The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-10-17
Coal and Iron Deposits Of West Va.

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road between the tidal waters Of the Ches
speake Bay aud the Ohio river, at point
near the centre Of that great valley. must
naturally attract good de,l Of attention,
sinos i. will have an important besfing on
The problem Of transporting the immense
surplu, products OF tue West to Eastern
markets. The Chesapeake and Ohio R.
r., which is sDnonacei 10 be in operation
before the elise Of the yesr. Slll enter the
feld with decided alsantogss II lis favor,
With water lins Connections 81 either term.
mus unobstructed al al s.gscns 10 light
grades, direc. line and cheap fuel. A
good portion Of tie distance there cross
es the rich coal deposits Of the Great Ra.
nawha Valley; aud at another portion Of
the line vas! deposits Of iron ores and lime
stone are trayersed. Beside the advantages
Of "a large through traffic, i, will have an
important mineral movement, to both
Eastern aud Western mlrks,s. The Wes.
tern cities, Cincinnati aud l.ouiayi,le in
particular, are pushing lines forward to
connect With the Chesapeake aud Ohio and
before long il will be 10 direct connection
With the whole railroad system Of the West
aud Southwest. In regard to the coal and
iron orc deposits Of West Virginia, Pro,
fessor Ridgway. who has had Geld ezPe-
rience Of thirty years. end recently made
an extended examination Of them, says III
bis reportto the Railroad Company:
"Reyiewing the ground between point
10 the Piedmont district Of Virginia. say
Gordousyile, and the point where your
liae dcbouches Oh The Ohio, at Hru.ing
ton, q distance If three hundred aud s@en,
ty.ive miles, as traycrsed by your road, |
find almost constant succession OF the
mineral prominently used IN the mechanic
arts snd commerce; and | ain convinced
from the way in which they are presented
at the surface. from their abundance aud
variety, and from their proximity to, aud
elevation above the road, that all the Gle.
ments Of successful. continuous, and prof
table coal mining and iron manufacture.
are here found closely associated and under
most favorable conditions for use. The
iron ores are especially rich, of great 7ar',
e.y; thf carboniferous limestone is especial
ly superior for auxlng purposes; The sever
oil kinds Of coal are, in their several ways,
specially adapted for manaiactarc, refining
and working in iron and steel; and | an
decidedly OF the opinion that both the
rude metal and its more finished products,
may be produced along this portion Of your
road, at less cost. or, in other words, so as
to yield larger profit, than in even the
mos. favored localities in other States, :
Having heretofore investigated and repor-
ted upon various furnaces, aud having in
view the cheapuess Of coal and charcoal,
fuel, labor in Virginia, (co'ored, and the
RESOURCES OF water poser, I am satisfied
,hut pig iron eau be made at numerous
points along the road at from SIS 70 S2V
per ton. The fact that good, scryiceable
coal can be placed in Jour cars at 81 per
ton, exclusive Of royalty, is one OF The
first importance, both to tue workers IN
iron, and to the immense Distribution Of
coal, for various uses throughout the Mis-.
sissippi Valley 1t will be observed also
that, unlike most railroads, By the es'ab'
lishment Of iron woiks between these ex.
treue points, areciproci!y Of freights S'l
follow the ears passing one way loaded
with coal aud the other with ores. The
light grades Of your liue will not only ad
nit Of this interchange, bat also ENABLE
YOU to distribute the minerals to the work:
along the line at less cost, aud also add tC
the not revenues Of the company. Finally
there is no better outlet for c1al and msH.
ufacturei iron, aud other products to til,
the Mississippi Valley on tue one hand
BY means OF the twelve thousand miles Q
internal navigation, added to the vast net
work Of railroads with which the Chesa
peake and Ohio Stem Line is destined /,
be connected; or, on the other hand, 10 tn
seaboard cities. by way of tie cheap coas
navigation, which your line reaches at i.
Eastern terminus Oa the Chesapeake Bay