The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-04-15
CONTINUED from first page.]
Citizens Meeting.
REMARKS OF MAI. HoTCHKIss.

Pending the adoption of the report, Maj
Hotchkss, being called upon, spoke substa
TALLY, as follows:
I carefully examined the report just real
whilst in the hands Of the Committee, and col
slider it very fair and pnexaggerated. loo fr
agently reports Of this kind are highly colore
more enthusiastic than truthful-but tn
one contains only statement Of plain, unva
nished facts:
Mr.. Gastorel, of the British embassy, unde
an official commission from the British Go,
eminent, recently made an examination Of tn
iron deposits of this country, and reporte
that iron could be manufactured in Virgini
at a less cost than in any section OF the Unite
| States. This conclusion had been arrived a
after careful estimate Of the cost of labor
analyses of ores and woods, &C., and in viey
OF the fact that North Carolina and Alabam
offer unusual advantages in furnishing tn
raw material, but that these advantages hat
been greatly overbalanced by the transporta
ton facilities of Virginia. England canno
longer find market in the United States fol
her iron, and, for this reason, English CAPT
talists can, and would gladly, furnish tht
means to operate in this country.
But to return to the consideration of the re-
port. The advantageous situation OF Staun-
ton-being at the intersection Of two railroads,
owned and operated by different companies,
affords the rarest facilities for transporting her
products. Added to this, her proximity and ac-
feasibility to Cumberland and the coke OF
Connelsville, as well as the coal mountains Of
Kanawha, and the readiness with which the
ore can be obtained, make the location one
unusually adapted to the manufacture Of iron.
Cumberland, to be sure, is also at the inter-
section of two railroads, but, unfortunately,
they are both under control of the same direc-
tory, and, for that reason, the producers have
not the benefit of competing rates. It is to
our interest, therefore, that the two roads con-
vcrging at this point remain under the man.
agement Of separate companies.
In estimating the advantages Of manufac-
lures, we must consider, in addition to the i'm
mediate increase Of population, &C., the other
enterprises that will necessarily spring into
existence. That such must be the result is
illustrated in the city Of Middleboro', England.
Some fifteen years ago, on the site now occu-
pied by that prosperous city, there stood mis-
cradle little village, in the vicinity of which
were mines bearing about 80 per cent, and
that Of very Indifferent quality. These
mines were taken in hand by an energetic firm
and manufactures established. To-day, Mid
dleboro' numbers 100000 inhabitants, and
is second to no exporting city except Bel
fast, Ireland. Extending their operations,
this firm has purchased large tracts Of land from
Spain from which they. import the hematte
ore to mix with their inferior grades, and for
which Spain receives an immense royalty
From the published report Of the mineral sta
tistician, it appears that the production Of this
in 1873, exceeded the combined
productions Of the United States. England,
it is true, has the advantage in securing good
labor at less cost, but we are more than COM
pensated for that advantage, by the album
dance OF the native elements and the read
mess with which they can be obtained. The
major part OF the English mines are at least
500 feet below the surface. In one which I
visited the ore was eleEated 900 feetvbeing
about BOG feet below the level Of the sea. AS
a matter of course, the expense incident toob-
tanning the crude metal, under such difficult
ties. is enormous, not only from the cost of ex-
cavating and hosting the material itself, but
from the ventilation apd drainage necessary.
1t was fortunate for this section that Mr..
Bell, an eminent English iron manufacturer,
visited it. Doubtless, he will carry back
most favorable report, and if such be the case,
we may expect an influx of foreign capital and
enterprise, as there is disposition to distrib-
ute money in this ceuntry, not only from the
many inducements offered to manufactures,
but also to avoid the duty. But this will never
be accomplished until the Legislature ceases
to tamper with the State debt and until some as
surance is vouchesafe for the redemption Of State
bonds. These are the obstacles that demand
removal, and they must be removed, It We ex-
pect Virginia to occupy the position ip the
commercial world, which her natural endow-
ments entitle her to. England is literally
suffocated with money. The whole world
pays tribute to her, and that tribute aggregates
the uncomfortable sum Of 10000 $1,000. But
not one dollar of that immense amount will be
invested in Virginia, unless some guaranty is
given that property holders will be protected.
In conversation with prominent official, in
which he referred to the action of the Legisla-
ture with reference to the coupons, he con-
demned it in strong terms. In reply, I
told him that Englishmen were entirety too
slow; that it took them too long to act, and
put him in good humor by adding that ip for
ty-eight hours after the passage 81 the act, the
Yankees of New York had their bonds in
ship-shape, whilst the Englislmen were pour
ing over their troubles. a'his seemed to med
ify him. Why, sir, bends which in Europe
bear 10 per cent, if invested in this State
would pay nothing ct all. Yon may say that
this is all talk, but tell you it is stern reality
and hasbeen practically demonstrated.
But to return again to the report. l have
taken large map and examined the country,
and the clements of wealth which surround
Staunten. You would be surprised to
see her unsurpassed natural resources
Within a radius Of 100 miles are embraced the
New River coal, Connelsville, with its mag
nificent coke, the richest ore regions of North
AaroEssas and ! might delate for hours on 9th
ar favored sections. It is my purpose to pre-
rare map and to present it to the Board of
Trade, which will sbow al these wonderful
treasures. We are within convenient reach OF
the red heratite ore of New River, than which
no finer exists in oil Europe, with one excep-
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