The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1886-12-23

much higher moral standard now all
along the line of this road than there
was four years ago.
The Bessemer iron ores, that led to
the building Of this railroad, were
first brought to the notice of Ameri-
can manufactures by General r. F.
Hoke, of North Carolina, who, during
the civil war, was gallant officer in
the Confederate Army. While in the
service he often saw bars OF iron at
Richmond that had been brought
from this place, that the ordnance de-
partment then drilled and turned in
to gun barrels. The toughness Of the
iron was well proven in the service.
After the end came. he hunted up the
spot where this iron had been forged,
secured q considerable ore tract, and
in a small way commenced the manu-
facture of blooms, which were carted
over the rough mountains roads at
heavy expense, and sold to distant Gus
toners at remunerative prices When
iron fell with everything else, the gen.
eral bestirred himself to meet the new
conditions, and to his intelligent ac-
ton is due the large development al
ready recorded. The Bessemer ore of
this district is in demand far beyond
the capacity of the mines now in OPP
Grafton. In my letter from Ashland
the figures were given for the enor-
nous quantity the Hanging Rock fur
naces would take annually, as soon as
the the three C's railroad was COM
pleted. On my way here bought on
the cars Chattanooga Times OF De-
cember 1st, from which clipped the
following significant statement.
"There seems to be every probabil
ity now that Chattanooga's impor
tance as a port Of entry will be greatly
increased at an early day. Since tht
shut down Of the Roane Iron Compa
ny's steel mill plant, some four year
ago there has been very little import
ing done in Chattanooga. A Times
reporter learned yesterday that car
go of 700 tons of English pig iron hat
been shipped for this port, to be use'
at the South Tredegar steel mill. /
is understood that the South Tredega
people were forced to get their irol
from England by reason OF the in
sufficient supply of the Cranberr
metal now in the market, there no
being enough furnaces now using tina
ore to supply the demand 1t is III
derstood that the company will us
J many more tons of the same Englis
pig before the furnaces making Crar
berry pig either increase their capaci
! ty or number.
It is stated that other large order
! for the English pig Will be made bt
fore long
The metal is ordered and held i
!, bond obe used as needed, the consun
g er paying the duty as it is taken fror
. the store houses or pom. In Chats
5 nooga it will be placed in pen, an
8 taken therefrom by such mills as ma
3 need it, the duty being paid as fast {
S used. DR.. Gillespie thinks that thel
e will be steady increase in import
g tions for the next two or thee year
s at least until there is large increas
3 in Cranberry furnaces.
r Upon reading this ! at once dete
e mined to ascertain what the Cranbe
r ry district might reasonably be expeC
g, ed to furnish towards supplying Il
g demands, not only Of those two larl
d customers, but Of many others in tn
d country. The Information that fC
70 lows has been obtained from practic
le men, owners of ore banks, or othC
'e wise interested in this region, Al
$. thoroughly conversant with its ores.
OF The magnetic ore belt occupies
n territory twenty. eight miles in extel
IS. The mines that supply the $50 to
le daily brought to Johnson City are
re the valleys of the Elk and Watau
T. rivers, on the north and east sides
I'd Yellow Mountain, spur Of the Roa
h A little west OF these, in the valleys
N, the Doe river, are the mines open
he by Captain Chamberlain, OF Chat
of nooga. Still further west is the prC
te- erty of the Crab Orchard Forge Co
dy pany, equally rich with the othe
ny but as yet undeveloped. AT the lat
)c- place the ore tends southwestwa,
'as passes through Roam Mountain, a
~ crops out largely on Rock ere
RS. This mine was opened by Gen. WILD
ed, who worked up considerable qual
to ties of the ore in his forge close
or and later he sold it to Means, NJ
BILE denhall & Co., of Cincinnati.
his outcrop here is Of such an extent al
nts indicate that the output win equal
old aggregate product OF all the mines /
he open on the other side of the mo
be- tain. Their ore will be carried
is market by the Narrow Guage re
in but that from the Rock Craek M;