The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-05-18
The Iron interests.

We publish an article in another column
taken from Bradsfreet's, which gives a
truthful and encouraging statement of the
future of Virginia as an iron producing
section of the Union. 1t will be seen from
it, taking the cost tests as furnished at
Longdale and Low Moor. that iron can be
manufactured in this State and placed in
market to greater advantage than in any
other portion of the Union. The amount
of production here is quite Unite as COM
pared with other iron districts but this does
not grow out of any natural drawbacks. In
this respect Virginia is virgin country.
While the ores exist in unlimited quantities
and great variety, there has been very little
effort to utilize them. Attention, indeed,
is being drawn to them by slow degrees,
each year adding to the! operati ions for the
mining of ores and the manufacture of iron.
The figures given in the article we publish
show the relative costs of ton of iron in
Virginia and in Ohio and Pennsylvania,
and they further show that should adepres-
sion in the iron trade occur, that Virginia
made at profit. So long as the active de-
mand continues for the manufactured arti-
Gle, and the furnaces are kept busy meeting
orders, we need not expect any rapid trans
fer of capital now EN- gagged in the East and
West to Virginia. Surplus capital seeking
investment in such enterprises will CRAWL
tate to the South as the best opening for
remunerative returns, but not until the
supply will exceed the demand and prices
be regulated by this condition of the mar
ket. will the South realize the advantages
of her natural resources. The immense
amount of capital invested in iron plants IN
Pennsylvania and Ohio, will be kept alive
and active as long as possible, but it is only
question Of time when the South must be-
come the great iron producing portion of
the United States. Capital recognizes this,
and is moving southwark already to take up
the iron lands which now can be purchased
at what may be really regarded as merely
nominal figures. Along the various rail-
road lines traversing the State north and
south and southeast and east and west,
there are vast areas of mineral lands which
have never been brought to public atten-
ton, but will soon become known and pass
into hands that will know what to do with
them. Along the route OF the Valley and
Shenandoah Valley Roads, south of the
Chesapeake and Ohio, are some of the finest
iron properties to be found in the South
Hematites yielding so to 81 per cent of me-
tallic iron, are found in large ranges, pre-
senting perpendicular face Of 80 to 100 feet
and of boundless quantities. The Vesu-
vius, Cotopaxi, Bare Bank, Kennedy, Mt.
Tory, Alexanders, and other tracts not
known on the maps, in Augusta and Rock
bridge counties, would of themselves con-
stitute the basis of an iron centre, and JUS
tify the erection of half dozen furnaces,
Heretofore these properties have been mac
cessible except by the county roads, remote
from railroads, and comparatively valueless
because of this. Now they are tapped by
one or the other of the Valley lines of rail.
road, and must soon draw the needed cap
ital for their development. Already have
prospectors turned ther attention his way
and become satisfied of the richness of the
ores and the vastness of the quantities.
Prof. Fontaine's report of his recent exam
ination of the section to which we refer will
soon be in print, and give the public some
idea of the location, the varieties and ex-
tent of the minerals which abound, and fur.
nish an inducement for more practical and
tangible attention.
Resting under the shadow of protracted
night, which brought material paralysis,
the bright dawn which is promised is calcu-
lated to cheer and revive, and to give hope
to the old Commonwealth of future life and
activity, and an assurance of wealth COM
mensurate with the lavish bestowments Of
nature.