The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-05
VIRGINIA ORES.
,,osp.CTHSG AND PROSPECTS.
:, Practical and Instructive Letter.]

:, Practical and Instructive Letter.]
p,cupoSp, VA, March %, 1875.
" Dear On my return from Irop-
- " found YOUR postal saying that you
~. .,ls M, ,eaye the University On the excur~
80 ~. baa nronosed. | felt extremely graft
"a "a ,ha, We did not meet you at Ironton,
lrs>,nuch IS the weather was so very us
s,rcrable. Henry aud | lett Ricnmono cy
80 night train Of the Chesapeake ana Onlo
-ir-oad. We passed hillboro' by DAY, ana
-, mountains, covered with thin coating
~ .,ow, we're objects new and interesting
y, y, ,;ro and also 10 me, as had never passed
- y-1n..h the mountsiu region when the snow
~. ~, MON TIE ground. At Huntington we
,,n. ,be steamer Fleetwood for lronton, at
y,:ED place We arrived about S O'Clock IN
NJ sr.rirg The large party we expected
t,4 not arrived. The next morning we
,,,5. the acquaintance Of five of the
-',,v who had come by steamer du.
.', ..rr The night from Wheeling, Steu.
tsry,IIp, Pittsburgh, aud the neighbor-
w. furnaces Of these cities. The balance Of
~ ,Ls ror,y have declined the trip at present,
ny;rr 10 The inclemency Of the weather, and
Saya ~ nos,poued their visit to more propi-
ron. season. The day, you may remember,
W4s u.nered in by snow, which fell before
nicbt 10 depth of nine or ten inches. Not
outstanding. under the escort Of two gen.
,lemsp connected with the Etna furnace, we
rn5p down 10 the furnace and passed several
hnur. in It's examination and inspection.
Tni. furnace went into operation last May.
I. g,s commenced before the panic, and had
,rogre-sed 80 far that it was necessary to 60
o. and complete it. 1t cost 81 l,500, 900, in
clgdjnc The land iu Ironton and mines, which
las, represent 100000. Every part Of the
work is finished in perfect style, displaying
beauty grace, ard siry solidity, with ele-
ya,cd railways, elevators, iron pillars and
circular steps, and with tunnels running
under the grounds, and the whole propelled
by machinery Of the most approved kind.
Is maximum capacity per day is one hum
dred and forty tons Of iron, though the pro-
prie,ors now rarely aim TO produce
more than balf that amount, owing to the
depressed state o. the iron interest. In
going over the buildings was struck with
the yery snail rumber of workmen-so
small, indeed, that one would think an extra
force should be employed to act IS guards OF
the property. The whole number OF, en-
plOye, is only fity-fve. II the purpose was
by the Use OF perfect machinery and appli-
sGcrS 10 do away with 8 proportionate ex-
pepse OF manual labor, it has yet to be de-
uopstrated that the interest on the capital
necessary for the first outlay will not exceed
the wages necessary for the ordinary manual
labor. However, everything has been
erandy executed in conformity with the orr.
ginal plans. 1t is we'll worth visit, as il
compares rayoraby with any other furnace
n England or America. We assembled the
winding iron steps to the top Of the furnace,
which commands fac view Of IrOntoD, ol
the Ohio, and the fertile fields OF Kentucky
and Ohio slopng 10 the river, and looking
east to the prosperous town OF Ashland, in
kentucky, and further still to Catlettsburg,
at the mouth Of tue Big Sandy.
Alter dinner we visited the large iron
establishment in the lower part of Ironton
We were SO fortunate as TO be at one Of the
furnaces as they were drawing off the metal,
and to see "the SOW formed and the pigs
taking hold of and sucking the SOW" in the
technical language Of the iron.men. You
would be surprised TO see so large and pros.
so to speak. as it has no railroad connecting
Il with the balance of the world. It is the
natural product Of belt of iron ore that
crosses the Ohio short distance west OF the
mouth Of the Big Sandy and adjacent coal
ields, united with the indomitable energy anC
perseverance OF its enterprislng and public
spirited founders, many Of whom are still
alive 10 welcome you to their homes, o
w1lch they are justly proud. 1t is the centr'
OF over f.ly iron furnaces, none more dis
tant than twenty miles. There can be nc
question that financially it would greatly
contribute 10 the prosperity Of the Chesa
peaks aud Ohio Railroad Company to e4
tend its railroad 10 Ironton. even though il
went no farther.
The distance from Huntington cannot be
onio' giving every advantage for the cheap
construction OF the roadbed, aud the pre-
sent low price OF iron will still more reduce
the cost OF the superstruGture. l am not
Without hope that some concert of action
between The leading citizens OF Richmond
ana ir0nton may bring about this connecting
INK, which built will at once ensure con-
tlnua'lon 10 Cincinnati and Louisville and
the Other cities OF the West. There can be
.!l.e dono' that one Of the largest manufac.
turing cities IN the Union must find its loc2-
tioh not far from the junction of the Big
sandy aud the Onio. The superior enter
Prise aud energy OF the cities already estabs
N>hed must determine which shall bear the
palm.
The next morning we were all on board the
steamer Fleetwood on its wayulp to Hunt.
1aston. We partook on board OF luyuri.
Gus breakfast, for which these Ohio steamers
are justly famous. 1t is matter.ef interest
10 !! note the TACT that freight on these steamers
IL tnanliestly increasing. In going,down the
,Met / observed packages, chiefly of Rich.
In IIoLu manufactured tobacco, consigned to
,.aM w,IMGianati, Chieago, and San Francisco, as
hen as other clttss. Among otherffreight
'nH sn; uV't remarkable was twenty hascels OF
:lnnat = :
a al Huntington we took the regulsrt t.rain
Ss,.. we were here joined BY Captain 81.
tel fIsoDs, who was the leader End
:, -. ,,S.ater OF lhe expedition. Ee formally
n~.aeeu ~ n.' me to the party. The Hantiag-
~ aaperstSez- thus slludes to them
n, .a ht iAoS lhTEREsrs.--A party was made
:, r s'lne weeks ago 10 visit the iror- works
!" J, 4.tontoa, Ohio and tbence to 20 to some
Iai,.s us ~oFas on the Chesapeake and 0his
ptiIusa, iosa, ny special train, with q view to]
i've. "1, lhe ores on tie railroad and the James
.s gi.so ,oF the Ohio furnaces, 70 supersede the
s.,nsu u.i and Lake Saperisr ones. The In,
u,,s, at at weather prevented the arrival OF
se.t .ae party, but portion of them
andou nd uosn by The Hudson to Ifpntsn on
uoa.. hlSht, and after spesding Monday |
Iass s, aae furnaces and rolling mills Of that
" n.a me up on the Fleetwood on Tues
.st s'n'ng and took the 9:45 train for the |
earn ue :. party consisted OF Messrs. Frank
RejmaaM ~ Mserside furnace, G. E. Dwight
III iiiost eli W ~ ln!nace, G. r, Hubbard Of Toni
~ Rn VI WbssIipg: Mr.. Dean. of Ninno i,