The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-08-26

EDIToR ISTELLreEScRR.

1t may not be generally known that
On experiment has been lately made in
Western Washington Territory TO erect
an iron blast furnace for smelling ou,
pig metal. Immense bodies of ri b
iron ore are found 10 q great many
portions of Western Washington; but
hitherto there have not been found
mep and capital TO work this ore here.
ABOUT two years ago several wealthy
and enterprising gentlemen Of Cslifor.
bia. and some such i'll Jefferson county,
Washington Territory. purchased fiji.
teen acres OF wster front lands ut the
head of Port Townsend tay. six
miles soushwest and 10 nine months
erected . blast charcoal smiling fur
mace OF the O. apscity Of twelve tous per
day. A large roasting furnace. al ore
crusber. an air heater for the blower, +,
she9s for the deposit OF the ore. coal
hcass capable OF holding l25 900 bush
els Of charcoal. several houses for use.
two wharves and Q large house in
which 10 run e.pig metal. were built.
These gentlemen incorporated under
the laws of Washington Territory aud
elected Board Of Dirscto.=, With the
following officers: President, Hon Cyrus
Walker. Of Port Gamble; Secretary II
L. Blanchard; Superintendent. d w
Moore. The capital stock IL so. 900
shares at $40 each-S500, 900.
About two and half miles back OF
the furnace lies fertile valley. about
fourteen miles long and three fourths
of mi vide, beside the slopes of the
adjacent aills. This is called the Chin.
acum valley. Near the surface OF the
ground 10 vast deposit Of rich hema-
tite. bog iron ore. extending all over
the valley. as is believed from recent
discoveries. This Puget Sound Iron
Company have leased 800 acres of this
land for -four years. giving twenty five
cents per ton royalty for the ore. In
mense bodies of timber tor cord wood
are st their command. The ore 10
rather soft for all purposes. and the
lrondale Company leased for q term OF
eight years tract OF 6iS acres situated
in the district of New Westminster, b
G, about 45 miles nos,hr est of Ma
naimo. Of r P Rithet. Of Victoria, and
Hugh Nelson and James Van Bramer.
OF Burrard Inlet. with the privilege of
purchasing the tract at the end Of three
years.
The terms OF the lease are that the
Puget Sound Iron Company shall mine
and take away not less than s, 1000 tons
Of the ore each year, paying therefor 25
IN
prises small part of an actual iron
mountain on cexada Island, in the
Gulf OF Georgia. b G, $50 miles from
the Irondale furnace. 1t would seem
likely that at some remote period in the
past 90 uphesval Of ths mountain by
volcanic force caused millions of tons
of this rich, magnetic iron ore to be
cast down to the base Of the mountain
at the ship landing. where it lies in
vast masses ready for loading upon
schooners or ships for transportation.
In some cases there are big blocks of it
which have to be blasted. Two men
end q cook are employed by the Iron :
dale Company. who. with two wagons
on . wooden track. load ON the YES
sels l00 tons in six ho-rs. Ten large
cargoes Of this ore have been brought
to the wharf at Irondals. costing only
~ per ton delivered. II is estimated
that no iron blsst furnace in the world
could smelt out all OF this ore in 100
years.
These two ores are mixed and placed
in the rosstsr. where the sulphur and
arsenic are burned out. The yield of
thsse ores from the blast furnace is 10
per cent Of pig metal Of superior qual-
ity. none TO excel it in the United
States or Europe. Regular smelling
of these ores 1t this furnace commenced
last Aprial year ago. and since its
superior quality has become known.
the demand for this pig metal is very
great.
Recently. Hon T T Minor, OF Port
Townsend. has laid OF town adjacent
TO the site Of the iron furnace property.
which he calls Harrisburg. The site
10 most beautiful. overlooking the bay
extending to Port Townsend. The lots
are ceiling rapidly at fine prices. A
rolling mill should he esssted at Port
Townsend to work UP this excellent
iron.
] conclusion / would say that the
Puget Sound Iron Company have
adopted the total abstinence rule at
their iron works. Drunkards can have
no show there. Sober men only can
got employment. Ispent two days at
Irondsle and saw the order and good
behavior OF she men there.
DAVID NEvsoAR.
SEATTLE, August 25. 1881.