The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-31
TIE Iron Interest,

TIE Iron Interest,
Scarcely a week passes that we do not
learn of developments, indicating the i'm
mensc mineral wealth Of this portion of Vir-
ginia. We have heretofore noticed the Won
dcrful deposits Of Iron ore at Elizabeth Fur
mace, the Coal fields of North Mountain,
and the Porcelain works, near Waynesboro,
as constituting sources of future prosperity
to this section. These notices have attract
ed the attention Of persons interested in in
dustrial enterprises, who have communica-
ted some interesting facts in reference to
another iron interest familiar to tile past
and present generation OF Augusta county.
Over fifty years ago the Mt. TOrrey Fur"
mace, located about ten miles south OF
Waynesboro, and about sixteen miles south
east of Staunton, was erected, and from that
time to the present has been operated, rath-
er spasmodically at times, because of the
supposed limit to the quantity OF ores.
Pockets were worked and exhausted. and
shafts sunk and abandoned on account OF
the expense attending them, until about a
year ago Messrs. Il. p. Cav & Co. made
their first blast, and have been continuously
operating it since, turning out about six and
a-half tons of iron per day, and finding Il
ready market, by contract, for all of it, in
Richmond. They have discovered. by drain
age and tunnel, ineXhaustibie beds OF Black
and Red Hematite, with which they feed
their furnace. and ont OF which the iron
they ship is manufactured. Where pockets
were worked upon the surface, by penetra-
ting from > to IA feet they have found a
continuous and increasing deposit OF the
best of this description Of ores, and from the
method of their operations, are producing
an iron that is commanding ready sale in
the best stove and nail factories of Rich
mord. This firm has been working quietly
and cnergetically, for the past year, with
out The general public knowing the furnace
now the Virginia Furnace-was in opera
ton, and turning out iron inferior to none
manufactured in the State. Not only this,
availing themselves of their experience in
the iron business and deposits, they have at
very little expense. developed almost in
exhallstible veins OF ore, where heretofore it
was supposed only pockets existed, and con-
tributed to the general belief that ores of the
best quality are to be found all along the
range of the South Mountain and Blue Ridge
| in endless abundance.
Not only the Black and Red Hematite
Species now being worked, are found in the
quantities stated, but specular ore, of best
quality, is in easy reach. The firm is now
in correspondence with Pittsbnrg firm,
with view to closing a contract for 500, 900
the Company to construct railr DAD, during
the year, from the Mines to the Chesapeake
& Ohio Railroad at the most convenient
point for shipping. These negotiations were
brought about accidentally, by the repre-
sensations of a gentlemen who was &C.
quainted with the recent developments at
Mt. Torrey to a travelling agent Of the Pitts
burg firm. Specimens Of eight different
kinds OF ore have been forwarded to the
Pittsburg firm, and 1t is hoped that an early
arrangement will be made to more fully ex-
pose this hidden wealth.
1t affords us pleasure to make known
these indications of the boundless mineral
resources of this portion of Virginia. Mt.
Torrey. or the Virginia Furnace, is only a
few miles from the Kaolin deposits noticed
last week. Messrs. Cav & Co. have tho.
rough knowledge of their business, and will
utilize the advantages they have. We have
no doubt that the Kaoln deposits will soon
attract attention and capital and enterprise
be induced to take hold of them. We may
thus, during the current year, witness an
unusual activity in industries in the eastern
portion of the county. which may lead to
the discoveries OF other mineral interests, of
which an imperfect knowledge only has
| been obtained.