
nature has deposited at our own doors are
overlooked, and the glittering gold fields Of
distant sections Of our country are selected
| by our enterprlslng young men, as the held
Of their future operations, and, in their
haste TO make money, they bunder over the
seemingly more humble deposits of nature,
! TO which, if they could he attracted, and in
fuse the same amount of energy in develop
! ing, would most assuredly, in a majority Of
| instances, find themselves more comfortable
in a pecuniary point of view, and have the
satisfaction of knowing that they contribu-
ted more to the interests of their fellow men
and their country by helping to build up our
manufacturing interests at home, than they
possibly could have done had they followed
the 'ignaus fatuus contemplated by so
many This particular section of country,
possessing all the advantages to which | al
lude, lies principally along the valley from
Huntingdon, In Huntingdon county, beyond
Bedford, in Brdford county, to the Mary
land line, and even beyond that. Immense
beds Of brown hematite and also fossiliferous
ores run through the entire valley, a dis
a han oh
1t has been estimated by scientific geologists
that there is most certainly a sufficient
amount Of ore lying between these points
mentioned to keep loo furnaces in operation
that many years; and, strange as it may ap-
pear, up to this time there is bat one fur
in the whole valley, and that IS situated at
this place: In order to give some idea Of
the quality of the metal that is manutaetur-
ed from the ore of this region, it Is only
necessary to state that the principal part of
the metal made here the last year, has been
used IN the manufacture OF steel, for which
purpose il is said to be peculiarly adapted.
As another evidence Of the estimation IN
which this ore is held by those who have
tested IT, | would say that a company from
Danville, Montour county, Pennsylvania,
are now mining and shipping it from this
rossvn a ,listauO5 N zoo Ia.ilsa, and vvo be-
lieVe the transportation is altogether by rail-
road. If they can ship ore advantageously,
which they certainly do, that distance, you
can readily perceive the advantage there
would be in the manufacture Of the raw ma
terial on the ground where We have the very
best Of COAL limestone, water power, and the
all important ore; indeed, all the facilities
and requisites to insure superior as well as
cheep iron. And last, but not least by a ny
means, We have the Huntingdon and Broad
| Top Railroad traversing, as 1t were, the
heart of this valley containing all these min
eral resources a distance Of 43 miles. l
might, indeed, fill columns Of your paper
with this important subject, but | have now
transcended the limits intended Hoping
this may find favor with that class of enter
prising men, for whom it's more particularly
| intended, and they may avail themselves of
those golden opportunities to enrich them
| selves, and their country with them, in de-
| vcloping by their energy this rich field of
| deposits and in the future, watching these
| important developments which mnst and
certainly viii take place, may, perhaps, be
/ enabled to give you a more detailed account
| of this region Of country in regard TO this
| important subject. | would respectfully
! refer persons desirous Of having any further
! information in relation to this region to
John Fulton, Esq, Resident and Mining
| Engineer at Saxton, Bedford county, Penn
svlyana JOHN 4. Lowry.
/ --s s