The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-04-28

tion--the Iron mountains-7running
on the east side Of Pulaskia and wythe
counties contain the Potsdam sand
stones. and along their western foot
show immense deposits Of the pure
brown helnatites contained in the
states and shales which overlie these
sandstones. These ores are every
where noted for their freedom from
sulphur and phosphorus and for their
yield of ane1traliron. This is the
same ore which is worked at various
points farther north, and on the east
side ofthe Valley of Virginia and on
the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania.
On the New River these ores reach
an exceptional development, both in
quantity and value, and Pittsburgh
could here supply herself for an In
definite period with these most most
desirable ores. Prof. VIM. B. Rogers,
forty years ago, was so much impress
with the amount and fine char
l.actersof these ores, that he then stat.
ed that this locality was destined to
become the great centre Of the iron
manufacture Of the country-a pre-
diction which, i trust, is about to be
fulfilled by means Of Pittsburgh cap
Iital and energy, and with the best
results to her prosperous and ener.
getic citizens. Portions ofthese ores
farther north in Virginia, carry
manganese. and the states which car
ry the hematites in the central por-
tion Of the State, contain fine depos-
its of pure manganese. There is lit
tie doubt that similar deposits exist
in the southwest, for the geological
character of these rocks is very con-
stant. If this isso, speigel-iron could
be manufactured under the most fa-
vorable circumstances. This region,
it seems to me, should be the true OBJ
jective point of the Pittsburgh
Southern railroad. And if connec-
tion should be made with either Of
the narrow gauge roads. which /
have already mentioned, Pittsburgh
could procure readily the magnetic
and specular ores Of Franklin, Fits
ylvania and, Patrick and Henry
counties, Virginia, which are so we'll
and favorably known for their puri.
ty and the excellence Of the iron
which they yield. The magnetic
ores of Franklin long supported a
number Of charcoal furnaces. The
Pittsylvania and Franklin narrow
gauge road was built especially to
reach these ores, and for more than a
year magnetic ores have been ship
ped from the northwest corner Of
Pittsylvania, on Pig River via. the
Virginia Midland Railroad, all the
way to the vicinity Of Harrisburg,
Pa, to,be used there for the manu-
facture of Bessemer steel. The geol-
ogy of the counties Of Floyd, Carroll
and Grayson is not positively known.
These counties form plateau whose
eastern escarpment is called the
ALLEGHENY Mountain" and whose
western escarpment forms the ''Pop-
lar Camp Mountains" and the ''lron
Mountains"
This plateau may be composed Of
metamorphosed potsdam rocks, or
may contain the same crystalline
sohists as those found in Franklin
and Patrick counties. In either case
the iron ores Of this belt should be
rather magnetic and specular, than
hematites, and consequently they
are probabl fitted for the making Of
steel, especially if they be, as they
probably are, Of the same purity as
the Lower Silurian ores west Of Pop
lar Camp Camp Mountain.
may add that the lead and zinc
deposits of Wythe county are prom
Using in character and await full de-
velopment. The Austin lead mines
have been worked with success for
years. Carol county containsd deposits
of copper, which are, no doubt, the
Northern promongation of the Duck.
town copper deposits Of North Caro-
lima. Large deposits Of iron pyrites
occur in this region from which sui
phuric acid could be made. Other
minerals are also found here.
suggest that capital might be
protitably employed here in new
industry. With the sulphuric acid
made from the copper ores and py-
rites of this region, the coke from
the localities named and the salt de-
posits found at Saltyille, on the At
lantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad,
the manufacture of soda ash could
be prosecuted most proftably. This
same substance, which is now import.
ed, could also be made with profit on
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
from the salt deposits of the Kanaw-
ha Valley and the other material
which are all found on the line of
that road. In addition to the connec-
tion which i have suggested there are
Others not less important. A road
n