Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-04-01
OUR RAILROAD AND COAL AM
IRON INTERESTS AGAIN.

/ chart showing the relative locations of the
Broad Top, Allegheny and Cumberland Goa
fields, and the ore beds lying between them
as well as the location and connections Of
tFe H. & b. T. r. r., and the projected
Bedford & Bridgeport Railroad. We ap-
pend the report in full as one of great i'm
portanee to the people of our County and
hope they will give it a careful perusal 1t
cannot fail to attract the attention of capi-
talists abroad, and promote the rapid de-
velopment of our mineral resources. In it,
Mr. Fulton has done a good work for us
for which he deserves the thanks of our
people. The report is as follows
The belt of iron ores fanking the Broad
Top Coal Fields on the west, and extend
ing from Huntingdon to the State line, be-
long to and can be controlled by Broad Top
interests The main portion of it is along
! side the Broad Top Railroad, and will be
smelted by coke from the Broad Top Field
| The portion of this belt between Bloody
Run and the State line-ahout fourteen
miles of good ore-will be smelted at Bloody
! Run; the furnaces can be connected with the
1 Railroad by short branch from the west
end Of River Bridge when it shall be built
A tram-road, with a small locomotive will
probably be used in conveying the iron ore
and limestone to the furnaces.
1t is a remarkable fact that the largest
developments of iron ores flank the Broad
/ Top Coal Field South ward, up Black
Valley the regular line Of Tussey's Noun
tain is broken up by Beans Cove near TIE
Stale line beyond this, the measures are ir-
regular, and split into terminal hills, the
iron ore thinning out and uncertain.
These surgent iron ores fauking Broad
Top are again repeated In the loop curving
around the valley in which the town of Bed
ford is situated This belt of iron ore is
rich and valuable, and has, to some extent,
beed secured by parties interested in Broad
Top. The most valuable portion of this
belt Is near the town of Bedford, curving
round Dutch Corner, and throwing double
prong southwark towards Cumberland. 1t
is reasonable to infer that as the ore de-
posits go southwark they will encounter,
in modified manner, the Bean Cove line
of disturbances, declining in quantity and
value.
Bedford, as a centre for furnaces, will be
in a position from which all the ores of that
belt can be reached by lateral roads.
With the extension of the Broad Top
Railroad to Bedford, the carrying of coal for
iron smelling there, with the native trade Of
the district, will, IN part, be secured to the
Broad Top interests
The third Belt of ore, and the last in the
series as it plunges under the Alleghanies.
Is found west of Bedford, aanking for quite
a distance the proposed railroad from Bed
ford to Brldgeport--sixteen miles That
Broad Top should secure this connecting
link, Is an important consideration, in view
of the rapidly growing interest in the iron
ores, aud the nos eager pBEsuit of their ac-
QUESTION in a region where pig metal can be
manufactured at a small cost.
But there is another feature in this COL
nectiOn which will exert an important infu
ence in the future operations of the Broad
Top Railroad. The Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company are now erecting first
elasss Rolling Mill at Cumberland to roll
rails for their own road and its branches.
This. when in operation, will induce an in
creased demand for good pig iron; and as
the Mount Savage Iron Works is running
mainly on the carbonate iron ores of the
Coal Measures, they will undoubtedly reach
out for the rich fossil ore along the Bridge
port link. This connection will therefore be
made If only for the supply of iron ore
which it will open up, and the passenger
trade to Bedford Springs. The road from
Bedford to Bridgeport can be graded as
cheaply as the link from Mount Dallas to
Bedford.
But If this link is made as a branch of the
b. L o. r. r. the operations in Cumber
land Coal will be ready to compete at Bed
ford With the Booad Top. This eompeti-
tlon would neutralize. to some extent the
benefits to Broad Top, BY the extension of
the Road from Mount Dallrs to Bedford.
With the Bedford and Bridgeport division
IN Its charge, however, it could regulate and
entirely control all competition from outside
parties
1t seems to me that with the wel-defned
amount OF mineral resources presented in
this intervening territory and the sure source
of trade which must follow its manufacture
that it is of sufficient importance to induce
those connected with the Broad TOP inter
est to lose no time In securing a position to
command the carrying trade of this wide
field of productive industry, which will be
so much in addition to the business and ton
mage lying more Immediately on the line of
your Road.
The owners of Coal lands and shippers of
Broad Top Goal should also feel deep in
terest in securing home market for a nor
tlon of this coal, at least, thus supplements
ing the trade, and measurably removing the
sharp competition now existing in the East
ern Coal Market
A furnsnce of the size of that at Riddles
burg will consume in year %, 600 tons of
coal, $500 tons Of limestone, and 20, 900
tons OF iron ore, producing 1000 to 5000
tons OF plg IRON. Twenty furnaces would
require 100000 tons Of coal annually.
- dra..1oI IL
tional furnaces will be erected on the line of
your Road this season, with the nrobabilitv
that two more will be commenced before the
close of the year
The loop of iron ore around Bedford con.
tains four millions of tons, calculating the
rich fossIiiferous ores only, and the Western
line or range, three millions of tons.
The developments during the past year.
of the three bands of iron ore deposits flank
ing the Broad Top Coal Field, have exhibit
ed the presence of almost inexhaustible
vuantities of iron ore
1t Is 20 feet ! inch thick, near Coffee
Run, IN compact seam of almost pure ore
lhls-the LeYant iron ore-has been tested
aod Is now being used In the Cambria Com
pany 5 furnaces at Johnstown.
The Hematite and Fossihferous iron oree
OF the lower deposits, have been opened and
worked at many points in the region, Weld. !
ing superior ore and showing unusual thick |
ness in the deposits.
Calculations made with great care, from
reliable data, show that in the three large
deposits of iron ore hanking the Broad Ton
field on the West, estimated to adepth CON
yeuienily reached above water level, there
are at least five hundred millions of tons of |
iron ore. This quantity Of iron ore will re
quire, for its reduction in the furnace, moIe
than i've hundred millions of tons Of coal |
The extension Of the main line of the Rail. /
read to Bedford and branch ND Black Val.