Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-11-23
The Virginia Midlanu Rail-
way.

The Virginia Mldland hallroau 10"
has its engineers in the field in Inc
North Mountain region, west OF Tue
Shenandoah Valley, in Frederick and
Shenandoah counties, Va, and HARDY
and Hampshire counties, West va
exploring for ro0te for the extension
OF IFS Manassas Branch from Strasbnrg'
its present terminus and junction Will
the Valley Branch OF t e b. Y Y. OF
It's vicinity, 10 the westward, through
he iron ore lelds Of Virginia AMI IVES
Virginia, 10 the coal fields OF Wes'
Virginia, -either due west to the Nortt
Branch Potomac coal Il, Ids, TO con-
uection with The now partially cons ltuci-
I'd West Virginia Central and Piils
burg Railroad ID Grant county. ". va.
Or southwest 10 the great O'ho riYeT
coal basin ilsclf at the head OF Gauiey
and Big rivers in Pocahontas and
Webster counties, W. Va,
We have il from the very best au-
thority that this extension will be be-
gun as soon as the engineers have
located the route. Col. ]. s. Barbour
has the enterprise aud a proper appre-
cation Of the advantages that will ac-
crue to the Virginia Midland by this
extension, converting now paralyzeh
arm OF that road GO miles in length,
INTO its most important feeder. Here
tofOre the means have been wanting ~
which he could bring about this most
desirable extension; now the "Clyde
syndicate" has become q factor OF
means in the question and the e1ten'
sion will at once be made. 1t is graft
flying to know that this wealthy corpora
ton that now controls more than 500
miles of Virginia railway. is not un-
mindful Of the fact that its interests
will be best promoted by developing
the resources of the country traversed
by and tributary to it; and that it i:
not entirely carried away by the delu-
sion that the best interests OF the own
ers Of railways are subserved by neg
lecdng the business that is near al
hand and caring for that which Is FAT
away.
A glance at the geological map Of the
Virginias makes il evident that thi'
westward reaching out OF the Virgins
indian cab be made very profitable
one. The air liae distance from Stras
burs-a place but 90 miles By rail from
the harbor of Alexandria-is only about
50 miles from the North Branch o
Potomac coal field. one Astounding il
the bests OF Goals. Judging from the re-
ports that have recently come to u
from that quarter A.; and it is only about
100 miles of air line from the same place
TO the great Ohio basin coal field in
Pocahontas or Webster. Within few
miles OF Strasburg it will reach Shenan-
doah-Cacapon group Of Upper Silurian
mountains and valleys, that in FEEDER
lex and Shenandoah counties, Va, and
in Hardy county, w. Va. abound in
iron ores, especially IN the red shale
and fossil ores Of the Clinton rocks,
which In Tie southwestern part of this
group. in Shenandoah county, have the
most remarkable development OF these
ores the writer has ever seen or beard
Of; some Of its s.ratilied beds stOre are
10 feet and ever more, in thickness
samples Of which. by analysis Of Prof.
Geuth, contained 55.48 per cent. me-
tallic iron, 5.207 manganese. 0 or 'ul-
phur and 0.O2G phosphorus-ore So
cbeaply mined that it is delivered at
furnace for 81 "A ton. Farther to the
west il will reach the Warm Springs
mountain and the Jackson River or
highland groups OF Upper Silurian rocks
also rich in iron ores.-The Tr9intds.