The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-07-24
Mineral Wealth Development.

entered upon an era OF commences and Spro- |
gress. The assurance is also given that eastern
capital and enterprise have at last been di-
rected to the development Of the Won
derful fields of natural wealth we have
in Virginia, and that the eXhaustless mines
of iron and coal are yielding up their stores
to enlarge and propel business activities
and enrich the country. The recent i'm
portant purchase, by eastern capitalists, I'M
der the name Of the Pennsylvania and vir-
gnia Coal and Iron Co.. of the Elizabeth
Iron Property,in this County, and the Quin-
nemont Furnace and Cooking Property, in
Fayette county, w. Va, is one of the most
encouraging indications, and gives promise
that these immense mineral localities are to
be the seats of immediate business activity,
on large scale.
Last week we availed of few hours
spare time to visit Elizabeth. We had been
there several years ago, and thought we
had correct idea of the extent and ma
ture of its iron interest. Since then, how
ever, the Messrs. Green have been direct
ing their experience and practical energies
to developing the property, and more re-
Gently. under the new management, Mr..
Pool, the President of the purchasing COM
pany, has been pushing forward additional
openings, penetrating still richer belts Of
ores, and demonstrating the inestimable
value of this property. Much of the ores
heretofore taken out have been too largely
impregnated with phosphorus, yielding as
much as one per cent, and operating
against the property, in the estimation OF
experienced iron men. 1t is now shown
that this was from what might be called a
surface stratum, and that the genuine iron ore
deposit is reached by penetrating this, and
exposing breast Of brown hematite ore
.22of one per cent. of phosphorus and GO per
cent of metallic iron. 200 feet deep and
absolutely exhaustless in quantity. We are
not sufficiently acquainted with technical
terms to convey to mining experts, in their
own vernacular, a correct idea of these de-
velopments. We can only use plain Eng
lish to impart animperfect impression Of the
vast ore deposits, presenting the appear
ance of mountain OF solid iron, and chal-
longing the appliances and energies of all
the force that could be worked for q decade
to make a respectable impression upon its
resources.
The new company have commenced ac-
tive operations, and Messrs. McMahon &
Green are now building Y from the Ches-
apeake line to the ore beds, some three
fourths of a mile long, and six hundred
foot tunnel is to be run some fifty feet be-
low the opening we have referred to. This
Y is on the west side of the old furnace
plant. Another one is to be constructed on
the east side of it, to accommodate and de-
velope another portion of the ore field, and
enlarged appliances and facilities are to be
appropriated to full and remunerative
development of the ore beds, which consist
of both brown and red hematite.
1t is the purpose of the new management,
as we are informed, to abandon the old
furnace plant, and as soon as practicable,
erect new eighty-ton furnace nearer the
ore bank than the present one; to tear away
the old buildings and sheds; level and clear
off the grounds, with a view to the erection
of number of tenement houses, and the
more attractive appearance Of the grounds
There are now about two hundred hands al
work, including those in the employ o.
Messrs. Mcmahon & Green in the construc
ton of the railroad Y, and this force viii
doubtless be enlarged as the work of devel
epment progresses.
As we have stated, the purchase of thi
new company embraces both the iron prop
erty of Elizabeth and the Furnace ant
Cooking Property at Quinnemont. At thu
the latter place there are now eighty cokins
ovens, and contract has been made tt
erect twenty more. There is here furnace
of forty tons capacity, turning out on al
average thirty -three tons of pig metal eacf
day of No. l quality. The purpose of tn
combination in the purchase, is for Quinne
mont to furnish the coke for Elizabeth, anC
Elizabeth to furnish the ores for Quinne
mont, and in that way utilize the coal ant
iron fields to the benefit of the proprietors
1t is by this combination and utilization o
the coal and iron ores that it is believed i
can be demonstrated, that pig iron can b.
made in Virginia and West Virginia, at
cost Of $3.50 per ton, or certainly 5000
The desideratum with iron men has been t.
find the point where the coal and iron ore
could be brought together at the least COS
and to the greatest advantage. The iro1
and coal districts of Virginia and West Vir
ginia present these advantages, and the fac
is fastening itself upon the minds of TIN
capitalists of the country.
The Longdale Company, an imperfec
description of which we gave some week
ago, has for some years been operating up
on this plan, furnishing its own fuel from
its coking works at Sewell, W. Va, for it
furnace in Allegheny, where the ores ar
abundant and convenient, and was thu
enabled to continue successful operation
during the period of the panic, when tn
iron interests. of the country generally wer
Frustrated and suspended. Quinnemont
also, kept alive her furnace fires, although
she had to purchase her ores, during tn
trying period from 1874 to the present, thu
demonstrating that these properties, yet il
their infancy, and surrounded by the mos
embarrassing circumstances, could be success
fully operated, under great disadvantages
by reason of the close proximity of tn
fuel and ores. With business reviving, an.
the demands for iron increasing more rapid
ly than the furnaces can supply; with new
markets opening for American products il
South America, Australia and Mexico, AM
England, Germany and France yielding tn
palm to American manufactures in almos
all iron and steel fabrics, we may surel.
look forward to largely more remunerativ
returns and more active endeavors through
out this highly favored section.
The Lowmoor company, with its splen
did, almost imperial iron property, with tn
sagacity of business men, are preparing TO
the new era of enterprise and business pro
gress that is dawning upon us. Instead o
merely shipping their ores, they are nov
constructing q saventy-fiyo ton furnace