The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-10-23


mischievous isms which spring from
Ignorance, idleness and vice, and lead by
Northern Democratic demagogues and po-
litical adventurers.
The Shenandoah Valley R. R.-Mineral
Fields.
The certainty of the construction Of the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad, is attracting
attention to the section Of country it will
develop and accommodate, and already a
number of northern capitalists have been
examining various iron properties along the
route and especially in Page county. Re-
Gently Messrs. Horace Brook, President of
the Lebanon Furnace, Pa, F. j. Kimball,
President of the Shenandoah Valley Con-
struction Company, J. w. Clark, President
Of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Com
pany, Clarence H. Clark, of G. W. Clark
& Son, Pa, Joseph Pollet, Pa, Geo. T.
Tyler, Pa, Samuel Longfellow, Pa, James
A. and Edwin Wright, Of Peter Wright &
Sons, and W. H. Ingman, President of the
Broad Top Railroad Company, have visited
and inspected the country through which
the Shenandoah Valley Road will pass,
stopping at Luray on Tuesday of last
week; with Hon. Mr.. Mines, at Shenan-
doah Iron Works, on Wednesday, and at
Harrisonburg ON Thursday. They exam
ined the various specimens of minerals col
lected by Mr.. J. D. Price Of that place, and
were especially attracted by the blocks Of
coal taken from North River Gap, and the
specimens Of magnetic ore from the exten.
sive deposits in Page county. They seemed
delighted with their trip and observations
and astonished at the evidences of mineral
wealth which exist in the Valley of Vir
ginia. The opinion was expressed by one
or more of these gentlemen that it was only
question of very short time when CAPT
tai of the North, seeking investment in iron
industries, would find its way to Virginia
where it was very plain iron could be man
ufactured at much less cost than in Penn
sylvania, because of the existence of the
various ores for the manufacture OF iror
and steel, and in close proximity to fuel ant
all other essentials for the successful opera
ton of such industries.
In Page county there are some as fine
magnetic ores as can be found on the con-
tinent. We have seen specimens OF then
taken from the immense beds of Peter B
Borst, ESQ.,, of Luray, and from the large
properties controlled by Messrs. J. D
Price, of Harrisonburg, and J. w. New
man, of Luray. These tracts are all il
market, at very moderate prices, for the
reason that the gentlemen controlling then
have not the ready means to develop ant
operate them, and must very soon draw thu
attention of those wishing to purchase
They are only apart, however, of the min
eral district which will be opened by the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad, and that ex
tends for forty or fifty miles through the
counties of Rockingham, Augusta ani
Rockbridge, reaching in the northern par
of Rockbridge the celebrated Bare Back Orr
Bank Of Trotter & Bro, about twenty mile
south of Staunton. If the road should in
tersect the Chesapeake and Ohio road cas-
of Waynesboro, and continue south from
that point it will pass through an iron
manganese and kaoline district of remar k
able richness and develop mineral proper
ties of incalculable extent. Indeed, from
Page county to the Rockbridge line, wher
the immense iron formation of Trotter {
Bro. is found, is almost one continuou
field of mineral formations, with only tw,
furnaces, and they charcoal and of limited
capacity, after leaving the Shenandoah Irol
Works-Mt. Vernon in Rockingham AM
Mt. Torrey in Augusta. While operation
have been conducted at both these furnaces
and excellent pig metal turned out, Their
has never been thorough investigation
| of the mineral resources of the section il
which they are located, nor has the min
eral district to which we have alluded re
| ceived more than surface examination
| The evidences of the existence of manga
nese south of the Chesapeake and Obi
road in Augusta county, are very assured
as much of it has heretofore been takel
out, but an intelligent examination Of tn
localities where the outcroppings are seen
would doubtless develop immense quaint
| ties Of it.
We have no information upon which t.
base satisfactory conjecture as to tn
purpose of the Shenandoah Valley Com
pany, except that we have the assuranc
that means have been provided to complet
the road to its intersection with the Ches
apeake and Ohio road at some point be
tween Staunton and Waynesboro, or nea
to the latter place. The right of way ha
been secured to Fishersville, midway be
tween these two places, which would cor
stitute an important leverage in drawing
to that place. Whether this consideration
would have greater weight in determining
to the Waynesboro route, or the advantage
ofreaching point of competition in freight
at Staunton, we cannot say. Nor are W
informed as to the Interior purposes of tn
company after the road has tapped tn
Chesapeake. The selection of the Staunto
line might be affected by the determinatiol
| of the Baltimore and Ohio company as t
the completion of the Valley Road sout
from this point. If it is the purpose of thi
company to resume work on this extension
that would in all probability operate to tn
selection of one of the proposed lines full
ther east, if it is proposed to continue tn
Shenandoah Valley road south, as was tn
original design. If a connection with tn
Chesapeake and Ohio is to be the Souther
terminus of the road, the commercial ad
vantages which would present themselves a
Staunton would weigh greatly in favor c
this point, and while not traversing tn
mineral section of the country would en-
counter heavy freightage to compete fol
created by reason of mineral development
in other localities, whose distributive poin
this would be.
The activity on the Shenandoah Valley Roa
is one of the evidences of reviving bushes
and confidence Of the country, and with it
gradual progress through the counties Q
Dorro d rho N, nd Aurucfo xua NOV ROC