Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-11-08
.rhe Shenandoah Valley e. H.-
Mineral Fields.

try it will develop and accommodate,
aud already a number of northern capt.
,alisls have been examining variou, iron
properties along the route and especial
ly in Page county. l:eceAtly Messrs.
Horace Brook. President of the Leban-
on Furnace, Pa, +. j. Kimball, Presi-
dent of the Shenauioah Valley Con-
struction Company, J. w. Clark, Presi-
dent of the 1Hhigb Coal aud Naviga,
ton Company, Clarence III. Clark. OF
G. w. Clark - Son, Pa, Joseph FOL,
let, Pa, Geo. I. Tyler, Pa, Samuel
Longtsllow, Pa, James a. and Ed"i',
Wright, of Peter Wright IL Sons, ana
w. H. Irgman, President OF the nroa1
Top Railroad Company, have 'lSi'e"
and inspected the country lhl Ds y
which the Shenandoah Valley load
will pass, stopping at Lnray on uesday
Of Iosr week: with Hon. AIR. Mines, at
Sh"na,5oah Iron Works, on Wednes-
law and a, llarlisonburg on Thursday.
Oh examined the various specimens
81 minerals collected by Mr., }. d. Price
IF that place, and were especially at
tracted 10y the blocks of coal taken from
North River Gap, and the specimens OF
magnetic ore from the extensive depos-
it's in Page county. They seemed de-
lighted with their trip aud observations,
md astonished at the evidences OF min
ersl wealth which exist in the Valley OF
Virginia. The opinion was expressed
by one or more OF these gentlemen that
it was only a question OF very short
time when capital Of the North, seeking
investment in iron industries, would
find its way to Virginia, where 1t vas
svry plain iron could be manufactured
at much leas cost than in Pennsylvania,
because of the existence OF the various
ores for the Manufacture OF iron and
steel, and in close proximity to fuel and
all other essentials tor the successful op-
Grafton Ct such Industries.
In Page county tkrre axe some as fine
magnetic ores as can be found on the
continent. We have seen specimens Of
them taken from the immense beds OF
Peter Is. Borst, Esq, Of Lnray, and
from the large properties controlled by
AIessrs. J. ID. Price. of lIarrisouburg,
and J. W. Newman, Of Luray. These
tracts are all in market. at very moder-
ate prices, for the reason that the gen
tcmen controlling them have not the
ready means to develop and operate
them, and must very soon draw the at
tenlion of those wishing to purchase,
They are only a pant, however, of the
mineral district which will be opened
by the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, and
that extends for forty or fifty miIcs
through the counties OF Rockingham,
Augusta and ockbriige, reaching i'll
tho northern part Of Rockbrid&e the
c. lebrated Bare Back Ole Bank of Trot-
ter il Bro, about twenty miles sosth OF
Stanton. Ii the road should intcrscct
the ChrSalrake and Ohio road east OF
Wayn,sboro, aud continue south from
that point it will pass through al iron,
manganese and kaoljue district of re,
tnarlsbls richness aud develop mineral
lroprr;ics of ircaiculahle extent. In
decd. from Page county to the Rock
bride line, whore the immense IRON
formation Of Trolter & Bro. is found, is
almost one continuous field OF mineral
formations. with only two furnaces, and
they charcoal aud Of limited capacity,
after leaving the Shenandoah Iron
Wo,ks-Mt. Vernon in Rockingham
and Mt. Tvrrcy IN Augusta. W hllc Op
1rations have been conducted at both
thcsc furnaces, and excellent pig metal
iurncd ugt, there has never been thor.
nruh Investigation Of he mineral re-
sources OF the section IN which they are
located, Eor has the miueral district Ia
which We have alluded received more
than a surface examination. The eyl.
<lenccs VI the existence OF manganese
SnGih 0! TIE Chesapeake and Ohio road
n Augusta eGuEiy, are very assured, rs
much of is has heretofore been taken
nat. i,ut an intelligent examination OF
,hc localities where the ontcropplngs
are seen. would GUsbiitsS develop I'M
,ncuse quantities Of it.
Ne have no information OH which TO
base . satisfactory conjecture rs to the
rnr19osc of the Shenandoah ' alley Com.
nauv. except that W. have the assurance
;hgt ,uosus have been provided 10 com
sieie the rogd 70 lie intersection with
She Chesapeake ana Ohio road at some
rUipJ bstweeu Situation sud NaySpsbo-
40, or near to the latter place. The
sight of way has besn secured to Fish
GrSvillc, midway between these two
places. which would constitute an i'm
portant leverage in drawing it to that
nlace. Whether this consideration
would have greater weight in dctermln-
ing the route than the mineral belt con,
tiGnous to tho WayneSboro route, OF
the advantages of reaching point of
eompetition in frci4hts at Stanton, we
uaunot say. Nor ale We informed as to
the sltcrior purposes of the company
after the road has tapped the Chcsa-
peaks. The selection OF the Stanton
line Nigh; be affected 10y the determine
ton of the Baltimore and Ohio compa'
ny as to the completion OF the Valley
Road south from this point. Ii il Is
the purpose of this company to resume
work on this extension, that would IN
all probability operate to the selection
of one of the proposed lines further east,
ii it is proposed to continue the Shenan-
andoah Valley road south, as was the
aigiaal design. If connection with
the Chesapeake and Ohio is to he the
Southern terminus Of the road, the COM
mercial advantages which would pre-
sent themselves at StauntOn would