The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-07

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The condition OF the blast furnaces on
December 81, 1877, Was Virginia, in blast
/ ont OF blast y, West Virginia m blast :,
ont q blast 10. The production OF pig
iron in 1871 was, Virginia 1884 tons,
IVES, Virginia S4,eO5 tons; together A.
$50 tons, or only little more than per
cent Of the production of the whole United
States, 49,. :,
That the present depressed condition OF
the iron and other industries OF the two
Virsinias is long to continue We do not be
lieve. Already there are many signs OF
revival. Railroads are being projected
through TIE hitherto Inaccessible regions,
which will open to market new coal and
timber fields. and for several years CAPT.
tslisss, especially from the iron districts OF
Eastern Pennsylvania, have been examin.
ing the minerallandS and obtaining control
ofthem. Several iron and mining compa.
mics have been formed for the purpose OF
developing the iron interests, and are
now endeayoring with good prospects to
attract capital TO build iron works One
OF these. the Shenandoah Iron, Lumber,
Mining and Manufacturing Company OF
Virginia. has lust issued report, the pro-
ducfion Of Jed HotchkiSS, Consulting En-
cineer, Staunton, Va, which is full OF the
most interesting particulars concerning
the facilities for iron making on the lands
Of the company, some 81 900 acres An
estimate Of the cost Of making iron on this
nropertv footS up $40 IS per ton at the fur
mace. or sis % delivered st Baltimore.
Ne have seen reliable estimates iron
other sources, which state thSt the cost OF
makin, iron in various localities varies
from SlO % to So 20 per ton. !.
Another prospect Of the development OF
viryiSna's resources is that Of the mining
and shipping OF ore to Pennsylvania fur
naces. This has already begun, and We
are informed thGt such ore Is now used by
furnaces st Harrisburg and near Councils
vile. 1t Is not unlikely that within year
or two ores will be brought TO Pittsburgh
which will compete With those brought
frpm Lake Superior. We have been shown
ores apparently OF god quality, from To-
eaities q lev miles south OF HArpeCs
Ferry, which by existing lines OF transpOr.
tation il i said can be delivered in Pitts
bursh a low - $ per ton. including all
expenses Of mining, royalty, etc The
development OF this ore would seem TO be
fair held for the investment OF capital.
One disadvantage under which Virginia
lSborS i the want OF : geological survey.
Most Of our information on the mineral ne
sources OF the State Is -OhI1ined from de
tachei and unSyStemAtie reports, which
give the most wonderful accounts OF the
resources OF certain restricted localities,
hut neglect 10 compare these localities
with others SimoS immediately adjoining.
A correspondent residing in Virgins,
writes Us "ViryiniA has no geological re-
port. Of which ! an &Sh2med. In $40
the State spent over S110 in 5 survey,
but the dn2l report OF ProL VIM. &
Rogers Is sill in manuscript, never print
ed. Some geological society should Try TO
secure this Tor publication"
We know DINO better investment which
the tEo States could make than TO APpUo-
pirate money for thorough geological
survey, having especial reference to the
development 81 mineral resources Ten
nesee and Kentucky h4Te issued volumes
OF reports on agricultural and mineral ne
sources which have been circulated over
this country and Europe, with the result
Of attracting immigration which viii
hundred times repay the expenditure.
That the two Nirgini&s should be 50 lack
ing in this regard Is almost $ national dis
grace
We expect to reeur 10 this subject at
another time, when We will treat more
particularly Of some special localities,
which arc well adapted either TO iron
manufacture or ore mining. and will
be Siad Il in the meantime any OF our
readers will furnish u with de.Silei in.
formation concerning the iron resources
OF any locality in ,hetEO states in which
they may Be interested.