The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-05-11
11IE VALLEY VIRGINIAN
Staunton, Virginia,
The Future Of the Valley.
MAY II. 1875

fUs.iliia. Hcriite SOIL, reSnHHuittS iaVSiiS to !
he efforts Of the husbandman beautiful water
scnreee, threading the landscape IN every drec-
lien, aud flowing from hill side and mountain,
;ls though inviting machinery and mechanical
industry; genial and invigorating climate,
challenging in the reality the classic prftraitures
of Italian and Grecian skies and zephyrs; and
buried wealth which but awaits the contact of
enterprise and capita! to bring it forth IN al |
most fabulous ;flillence. a section of country
so highly favored wifi all the inherent e,e-
ments OF progress and prosperity, cannot be
kept down. We may share, as Is natura! and
inevitable, in the genera prostration that
reaches l}soter the two continents, but the
recuperative ami elastic energies of the people
will eventually bound onward i'll the path of
enterprise, Inviting the participation of the ac-
tive minds aud energies of other peoples in
the rich harvest that offers.
The popular n.ind OF the country, Just recov-
elng from the financial shock of 1873. is now
engrossel with matters other than material de-
velopmellt. Religious, literary, scientific and
secular journals are discussing the political
events that are likely to enter into tie deter
minatinn of the Presidential election. The
thoughts of the people are drawn off from the
consideration of the agencies and appliances
best ataptedto the development and utiliza-
ton of ON, natural resourcrs. The occasion
for thisiwiH suon have passed away, and ave
ntles opened for tne direction OF the mental
and physical energies of the people to the prac-
tical and more rational demands of the times.
We look forward with saGgune expectation to
the near future when the attention OF capital
is viii be directed to the wonderful resources
and advantages of the Valley OF Virginia. as
the most available section where the rich min
erals of our country can be brought together
for the manufacture OF iron at Il less cost than
at any other point on the continent.
Already have Northern men Of intelligence,
experience and capital taken steps looking to
the material development of this section. A
company has been chartered by Judge Byrd.of
the Rockingham Circuit, under the name of
THE ROYAL LAND oMPANY OF VIRGINIA, -
with maximum limit to its capital stock OF
S20,000,000 The charter is liberia in its pro-
VISIONS contemplating extensive operations
in the land business, and especially with refer
cnce to the development OF mineral lands
The names Of the charter members of tue
Company are S. d. Kerns. of Parkers LAID
ing, Pa, President !; J. G. Fulton, OF Pitts
burg, Secretary; P. Y. EIite, of Pittsburg,
Treasurer; +. n Pool, Of Harrsonburo ST.
perintendent; j. G. Beae and J. H. Walter,
Pittsburg, and w. B. Sterratt, Harrisonburg.-
The Secretary and Superintendent are pernla-
nently located at Harrisonbury
This company. ne have been informed, has
secured large tracts Of mineral lands III Viz
ginia some of which it is now working. The
Dora Coal Mines, at North River Gap, in
Augusta county, about seventeen miles from
Staunton, and about twenty miles from Har-
risonburg, are being operated with Il force of
thirGy-tye or forty men, superintendent by ex-
perienced miners, producing the finest quality
of anthracite coal. hey driving five sep
arate tunnels, considerable distance apart, and
rs they progress, the coal develops in supe-
ror quality and in great abundance. 1t is, in
deed, the Judgment Of gentlemen, who have
had large experience III coal minIlg, that the
deposits i'll the Dora aine'' tract are not
surpassed anywhere, for the quality of the
coal. and the quantity promises to meet the
most sanguine expectations OF those who have
invested their money and energy
:. This enterprise is but the first step in the
unfolding of the wealth of this portion of vir
ginia. There is no question of the fact that
coal and iron ore exist in unlimited quanti-
ties all through the mountains of Virginia and
West Virginia, and that the iron can be manu-
. facture cheaper in this locality than any other
Of tIa TT,,in If l. tai 81,
ton of iron can be produced here, at the pres
ent cost of labor and the raw material, and
delivered in Pittsblrg, for from So to Sc per
ton less that it cln be manufactured at Pitts
burg. All the essential elements which enter
into the manufacture of iron, are here in album
dance The original Investments are so very
much less than in Pennsylvania, for equally as
valuable mineral lands, that it leaves d large
margin of capital to operate with, thus contri-
butng to the dmnution of the expenses of
running and manufacturing.
The point to which we particularly wish to
direct attention, is the position of Stanton to
the coal and iron which must soon become
sources Of great enterprise to this portion of
Virginia, and make it the Iron Centre of the
United States. With IL rail communication
with the Dora Mines-a distance of only sew
cnteen miles-whcrc the finest anthracite coal
can be obtained. and connection already COM
pleted to the Iron beds at Elizabeth Furnace
and other iron ore beds east and west of u.s.
Staunton would be the most practical and adj
vantageous locality for the establishment OF
furnaces. We here have access. by rail, to all
the markets of the country. The Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad, running East AMI West,
= and the Valley Railroad running North and
South. Which will intersect the network of
roads which spreads all over the country the
advantage of competition in freiglts would be
secured, and the cheapest rates Of transporta-
ton obtained If the Royal Land COMPANY
.rcs out tile plans it has mapped out and
p'pgr, sseS with the development of the coal
Within its surveys, the logic of trade will de-
m md the construction of Il railroad from Saun-
ton to the Dora Mines, for Railroad corpora
lions know full well that it is this kind of com
merce Which constitutes their sure and stea l.
East sources Of profit.
bs is not unreasonable to suppose that the
successful operations CT the no, al Land
Gompany''-tlas Development of the coal and
t.oVa y.