The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-05-06
Bessemer Ores.

The recent practical. successful test of
the pig metal of the Cranberry, N. c.,
ore in making steel, made at Chattanooga, /
Tenn. gives significance to the following
extract from an article on the Cripple |
Creek iron district, which we take from
the Wytheville, Va. Enterprise. 1t is a
demonstrate fact that we have the Bes
semer ores in Virginia, that we have the
manganiferous ores for speigleizen, the
limestone for tluxing in close proximity to
the ores and the coking coal at convenient
distance. These combinations are rarely
found, and no where more abundantly
than IN this State. What is wanted is
the capital to develop them, and give such
tests as will prove that no where else can
he found more favorable advantages for
iron and steel manufactures than in Vir-
GINA:
We need not dwell at any very great length
upon the New River and Cripple Creek
ores: they have been thoroughly examined
and described by men of wide scientific fepu-
tation and hard practical sense and experience,
that their extent and values have become
widely known. suffice it to say then that they
extend along these streams in an almost I'M
Pulaski and Wythe counties, and they vary in
width from eight hundred yards TO Two miles:
The quantity is very great, reaching beyond all
doubt controversy into many millions OF
TONS The quality ofthese ores is upon par
with their quantity; and when we combine
the two, we honestly believe, taken all in all,
that it constitutes the largest and most valu-
able iron ore section on the sunrise side OF the
Mississippi River. Equally interesting, valua-
BILE and perhaps extensive is the Cranberry
district 1t is conceded now by everyone that
body OF magnetic ore to be found in the South
and East. a. L. c., the intelligent cores
pendent Of the ron Age: abiding to it in !. a
was known for years before there was any pos
sibility of reaching it, except, by the roughest
of wagon roads; and that as far back as the
yoar 1872 a forge erected near the mine,
and the anvil block and hammer were carried
the mountain, from the Virginia side.
on horseback. The iron made at this primitive
forge soon became famous throughout the
price. This body of ore begins inst above the
mouth of Wilson, in Grayson county, Va, and
county Tennessee Like all the veins in the
Allegheny mountains, it is lenticulart having
large bodies of ore connected by narrow vein
These large deposits vary in their size and dis
lance from each other. The average of five
different analyses gives:
Metallic iron. .,.-....,.s. 64.O
Phosphorus None
Sulphur. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Silica. Vo-4J
These ores contain a great deal of lime and
belong to the self fluXng magnetiteS resemb-
ling very much the celebrated Dannemora ores
of Sweden. A narrow g guage road connects COZ
Georgia road at Johnson's City, twenty. five
miles southwest of Bristol. This road is 80
miles long and cost $4,000. When the road
was completed, work was begun al Cranberry
by driving in a tunnel, at right angles, to the
vein. This tunnel was driven in 1875 feet, OF
which 50 feet was ore. A year later a tunnel
was driven in directly on The northeast end OF
the Ou,crop where it comes out at the butt OF
the hill. This was in from the start and is
still in use. AT present, however, the CHIEF
workings are on large open cut and the ore
is quarried out like so much rock in q railroad
cut. The South face eff this quarry is about l5C
feet long, and the highest wall of solid is 81
feet and the lowest % feet. The ore here is
estimated to be at least 800 feet thick The ore
was mined in 1885 by contract and cost the
company 60 cents a ton delivered on the cars
and was sold that year, delivered on the cars
ofthe East Tennessee, Va. and Georgia road
at Johnson City, at $50 per ton. The Grocer
Steel and Iron Co.. at Roanoke, Va, have al
present contract for IS tons day. This com
pany mixes the magnetic ore of Cranberry with
their own 1imonites, and make very strong,
tough, and desirable iron, which is rapidly
growing into favor and use at high prices.
The very great quantities of this large body
of magnetic will have its influence in al
Southwest Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama
and will prove an important item in the indus
trial development of the South