The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-02-15
The Blowing In" at the Mines Iron
HETO,.lxc

Being unable to avail ourselves of the
vitation to attend the blowing In" of the nj
"Gem" furnace at Mines, on the Shenando
Valley r. RIVE take the following descripti
of the interesting occasion from the Baltime
Sun:
A large number of gentlemen interested
the iron business from other States were
vited, of whom about twenty represent
Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, n
chanlcksburg and Danvllle, Penn, Cincinn
and HagcrstOwn, accompanied by Prof A.
McCreath, of Harrisburg, the State chem
and geologist of Pennsylvania, arrived
Mines the previous evening on spec
car furnished by the S. V r. r. Co., VII
they were Joined the next morning by a n
Der of the railroad officials, Representative !,
the press and others, increasing the par
about forty. After visiting the railroad / !,
shops and the forge of the iron cOmNane
party were taken by special train owl
lateral branch road leading to the he
mines of the company, and terminatinir.
famous Fox Mountain mine," near \, ct.
mace, in Rockingham county, whihan
named mine has been worked for ~ 70 90
thirty years, and has yielded on aHf az.
one-half ton of ore to every cubic y,nc..d
cavation The ore of this mine is p, Nd 90
by experts to be of a superior qualMonn.
inexhaustible in quantity as the
tain of Missouri. Is al,ng |
After inspecting the several ore ounta,1
the route, and especially the Ff;n hlast
mine and No. furnace, which 80 ha,~re
the tram returned to Mines. an, Sa Gam
reaching there, stopped the part large
furnace to witness the blow. bod az.
crowd of citizens from the VIZ .i;Le a
sembled. The monster enginDsSi1s ot;sfac-
thing of life" to the admiratir nu 90 or more
ton of all. After spending s and ;nanect.
in Witnessing this pleasing 1. ahont : n.
ing the various objects of in ;dan"e of the
m. the party repaired to thS an, ard chief
Hon. VIM. Mines, Jr., pt!onS 10 took of
manager OF the iron comys anu p
bountiful dinner. noarded BIZ about
ATT p. m. the special car w."Iar south bound
thirty and attached to the SSao~-,- valley Rail
train, as the guests Of the ShsuI rapid speed to
road Company, and whirled S:5s distant, which
the new city OF Roanoke 1897 Accommodations
was reached soon after midnptel Roanoke. This
were furnished all at the and superbly fur
house has been recently by, and is kept in ex-
nished by the railroad cor
cellent style. ,ng, under the guidance
About 10 q. m. next M the "CrOzer' steel and
of Col. David Houstovisited that important en-
Iron company, tn0 Q6 OF THESE WORKS are ABOUT
terprise. The buildchinery which is to operate
completed; the vasbsition, and In a few months
them is being put. The ssCrozer" furnace will
will be In operadrnace at Mines about 20 Der
exceed the "GeJosting from $l75,0OO to $780, 600,
cent, the 'GeU from rs to 100 tons daily, and the
with capacit not less than $3.50 900 with capac-
s'Crozer" coao lbs tons day. There exists about
tty OF from6rtional rates In every other compar-
the same ythe two works. But the greater fac1l-
1son betwne Seem" works have In way OF trans
tiles whit stock by rail from Its mines and quar-
II ia
rtes fnper than the 'sCrozer." Each has abundant
iron to operate for an unlimited period.
matt the Grocer works the party visited the
Enc shops Of the Shenandoah Valley and Nor
mand Western Railroads, under the guidance or
fsf Engineer Maj. W. W. Coe, all of which are u
advanced state Of construction, and many n
lem ready for their machinery, which Is being gdt
place. These shops are on a large scale. Mu
hen completed will require large numbf Oh
snds to operate them.
Roanoke is go-ahead, stirring place. One year
20 1t had population Of only SOO, and noWllt APP
If 1t does not exceed 5000, 1tcrease
over 600 per cent. in IL months. 1tcontaNs WIN.
Its corporate limits over 81 miles of rallroad
ack. 1t has six tobacco factories, five OF wn1cn
anufacture chewing and smoking tobacco ana one
noking only; one cigar factory; two lsrge pianlng
ills; one spoke factory, which employs lOO nanus
Id extensive machinery; six churches OF dlnerent
,ligious denominations each Of whach mas large
upwards of 20 mercantile houses; q
rye furniture factory four hotels proper, besides
number Of boarding houses; two banks, the flrst
ational and the Virginia Bank. and one or more
We newspapers. Besides these, there Is the usuai
Ipply Of doct ors and lawyers. Extensive cattle
lrds have also been recently established, wnlcn
rs inaugurated big trade in live stock.
are on foot for a new census OF me
wn, which probably may be deferred until the
mpletion of the iron works and the railroad shops
hich will considerably increase the population.
nder the statute of Virginia, when a town reaches
200 population it Is entitled to hastings court
I'd other special corporate privileges, Which no.
loke is making haste to obtain.
Building lots are commanding city prices. The
)anoke Land improvement Company have In
sted largelyand are doing big business.