The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-03-14
THE ORES OF VIRGINIA.
HOW THEY APPEAR TO ONE TO ONE WHO
KNOWS. La- fa..
IL.

|
HOW THEY APPEAR TO ONE TO ONE WHO
KNOWS. '~
| [From the Iron Age1 f=.l
To the Editor of the Iron Age, Neao York:
DEAR SIR Having recently visited the
coal fields of Rockingham, Augusta, Page
and some other counties of Virginia lying
on and near the line of the C. C o. rail
road, respectfully submit to you a report
of what I have seen in that region. Al
Major Jed Hotchkiss says: ':This is emphat.
ically a great mineral region.' On the
Goth of December visited, in company with
Mr.. Delaney, secretary of the. Virginia Land
| Company, at Harrisonburg, the north end
of the Narrow Back mountain, at Raw.ey
| Springs, and its western slope, where found
several anthracite coal openings, from which
(though none of them had been opened more
than about 20 feet) obtained some very fair
| specimens of anthracite. After examina
ton of the coal measures of thisli nix Of the
mountains, proceeded around the western
| slope and above the upper coal vein, where
l found considerable outcroppings of iron
ore ef very fair quality Drown hematite).
which suppose would yield at least 45 per
cent. metallic iron. OF the iron ore lying
just above the anthracite coal seam on the
Narrow Back mountain, think there will be
found Gin several seams a considerable sup
ply, and it is not improbable that the entire
Narrow Back range, from its northern ex-
tremity at Rawley Springs to point below
the North River Gap, in the vicinity Of the
Dora coal mines, will yield large amount
of excellent ore. Profs. Booth and Garrett,
in their report of the minerals of that field,
dated February %, 1877, addressed to Mr..
S. D. Harms, president OF the Royal Land
Company of Virginia, say /" As iron ores
are usually found in coal regions, so this be-
ginning Of the Appalachian region in Virgin
ia is no exception. They have not yet found
ores in connection With the anthracite, but
they will doubtless be found. There is,
however, a good bed Of brown hematite on
the eastern slope of the Narrow Back noun
tain, yielding 1920 per cent. of metallic
iron, and itappears to be devoid of phospho-
rus in injurious quantity it extends on
both sides OF North river, and can be con-
nected with your road by short descending
grade | have no doubt that the ore beds
which outcrop south of Rawley are the same
alluded to by those gentlemen, for the line
OF bearing is the same. Indeed there can
be no doubt as to the presence of large seams
OF ore in this range, when it is we'll known
that large deposits of rich ores surround it
on the North, West and South-in the Great
North Mountain, Little North Mountain,
| Lookout and other ranges. Three of the
Rawley Springs arc strongly chalybeate, one
| OF which is said to be the strongest known
chalybeate spring in the United States.
Prof. j. W. Mallet, analytical chemist of the
University of Virginia, found in his analysis
| of this spring 1924 grains protoxide Of iron
per imperial gallon, with .0l22 grains pro-
toxide Of manganese to imperial gallon,
| combined with alumina, magnesia, lime,
| lithia, soda, potash, ammonia, sulphuric
acid, chlorine, siiicic acid, carbonic acid COM
! bined, and organic matter. The region EN-
bracing the counties which have named,
extending from the Blue Ridge to the ridges
and valleys Of the great Appalachian range,
including very large portion of the great
| valley of Virginia watered by the Shenan-
doah and New rivers, with their numerous
tributaries, abounds with great variety OF
rich and valuable minerals, many of which
lie within easy access, and when fully de-
veloped and utilized promise most munif-
cent returns. This region and those adjacent
to it contains gold, silver. copper, lead,
zinc, manganese, limestone in great variety,
including fine brown marbles, mica, ochre,
pi2e-clay, anthracite, bituminous, camel and
gas GOALS; iron pyrites. feldspar, kaolin, as
bestos, and, above all, red and brown hem.
attic, magnetic, specular, manganiferous
metallic iron.
In the year 1876 wealthy company from
Pennsylvania visited this section of Virginia
and after exploring its finely timberee
lands, underlaid with rich iron ores, coal.
and other minerals Of value, purchased sew
eral large tracts lying in Rockingham, Au
gusta, and Page counties Gncludlng thu
Dora coal mines in the Narrow Back, ant
organized under the name of the ''Roya
Land Company of Virginia" with Mr.. Sam
uel D. Harms, of Philadelphia, Pa, presi
dent; Mr.. Joseph G. Bealc, of Pittsburgh
Pa, vice president; Mr.. P. Y. Hite, Of Pitts
burgh, Pa, treasurer Mr.. James G. Fulton
of Philadelphia, secretary and R. N. Pool
Harrisonburg, Va, general superintendent
with offices at Harrisonburg, Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh. A charter was granted thi
company by the judge Of the Circuit Cour
of Rockingham county, Virginia, on tin
9th of March, 1876, giving them the powe
to purchase and develop mineral land, ant
and to manufacture their products, with
capital stock fixed at $500. 900 and the priv
lege of owning 100000 acres of land sine
which time, on Jan. II, 1877, this liberal char
ter has been amended with largely EXTENDED
privileges. including power to purchase, build
own and operate several lines OF railroa,
leading from and to the different point
OF interest in the State, from tide water or
the Rappahannock and Potomac riy
ers and through the Appalachian chain tt
the Ohio and Monon gahela rivers. Ate
this amended charter was granted, tn
stockholders met at Pittsburgh, Januar,
Is, 1877, and resolved to increase the capi
tai stock to $3,50O,OOO. Such was the inter
est felt by capitalists and others at the be
ginning of last year; but, though the I'm
settled state Of finances prevented to som
extent the rapid improvements of this inter
esting mineral region as was at first pre-
jected, this company have been gradual
developing and opening up. new fields witt
in the limits of their charter. Il understan
+ that they own OH the western slope of til
: Blue Ridge asa acres, lying between til
waters of Deep Run and their narrow gaus
! railroad IA line OF road laid out and chartere
from Fredericksburg on tide water to tn
hawley Springs with branches to the Dor
! and Briery Branch Anthracite Coal Mines,
!, distance Of about 1871 miles, 3s Of which al
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