Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-07-30
LOC A L N Il w -

The W. c., V. NJ Il G. S. r. R.-MINER-
AL RESOURCES -ADvANTAGEs OF ALEXAN-
DR1A AS A MANUFACTURING CENTRE. "A cor
respondent of the Washington Republican,
| writing from Alexandria, furnishes the follow.
ing Interesting account of the w. g., V. NJ. O.
q. S. r. r., the rich mineral discoveries along
the line of that road aud the advantages possess
ed by this city as point for the manufacture
OF iron, and as a great coal depot The writer
says, ...
favor of this point on the Potomac river, BY
reason of the near iron deposits, that must, 1t
properly managed. make it one of the centres
or can receive, almost every variety OF coal,
irou aud huxes with successful competing traus-
portatiou by river, canal and railroad for all
these products. There is more iron than is
needed for local uses. We can therefore have
rolling aud other mills in conjunction with the
smeltiug furnaces.
The Washington City, Virginia Mid
land and Great Southern Railroad lately
known as the Orange, Alexandria aud
Manassas, and Lynchburg and Danville
Railroad runs from north 70 south through
the counties of Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince
William, Fauquicr, Culpeper, Orange, Abe
marle, Nelson, Am herst, Cam pbcll and Pittsyl-
vania, commencing at the first named town, on
the banks of the Potomac. and ending in the
last mentioned county at the Furnishing town
of Danville, on the boundary line between Vlr-
ginia aud North Carolina. The Manassas
branch DIVORCES almost at right angie from
the main line, in Prince William county, at the
newly built town of Manassas, and courses
westward, through Prince William, Fauquier
and Warren, to Strasburg in Shenandoah
county thence in southwestern direction,
through Shenandoah and Rockingham counties,
to Harrisonburg.
'rbe portion of the line from Strasburg to
I1arrisonburg has been recently leased by the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, which gives to
the latter an outlet through the valley, but not
to the detrimeut of the former, as they still
continue to freight at an old rates over the
leased portion Of the valley line.
The main line is now the object Of especial
interest to the adjacent cities, as on 1t there is
in process of development some OF the most ex-
traorainary iron ore deposits in the world.
Heretofore the trans palaehian region attract
ed general attention, aud what little has been
given to the Blue Ridge region has been to
the western portion. Now, Oh the eastern
slopes, and along the line Of the road, there
has been found large veins Of magnetic, specu-
lar, argllaceous and brown hemaite vaults Of
iron ore. many of which will yield over sixty
per cent. of metal.
"Mr. Barbour, to bring into market the lands
! along the line Of the raad, some two years ago
conceived aud carried out the policy of reliev-
! ing the broken down farmer of his surplus
lands, and obtained from the Legislature of the
State of Virginia the right to acquire by pur-
chase 10 the vicinity of his road. The results
speak for themselves. Dependency pervaded
the entire district tbrough which this road
passed when this movement began. Now a
difference is observable everywhere, and if
everybody knew of these discoveries there
would be as great rush to these parts as there
was in times past to the gold-bearlng regions
Of the West.
"This is not by any means an ovcrdrawn pic
turc; for, after mature reflection, those compe-
tent to Judge and compare the mineral wealth
of the TWO great States of Pennsylvania and
Virginia gave the palm to the latter. General
Henry Peasants, chief engineer of the Phila-
delphia Coal and Iron Company; Mr.. w. Lor-
entz. chief Of the Philadelphia and Reading
railroad, and Mr.. &. c. Morris, of Philadel-
phia, 10 the iron interest, are all Pennsylva-
nians yet 50 conclusive were the results that
there seemed to be but one opinion about the
value of Virginia minerals. The condition and
prospects of this road are good, these develop
ments securing it for the future from any fall
ing off of freight aud passenger travel Propo-
sitions are now being entertained that will, If
consummated, give them perhaps more to d do
than can be done by a single track road. BY
January next the track from Lynchburg to
Danvie will be all laid and 10 running order. .