Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1869-03-20
a, From an interesting letter from


S,aun,on. published in the Richmond
Dispatch, we exIac, The following
Nv uhia The last ten days, aweshhy
Baltimore company, who are interested IN
the Slberl process for the msnuiSc,u'e VI
steel from iron ore, have purchased seVe
raj thousand acres Of land in and around
Buffalo gap, abou, nine or ten miles wes'
OF Stanton, on the line OF The Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad, and the Stanton
and Psrkersbu.g turnpike, on which they
! propose TO establish, wi;hou; delay. ex'
,ensve furnaces for the manufacture OF
iron and steel. Their purchases embrace
large deposits Of ore and great quantity
OF timber. understand they expect, al
the outset Of their operations. TO employ
about so hands, but their machinery oil
all kinds will be adapted 10 much larger
operations in the future. In few years
they will probably establish rolling mills
and manufactures of different Kinds,
which will give employ neni 10 an IN
creased number OF operatives. The nat
ural result OF this great expenditure will
be 10 build up a considerable village in
The neighborhood of the furnaces (Which
will be located quite near to The rsIIfoad)
and 10 stimulate industry in all that por-
ton Of the country.
Mr.. Sibert. the inventor OF The rev
process of making steel, which is ptoba'
bly, destined TO supersede tie PfussIsn
mode, is citizen Of Augusta courtyard
is interested in the new enterprise. lie
is man foil OF genius and energy, and
has long been known TO our people as an
ingenious inventor in various departments
of mechanics. About 1860 he invented
new gun. which he manufactured with
his own hands. He brought il tn Stun
ton, where it was exhibited, and highly
approved by competent judges. His pur.
pose was. with the assistance oi some
men of capital, to 60 into The manufacture
of The "Sibeu gun" on large scale.
Preparatory to commencing operations he
carried his model to Washington and de.
posted il in the Patent Office with the
view Of obtaining a patent for his improve
mcnl. But before he could do so me
war commenced, and shortly Afterwards
the celebrated Spencer rife" which !
am informed is substantially the "Slher'
gum" made lis appearance, and SIber'
los, the fruits Of his labOrs.
Not a, all dishear!ened, SIbert, Who is
chemist as well as mechanic, turned
his attention 10 The manufacture OF steel
by single, short, and economical pro-
cess, directly from the ore In This, judi
cous men think, he has been emlnentIy
successful. do not profess TO be com
pe,en, Judge on ibis point; but one thing
is certain, that if has not succeeded to lie
full extern 10 making seel, lie has, IN
questionsbly, made a wonderful improve
ment in the manufacture Of iron.
A few days ago Slber, exhibited to
your CORES pondtn, species Of metal
which he had produced at a neIghborlng
furnace. In appearance it resembles The
pures, gold, and is susceptible OF very
high polish. lis weight is greater than
that of irCn, and il is as hard as steel.
Al one end. where piece had been bro
ken of. it presented the appearance OF
fac steel, the crystals being very fine and
compact, but the golden color extended
through The entire mase. SlbeH INFORM
ed me the basis OF the metal was steel,
with other metallic substances incorpors-
ted. He says it can be produced at mod:
erale cost, and ill make good material
for the small coins, and q valuable suNsl-
luie for brass in machinery hardware &c
He represented TO me that il would not
oxydize or grow dim by exposure TO the
atmosphere, and was not sensibIy Affect
ed by acids. In view of The beauty,
hardness. com actness, and durability oil
this metal, It's Difficult, 10 tell TO what
uses il may be applied, and what may
prove 10 be its value. Long lie and good
luck 10 SIbert.
And here beg TO add that Slberr is not
the only inventor from this part OF the
Valley. All the world is familiar with
the renown Of Cyrus H. Mccormick, the
father Of The whole family of respiug and
moving m achines and Of the late years
the females Of our country have learned
TO appreciate the ingenuity OF Gibbs, OF
the firm of Wilcox 81 Gibbs, Of sewing
machine fame. Both Mccormick and
Gibbs were from Rockbridge county.
Recently two ingenious citizens OF
Augusta county have turned their a,,en-
ton 10 machinery, and one Of Ihcm, Mr..
Ly,eion Waddell, an intelligent and est
mable gentlemen, formerly editor of the
Spectator, has invented an improved
churn, from which, rumOr says, he has
already realized handsome sum Of mon
ey.
Another citizen OF our county, Mr..
Enoch Thomas, is reported 10 have in
vented a new hsy.pIess, which for sim
plici,y. efficiency, chespness, and gene
raj usefulness, casts all competitors into
the shade.
The attention Of our people being now
turned 10 tie useful arts, il will not be
long before they will be found as pre-em-
nent 10 tina, department as they have
heretofore been in craftsmanship an tie
philosophy Of government.
KISSING HIS WIFE WHILE DYISo CT
HypRopHoBIA.-Mr. Eckerson, who died
of hydropho5a a, Saddle river had to be
held by FIVE or six men, and during his
lucid intervals begged TO kiss his wife,
vho was very i'll in another part cf the