The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1883-03-14
suggestions in ilie Interest OF In-
dustrlal DeyelopmentinWesf

=
Thefollcwing il fullof interest and
value. 1t was written BY Col. b. J.
Jordan. a prominent iron man, who
is now building a furnace on Gauley,
and was furnished usfor publication:
GAULEY BRIDGE, F1YETTE Co,
@ February 10Th, 1858. 1
Francis o. French, Esq, President
Richmondan Allegheny Railroad
Company, New York,
Dear Sir; A deep interest in the
construction Of a railroad between
the mouth Of Gs1ley river and tbe
Valley Of Virginia Is my apology for
writing yor. this letter. Ihavs for a
long time been familiar with the
Gauley region as well as the Valley
oil irginia, particularly the counties
Of Rockbridge, Bath and Highland,
Va. and Pocahontas, West Va, and
have had considerable experience In
developing the mineral and other
resources Of these sections.
am now engaged in developing
the resources Of the Gauley Valley
There are on the Gauley and its
branches immense deposits Of all the
varieties Of coal known to West Vir-
ginia. Some of the veins are as much
as eleven feet in thickness. Also
soft coking Goals Of the best quality
are to be found here.
There is near Peters creek, Nicho.
las county, West Va, are enormous
stratum Of massive iron ore. At its
first opening on The face Of The noun.
tain it was seven feet six inches in
thickness, increasing tofourteen feet,
thus giving over $4,000 tons Of ore to
the acre.
The Valley Of Gauley is covered
with the finest timber, and is com
paratiyely smooth ard easy Of access
TO railroads. The surrounding coun.
try produces grain and grass abund.
antly, and is we'll settled. After the
veins, (Which are referred TO aboye)
are properly opened, from one to two
thousand tons of iron ore can be
mined and shipped daily, and coal
aud coke without limit.
With proper assurances of railway
transportation, there are at this time
several millions of northern capital
ready for active investments in this
peculiarly favored region.
1t is the desire and expectation Of
the parties interested with me, not
only TO erect several blast furnaces,
but TO ship ore, coal and coke largely
East and West, and iron ore in large
quantities to Pittsburgh, Pa. Think
our company would be willing to
contract by way Of encouragement to
The road to place say $4,000 tons of
iron ores on the cars at the mines at
one dollar perton, and give rights of
way through any property owned by.
US.
We are now negotiating for the
tract Of 10000 acres Of land Of great
value, adjacent To our present pos
sessions. This We wish to secure
and develop if we can have any as.
Surances Of a railway in reasonable
time.
Branches of your railroad may also
be made at small coVtof construction
up the two forks of Bell creek. Pc.
ter's and Twenty-Mile creeks, where
the valleys are wide and smooth, with
room for villages, aud where consid,
cradle farming is carried on, and
where lumber Of all kinds, including
railroad ties, can be had for nomi.
nal sum.
1! will hardly be necessary for me
to say anything to you as to the
character, value and extent of the
iron and other minerals in Highland,
Bath and Rockbridge counties, Vir-
GINA, and Pendleton, West Virginia.
| am satisfied that the iron ores there
are very valuable, and exist in i'm.
mense quantities. | am more than
satisfied that railroad can be made
up the Gauley river to its head.wa.
tiers, which rise from the same pla.
teau from which the Cheat aud Green.
brisr take their source, cheaply and
With easy grades, thence across the
headquarters Of the Cheat and Green.
brier near "the links" there to con.
meet with the West Virginia Central
and Pittsburgh road Senator Davis
road), and also to connect with the
extension of the Richmond 4 ALE
ghany, to be built from Lexihgton;
Va, via Goshen and Panther Gap.
Before many years a railroad will
have to be built down the valley of
the south branch Of The Potomac, a
valley about as large as the Valleyof
Virginia, and the proposed road up
and the extension from Lexington
would serve as a western, southwest.
ern, eastern and southeastern outlet
for that road.
Such road down the valley Of the
south branch of the Potomac, con.
Meeting with the Washington and
Western railroad, would give the
Ohio Central a short and valuable
line 10 Washington, Baltimore and
New York. So also in course Of time