The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-27
OUR IRON INTEREsTs.

turers and people generally, to know that
there has been an advance IN nails in tn,
west. One of our leading mills, on las,
Saturday, received large order from
San Francisco, with instructions to hurry
up the nails as the price was advancing
There is something else that is encourag.
ing to our manufacturers, and that is the
discovery of iron in our own vicinity
We are not able to say whether 1t will
be found to abound in sufficient ouanti.
ties to pay, but the indications are that il
will. The yield from the ore is good
enough If there is only sufficient ausn.
tity OF the ore. The great draw
back to our manufacturing iron in
terest has been the cost and trouble OF
getting the ore, but If we are to find it
at our own doors this difficulty will be
removed, and in h few years Wheeling
will have nc RIVAL in this important
industry. There is one thing very sure
and that is that iron will be found to
abound along the Ohio valley in suffi.
cient quantities to supply the demand
for good many years. The develop.
ment of the iron interest in central Ohio
gives evidence of the profits in manu-
factsring native ores. A correspondent
of the Cincinnati Enquirer gives the fol-
lowing lac,s regal ding the success of that
enterprise:
The pioneer furnace, the Baird, erect
ed in the field, was completed during the
autumn of last year. 1t proved a de.
cided success from the start, using only
the native ores (limonite), with the coal
and limestone found on the premises
OF this furnace Professor Andrews, ot
the State Geological Corps, furnished the
AmeracGa Manufacturer. in January last,
complete description, giving quantity
and character of materials used, accom-
panied with the following detailed esti-
mate of the cost OF producing ton OF
iron, compiled from observation and
data furnished by the manager OF the
furnace:.
2a4 tons coal, at soc per ton, at sI.S7h
say g.; - 49, Ton o. ~ fV R
q toA limestone, at sl.5O per ton, Sl.O5
say lU
Labor . w
Repairs w
Interest and ....................... 81
Total. W
This estimate attracted general atten-
ton, and was treated with some incred-
ulity in other iron districts, especially a.
the ordinary expense of producing ton
of iron OF similar grade is from 81 TO S23
A wears actual experience has verified
the estimate and shown that 1t is ample.
During the present season three new
furnaces nave been built; two at Shaw
nee, and one west of Gore, on the Straits
vile branch of the {. IL. and '. K X.
One of these, the "Fannie," at Shawnee,
has been in blast three months. The
Others. the .'XX" at Shawnee. and the
"Thomas Iron Company" near Gore, ex-
pect to be in blast in few days.
Another is in progress in the Snow Fork
Valley, eight miles south Of Shawnee. 1t
Is being erected by VIM. b. Ogden and
others, OF Chicago. The location iss very
desirable one, with plenty of ore, coal
and limestone on the property. Such has
been the remarkable progress of this III
dustry in single year, and there are un.
mistaksble indications that the coming
season will be one OF greatly
increased activity. Since the crea-
ton of these furnaces this
district has been examined, and Its
ability to produce iron at the cost claimed
thoroughly Investigated by many OF the
prominent iron masters Of the country.
The conclusion in every instance has
been that certain desirable grades OF iron
could be more cheaply produced here
than in any other known locality. The
manager OF the "Fannie" furnace, VIM.
Shields, Esq, one of our most careful and
cons servative business men, furnishes the
estimate below rs TO cost of atom OF iron
at that furnaces:
3 tons coal IN
20 tons ore. ~