Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-02-04
NUMBER Is.

The above can only convey faint idea of
what has been done and what can and will be
don't, as soon as the cheap coal of Kanawha is
united with these vast and easily mined depos-
Its of rich ores. Below here this giant compa-
ny, whose capital is Unlimited. has discovered
ore 10 some twenty places, and is working at
Gooch's Indian Furnace, George Pettjohn's,
hiVerVllie. IL miles below Lynchburg, aud Dill
lard Landing, lock 40 is getting out 90 tons
per gay, hne magnetic ore; then Bremo Bluffs,
Padding Hill, Buckingham county, and or to
Westham, the largest and most complete iron
furnace In the South, and second to none North.
With Its immense capital, scientific experts,
ever on the look out, liberal dealing aud en-
couragement to the people, this company is
working revolution along this hitherto dead
sea water line, and is yet destined to work ont
for the great James River Valley, destiny
never dreamed of by It's people.
Statnton' 8 interest in sll this lies in tho fact
that the Valley r. +. will put her in close con-
nection with this great Iron Belt, adding it to
| Augustus iron, and, With the G.. & D. r. r.
crossing there and bringing her the cheap coal
of kanawha, the workshops of both roads,
and the spirit of her people will demand iron
| foundries rolliog mills, machine shops, &c,
On a scale commensurate with interests at stake.
Let her people, then, continue In we'll doing,
aud leave nothing undone to facilitate the
speedy connection, with this great county by
rail, and, let the croakers say what they please,
in the no distant future, If she but uses her op-
portunites as in the past your Hill city is GER
| tain TO be the great eRtrep0t OF the iron trade
of the great Valley, and the future Pittsburg
| OF Virginia The age Of imposslbilities has
passed, and that of will and energy to do, and
dare and conquer all things, has succeeded
Your future is kuit to that Of this section and
county By every bend of interest and sympathy
and soon the iron bands Of the distance annihi-
la.ing railway, will make you one 10 trade, and
all Interests will work together to build up
great city, worthy Oh the great Valley and her
peop;ethe future capital of reunited Viz
ginia-the good old city of Staunton.
We turn to Lithographic stone. The discovery
OF this valuable stone in quantities, in Rock
bridge, aud the evidence that it can be fonud
elsewhere in the Valley, opens new era in the
material development Of our section, and one
that promises results second to no enterprise
ever started among US. 1t was discovered By
A. j. Volck, who was on visit 20 ID. Q. Il.
Brady's Buffalo Forge place, while Ia R0ck-
bridge, seeing about the means to place at the V.
NJ. l.. his magnificent Bropze Equestrian statue
of Stonewall jackson, ordered Gov. Letcher
and others, and now waiting shipment In Eu-
rope. While talking to Brady, he picked up a
piece of stone and was observed to look at it
intentiy, and ask what it was. Brady answered
took specimens TO Baltimore, where it stood
every scientific and practical test, and com.
pany, with Capital of $5 100000 was formed
to develop it, composed of the most reliable and
energetic business men OF Baltimore.
They first weot to work on Jno. Michie's
place, in Falling Spring neighb0rhood, miles
from Lsxiogton and 2 from Canal and soon
purchased 200 acres IRON him, at $35 per acre,
and acres from Mr.. Ogden, blacksmith, on
same place, at 500 per acre. This stone is
porous limestone, sufficiently hard to retain
smooth surface and at the same time porous
| enough to absorb moisture. Lit is not as fine as
| the Bavarian, because not as durable, but an
swers every purpose. Two immense blocks of
it, one weighing loo pounds, have been sent
to Baltimore, and stood every test required, and
the Company is sanguine of great success.
| Il first crops out on Sheriff James A. VIII
sons farm two miles from Canal, who refused
| 500 an acre for 100 acres-then rams parralel
10 Blue Ridge 10 N. E., course by Ead's
| Michies Brady's, crosses Buffalo and strikes
| the lands of James Wilson, at which point
| scientific prospecting stopped, but indications
| abound further on, and elsewhere. Large
quantities have also been discovered on the Ma
tural Bridge property, owned by your Col. NJ.
| &. Harman, who wont DO long making it
| pay" The largest Developments are on
| Brady's lands, above Buffalo Forge, and it was
this stone being discovered which led your cor
respondent into an error, in saying: immense
slate deposits at Brady's," whereas there hsa
been no marketable slate ever discovered, in the
| U. s., west of the Blue Ridge.
| We understand that another wealthy COM
paDy is being formed to work the stone on
Bradys land and utilize his immense water
power, one mile from Canal, at Buffalo Forge,
in manufacturing it for shipment. The i'm
portaEce Of these Developments can be seen,
| rh jS kuou0 that tho only othar Of
this stone found. are in Bavaria, and they are
giving out, while the smallest prices sell at %
Cts per pound, and the price increases, in geo.
metrical proportion, to the size, and millions of
tons of stone, used for printing maps, &C., of
uniform quality ard any required size, can be
gotten in the Rockbridge mines
| Mr.. Anderson has recently introduced
bill TO incorporate Messrs. Walter B. Bowles,
A. J. Volck, g. A. Myer, Wm. T. Bowen
| Charles A. Davidson and associates under the
pame and style Of the American Lithrographic
Company Of Virginia, for the purpose OF quar-
| ring marble and photographic stoae aud mining
other minerals and metals in Roekbridge and
other counties of the State OF Virginia. The
capital stock of said company is to be 5000 600,
divided into shares of 81, 900 each, and $780,
900 of the said capital stock is to be subscribed
| before the company shall commence operations.
| 1t asks for authority to hold 10000 acres Of
| land in Rockbridge, and as much as 5000 in
any other couaty, aud to hold the meetiogs Of
the company ia Rock bridge county, the city of
| Baltimore, or elsewhere.
| But, carried away with the interest excited
ia every lover Of our grand old State, by the
wonderful future the development of her re-
sources promises to her and our Valley, have,
fear, made my letter too long, if anything on
subject of such vital importance can be too
| long these hard times. [ hope the papers
throughous the Valley will aid me in these re-
searches, and give more space to local interests.
This whole region is looking up and trade is
lively. Yours.
VIATOR.