Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-10
~ NnPTA q AZFTTE AND VIRGINIA DVERTISER
A Blast Furnace.

To tile et1itor Of the .Alerant},ta Gn=ette::
In the report Of the proceedings of the meet
ing held after the adjournment of the Corn
Exchange on W. dnesday last, published III the
Gazette of the 7th, my attention Was arrested
by the views expressed by President Mcken-
Zle relative to the construction OF blast furna-
ces, aud utilizing the iron ores, which an ex-
tcusiou Of his railroad twenty miles further
would place within reach OF transportation to
Alexandria. Conccding the force of the sug-
gcstion, and recognizing the future Importance
OF the proposed extension to the public, 1t
struck the writer that question Of much more
practical interest for the onsIderatloD, OF the
meeting would have been the adoption OF some
feasible plan to realize resources already acces-
sible and at hand, than to wait until twenty
miles Of new railroad could be built through a
mountain region at an expenditure probably OF
not less than hall million Of dollars. Now 1t
50 happens that iron ore, 10 large quantities
and Of superior quality have been discovered
and opened at several points close to the
Orange, Alexandria aud Manassas Railroad,
and very convenient for transportation. MIR.
| Barbour, President Of the company, has tor
| the last six months been steadily and coutDu'
olls.v engaged in the effort to ascertain the
quality and extent 0l these iron properties, and
| if the result justified, to bring them to the no
ticc Of capitalists in order that their values
| might J.. dcrcioped An examination BY com
| pctcnt experts, though not entirely concluded,
| has advanced far enough TO demonstrate that
beyond all doubt ample supplies Of most valu-
| able iron ores arc found at several localities IN
| jux,a position to the lue Of railway, and de-
iivcrablc directly from the ore beds upon the
cars, without ucccsstatlng any other mode OF
TRANSPORTATION Under SUCH circumstances Is
| it wise to postpone such advantages at present
and wait to build more railroads instead of re-
;,Iiziug the material at hand, and thereby to
increase the ability of the community for flu
turc improvements lit be true, as Mr.. Nc
| kcnzic says in his speech that zone good blast
furnace would be worth more to Alexandria
than the profit Of all the country produce re-
cclved, and the writer concurs 10 the sentl-
meut then the sooner one is erected the bet
ter, looking to resources already accessible. 1t
was stated in the Baltimore Sun OF the 7th
| that the Kunkc furnaces in Frederick county,
| Nd, had furnished the Baltimore and Ohio
| Railroad pig iron OF the value OF $1,000,
| during the past year for their iron works-oGe
half the amount probably profit upon al orlgl-
nal outlay Of $6O,OOU, as the writer has been
Informed. The profits of Il furnace established
nj Alexandria at the present rates ol iron,
ara With the laclHtlcS UiicfGu. iUuSL lt Clul
nous. and regarding the vast demand for iron
ana consumption in this country and Europe,
it is calculated by the bcst authorities who
write on the subject that existing rates must be
maintained at least for long time 10 come.
AS the matter is one promising SO much OF III
tcre>; aud value to the community the writer
suggests that the business men and property
holders of Alexandria meet andappoint apa-
bic committee to investigate the subject and
make report after full examination, and if
the result be favorable to the measure, let
them digest some suitable plan to carry the
scheme into effect, and obtain the requisite
capita! TO establish blast furnace without de-
lay. BY general effort on the part Of all per
sons Interested in creating new industries and
developing business tor Alexandria, and pro,
noting its future prosperity, sufficient capital
could doubtless be associated to accomplish the
object. \ joint stock company might be or:
gauizcd IN which the whole community could
subscribe III proportion to their means, and sub
scriptions be received in sums running from
$50 up to $1,000. As a conjCctural estimate
suppose that five individuals can be found
who will subscribe $5.OoO each, making
| together, $4,000
! md hvn marc X, Dlu each u 600