The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-05
Another Suggested Railroad

The Pittsburg Dispatch of the 2Sth fur
nishes the following suggestions from Mfr.
Jacob Reese. the inventor of the basic pro-
cess for the manufacture OF steel, relating
to connection for Pittsburg with the phos-
phoretic ores Of the Valley OF Virginia. The
objective point named by Mr.. Reese, is the
South River Iron Ore District, referred to
in these columns several weeks ago, lying
between Waynesboro, in Augusta county,
and the south branch OF the James river. in
Rockbridge county. The properties en-
braced in this district comprise the richest
body OF these ores in this country, and the
facilities for reaching and the easy process
Of exposing them, add vastly to their val
ne. 1t will not be long before their true
value is measured and appreciated, and
when that is done, they will necessarily at
tract capital to their utilization. The Dis
patch says:
Mr. Jacob Reese writes to the Dispatch dis
cussing the various routes proposed for the new
railroad from Pittsburg by Engineer Dan
bridge. Mr.. Reese, who because oe his new
process OF iron manufacture Is largely interest
ed in the development of great bodies of iron
ore, be they phosphoritic or otherwise. does
not believe that Lynchburg is the best object
i've point for railroad southwark from Pitts
burg. He says: "There is no reliable deposit
of iron ore of any magnitude in that neighbor-
hood, and Ipredict that no ore of any moment
will ever be brought to Pittsburg from beyond
| Lynchburgh. In the past the great cry has
been for non.phosphoritc Bessemer ores. The
price has been high and the ores could bear
| transportation for 500 miles by rail, but this
| state of things is now near an end.
THE value of iron ore in the future will be
determined exclusive ofthe phosphorus which
| it contains, as phosphoritic ores, which are
high in iron, will be as valuable as though they
did not contain any phosphorus
| What Pi.tsburg is to-day most in need of is
| q railroad which will connect us, at the short
est distance and easiest grades, with large
and rich deposit of phosphoritic iron ore, and
that point, claim, is at Waynesboro, Va, only
ia miles from Pittsburg on Decline, and via
Cheat river, st. George, Franklin and Staun-.
| ton would not exceed two hundred and thirty
miles. In the neighborhood of Waynesboro the
great terro phosphoritic backbone Of the CONT
nent is exposed. 1t is from twelve to fifty feet
thick, ard stands, nearly vertical, 1000 feet
above the water level. The analysis shows
metallic iron 81, PHOSPHORUS 1.5O and millions
| VI tOuS Cdu W put'Ou tlo cars dL lcSS Inau Yl
per ton. If Pittsburg had a direct railroad
via cheat river to Waynesboro sufficient phos-
phortic ore to make ton of metal by the
basic process can be but down at our furnaces
at from $3.50 to 81, which is 80 per cent less
than the present cost.
"Waynesboro is the point at which the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Railroad crosses the Shenan-
doah Railroad Thus access would be had to
all points east, southeast and via the Shenan-
doah Valley southwest. The new road would
also cross the Valley branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio and communicate with the Richmond
and Danville Railroad, and l have no doubt
but that large deposits of hematites will be
found to exist along the route, but as all that
class fores are but pockets of limited areas.
claim that nothing but great vein in place
will justify so great an expenditure. Such
vein is not known in the neighborhood of
ILynchburg, but is exposed to view 1000 feet
high near Waynesboro, and though have no
pecuniary interest in mines, / should be greatly
pleased to see, a direct railroad communication
from it to Pittsburg, which, believe would en-
able our manufacturers to manufacture basic
lngot iron and steel at such low price as to
| not only hold the trade they now have. but to
regain absolute control of the great western
| iron and steel business"