The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-05-26
orRIKON AND COAL INTERESTS.

4L la.4ts
OTRIRON AND COAL INTERESTS.
Al meeting of the Iron and Steel
Institute Of Europe held in Leige IN
1873, invitations, were extended to the
members to make tour of inspection OF
the mines and iron works of the United
States. Mr.. L. BELL, +. K. ). PresI'
dent of the Institute accepted the invi-
ta,ion. made the tour and has prepared
All extended paper touching on every
thing be learned regarding our coal and
iron deposits, and iron manufacture, and
containing many items Of interest to iron
men in this country.
The pamphlet Is quite lengthy; but the
Cincinnati Commercial has presented Il
pretty full synopsis Of its contents, and
from thi, We gather the following con-
Gensed statement ofthose matters therein
contained relating peculiarly to our i'm
mediate section:
1t seems that the first cause OF attract
ing the attention of foreigners to this
branch of our industries arose from the
fact that it was shown that the amount
Of iron exported to the United States in
1871, was 10000 tons, and this had de-
creased in 1874 to 10000 town, while
the production amang Us Of pig IRON III
creased in the same period, from S2,9OO,-
900 to 1000. 900 tons, and, as the United
States Is described rs England's best Gus
TONER IN this branch of the trade, it, IN
crease Is regarded rs one of the prime
causes Of Mr.. BELL ; visit. This gentle
man accounts for the increase here noted,
first on account of the advantage of
cheaper transportation than can be pro-
cured in England He estimates the
average yoSt per mile in the United
Kingdom at $lS2,9l0, while in the
United States it averaged S57, 800, this
expense being based not only
upon actual freight charges but also
upon the cost Of our railway and canal
construction. As compared with that OF
Great Britain We are much more care
less in both our manner Of building rail
WAYS, rs well rs in their management,
than are they, but this he accounts for
on the ground that in America, we allow
the convenience Of the many to override
the possible injury 10 the interests OF the
few.
Tie next discusses the different mate
rials required in the manufacture OF IRON,
and particularly the use Of char
coal. In the latter be says that here
other processes OF manufacturing in
which coke and coal are used with
good results will ultimately put out the
fires of the charcoal furnaces
He then notice. the wonderful pro-
duet. of the cual oil districts, and gives
the extent of the coal regions of the
Eastern, Central and Western States,
which be estimates will reach II total
area If 49, 600 square miles, and COM
pares this with the 5000 square miles in
the United Kingdom, which he acknowl-
edges to be- insignificant. He next re-
views the different qualities Of the Goals
Of the country, both anthracite and btu
mnou>. and in this connection speaks
well Of the quality Of the Kunawha coal,
and thinks investments in the coal lands
along that river and the chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad Il good thing to make.
He then, having described the mate
rials used in the construction of iron,
their supply, &c, such rs is furnished i'll
the United States, dcvotes good deal of
space TO the subject Of scientific training
which is being SO much appreciated by
our manufacturers. Next he discusses
the blast furnaces in the different sec
tions, and regarding those Of the South
Urn States, he says:
1T cannot be said that the actual pro-
ductiou Of pig iron IN Carolina, West
Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama or Gcor-
gia, gives at present any idea of the
future of these States as centerS Of this
branch of industry. Whatever their
natural resources may be-, considerations
Of a social character, and, up to recent
times. the want of railways and the ab
srurr in many cases, of navigable rivers,
have intcrierrd with the progress of un-
drrtakiugs whose successful pursuit de-
'aand easy and cheap means of trans
port
Aud further en- this subject, tclassing,
will be observed, West Virginia among
.r Southern States, that
The Jealous feeling between North
aaI South, which ran high during the
,a,r war; is rapidly subsiding, and judg-
lug the cordialjty observed in the rela-
tons Of individuals, who had taken an
active part on opposite sides, it will
speedily vanish. Capital and knowledge,
from the Northern States aud elsewhere,
VII. find their way to the South: and
railways. which ar" now lsnguishinY for
want Of traffic, will by greater activity
on their existing lines, De- able to afford
increased accommodation toward the de-
velopmrnt of the districts they serve.
Wages in the Southern States are still
low in comparison with those paid in
Pennsylvania, Ohio. a., but the mean,
ofmakng iron at the command Of the
former will enable them To comp,,e
m more than equal terms for labor
While on this subject may remark ,ha,
at the charcoal turndycS | watched viii
much interest the negroes. who boL
worked AS slaves where they are now en-
gagged as free men. was by 10 mean
satisfied by my observations, aS well a
by frequent conversations that there |
any impediment 10 thi, race being in
trusted, SO far eS It's numbers will allow