Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-12-23
Isox an rESsnssss.
Magnetic ore Discovered That win MAKE
Fine Ressemer steel-Nnerai wealth
Near Roaua Mountain.

Ncsf Nosas mountsih
From the Pittsburs Dispatch.
General Wilder, of the Southeastern Ten. |
nessee iron region, who has been in town tor
some days, is very enthusiastic over the
mining possibilities OF Southwestern Nir.
giuia and the adjacent country. Although
the iron beds around Chattanooga and Biz
mingham have been worked successfully iOr
q dozen or more years, he says the eore yielded
10y them is of Il low grade, unsuted for the
manufacture OF The hest steel But at and
sround Rosue mountain, in Mitchell county,
n. c., and stretching across the Tennessee
border, Il the recently discovered Gran berry
iron bed. This, General Wilder SAYS, con-
sists of large seam OF magnetic iron ore of
great richness, and adapted for the manufac-
ture OF the best Bessemer steel At the
eastern end the bed Is from 800 to 600 feet in
thickness, while 1t is known to be - miles
In length. In tact. the supply in prospect he
thinks, is practically ineNbaustible He eN-
poets that the opening aud working OF this
seam will reduce tho price OF the best quality
of steel below tue possibility OF foreign com
petition.
At present there IS only one small charcoal
furnace, OF an experimental character, being
worked in The district Ii il turning out
about II tons daily. double track line ~ rail
road-the Chatlestown, Cincinnati 4 Ch.
csgo-is now in course Of construction Cen
eral Wilder expects, upon the completion of
this road, that great city 10 OutrivsI the
rapid growth OF Chattanooga In late years,
will spring NJ in the heart OF the region.
The road Will connect on the south with the
Air Line TO Atlanta, and there with the
southern systems generally. This will Dring
| the Cranberry bed within 6N miles Of direct
| connection with the neighbOrhOOd OF Ash
| land, on the big Sandy. Leaving Roane
L mountain, the road Will cross the great
/ mountain chain, opening M General Wilder
l says, mex NhSusuble beds OF hemAtite ore sinl-
liar TO that found largely IN the north OF Ala.
bams and Southwestern Tennessee region.
| Marble OF various kinds and OF great beauty
aud value Is plentiful, and the magnificent
forests CT hardy wood timber are hitherto un.
touched. Through the Clluch mountains the
road will pass by MOCcaSin esp, the only pass
| In the range for loo miles, and the route will
then lie directly through what the general
declares is msrvelously rich coal field, tive
l or six horizontal seams OF great thickness
lying one above the other in the hills that
rise on each side of the road. Much of this
| IL coking coat OF the best quality for iron
| working, while there is also very large
supply of good camel coal.
AT Ashland there are 81 present l. blast
furnaces in operation, and s. more in the
adj AGENT district General Wilder says these
i furnaces have long been starving on inferior
| grades OF ores, Lake Superior and others,
| for which they have been paving :
| q ton. When the new line j. com pl eted the
best quality ore from the Cranberry seaul
| will be delivered there for s. so a ton, and
! 600 tons annually. It Will thus be possible
says General Wilder, TO manufacture the beS
| grades Of steel cheADly AS the interior
/ grades are now made further south. The
/ ore and coal beds are so situated tia. train,
| carrying ore northward 70 the existing fur
/ mace region " Ill come back laden with coal
and great iron working industry will bt
| created all along the route
Another advantage that will accrue frou
| the opening up OF the coal fields is thatCanu
| cool, which now costs Sll in New York, vii
| then be deliverable here, and protitab so, q
| IS, To show the advantage 10 the district
| affected, General Wilder mentioned that tn
| railway company made a greater profit ol
| treigh. and passenger carriage from sing
| iron working centre in southeastern Tennes
see, with only two furnaces and a pOpulatiOi
OF ?, 500, than from the whole town Of LaXius
ton, Ky, with population OF 5000 Tn
| profit to the farmers is Immense, for the me
engaged in these works always spend the,
| money freely and never trouble to raise any
| thing for their own consumption, so tha
| every chicken or sweet potato brought !
market in such neigh OorhCOds has an assure
| value. The rise in the price Of labor {
which there is such q surplus In these part:
will, General Wilder believes, be more tha
| offset in time.