Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-15
PITTSBURGH AND THE OLE
FIELDS.

The Virginia press ID extremely conn
dent that the Pittsburgh iron manufac-
turers have their eyes intsntly nxed
upon the ore regions Of that State and
determined to reach for them at an ear
ly day by line Of railroad.
We doubt not that line OF railroad
which will enable Pittsburgh to tap the
ore fields Of the old State is eonsuin-
NATION devourly wished for by the man
uiacturers of the Smoky City, but, never
theless, that is but secondary consid-
Grafton in any line OF road which has
yet been projected from that city to the
Old Dominion. .
The chief consideration in any such
road will be attained before It reaches
the old State, by penetrating the equal
" rich and attractive mines OF minerals
and coal which lie in its track in West
Virginia.
The old State has gotten little the
start of us in developing her Mines out
CAPITALISTS are well aware that the young
State of West Virginia promises equally,
as much and no railroad pro
iact from Pittsburgh to virginia
wopId be feasible except for the induce
marts which lie buried in the interven'
in, territory in this State. While we
rejoice in these efforts OF or brethren
across the mountains to set access 10
orr manufactures and to magnify the
importance of their own resources, we
never lose sight OF the other considera-
,iops mentioned when We read articles
Of sueh a tenor as the following from
the Dispatch:
No wonder that the Pittsburgh iron
manufacturers are anxious to construct
a railroad leading to the rich iron'lands
OF Virginia, because this region offers
the nearest and the richest supplies OF
ores that can be reached. The estimates
of those who ought to know is that a
railroad something less than three hun
dred miles in length will con-
meet Pennsylvania great manuiactur-
inc CITY with the centre OF the mime
raj REGION OF the Old Dominion. The
Philadelphia Record notes the fact that
| the Monongahela river and its tributa.
ries have cut the way for track good
part of the contemplated route. Such
road would lessen the ores now have to
be transported by Pittsburgh nearly
half, and would give connection be-
tween the Ohio Valley and the railroads
now centering at Richmond and Norfolk:
n has been ascertained, after careful
surveys and examinations by skilled
inning engineer that in the
r.yion referred to there re
immense deposits OF brown hem; .
lite, specu'ar, magnetic, fossil, and
red shais ores, that only need capital
and enterprise to develop them and
make them mine of wealth. No one
disputes the assertion that Pittsburgh
can obtain these ores from Virginia
cheaper than she can transport those OF
Lake Superior to her manufacturing es-
t,blishments, and this, it seems to us,
ought to warrant the early completion
of the road. Now, as the yearly con.
sumption of the Pittsburgh furnaces
| amounts lO iOO,OOV WINS VI Wv, 1850
alone would do much towards sup,
porting a railroad three hundred
miles long. The Philadelphia
Record, in noticing the proposition
10 build a road from Pittsburgh to the
Virginia iron region, says the route oil
such a road must inevitably penetrate
the rich bituminous coal fields OF West
ern Pennsylvania and Virginia, afford
ing facilities for iron manufacture along
its whole line. There is an aggregate OF
capital in the iron business in Western
Pennsylvania heavy enough to warrant
large outlays in reaching a reliable
source OF supply OF raw material. In
the face OF western competition, which
now threatens to divide market here
tofore almost mouopolized by the iron
makers OF Pennsylvania, no time ID to
be lost in securing cheap ores.
----su .rou RANCE POLICIES
An exchange calls attention to re
/ capt ,laniaiOp in a Nau YorL- cnu RI ,1non