The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-03-08
Steel Out of Phosphoritic Ores.

The following statement is taken from
the Birmingham, Ala, Herald, of the 2Sth
of Feb. 1t will be remembered that last
summer Mr.. Henderson was in Stanton,
having prepared ty Nh. r. Sheppard,
some plans for a furnace he proposed
starting in Alabama. In our interview
with him then. published in the VIRGIN
IAN, he gave us the advantages of his pro
cess for making steel out of phosphoritie
ores. such as we have in abundance in
Augusta county, and all through the Val.
ley The success noted in Birmingham
is very important to this section. and
steel making by this method will eyantu.
ally be introduced here, ard then will be
utilized the vast iron ore deposits which
abound along the base Of the Blue Ridge
and in the North mountain range. The
Herald. says:
Ats O'Clock yesterday morning everything
was in readiness at the Henderson Steel and
Manufacturing Companys Works to begin
making tests, to discover if steel could be
made out of pig iron made out of the red Lema-
tte ore of the birmingham district, During
the day represen tatives of the leading Iron
making and iron-working institutions of this
district and the officers and stockholders OF the
company were present. Everyone was on the
tp-toe of expectation, feeling that if steel sure
enough could be made from the products of the
Birmingham furnaces. an era of unexampled
prosperity. wealth and greatness, had dawned
upon the city of Birmingham and the South.
The iron used was the lowest grade of white
iron to be had, Which was purchased from the
Mary Pratt Furnace Company at SO per ton.
The furnace was tapped at about o'cla ok and
several ingots of fine quality of steel We're OBJ
taineu. Test bars during the melting were
taken to the blacksmith shop hardly and ham
mered out. producing the best steel. several
of these bars we're applied to the grindstone
and showed the steel was susceptible of the
finest polish. An expert present declared that
he could give it a polish which would reflect
like a mirror.
Nothing so important has occurred in the
Birmingham district since the discovery that
plies of iron ore. from the coke of the coal
which is found in exhaustless quantities about
Birmingham. The only question of moment
yet to be settled is whether this steel is mer-
charitable. and of this experts claim there is no
possible doubt The economic feature is that
no coke is used Coal from Blockton was used
In the tests yesterday, and careful estimates
show that (5) bushels of coal Will produce ton
of steel
There is no question that the successful maxi
Ing of steel to-day adds 40 or so per cent to the
iron values of this district and certainly cor
responding increase in all property values
birmingham not only can furnish coal enough
for Two continents. but iron and iron products,
and now steel and all the infinite number of
articles Ill which steel enters. A contribution
ofsuch products, and to an extent unlimited,
cannot fail to make the Magic City, not only a
populous and prosperous metropolis teaching
perchance from Bessemer to Gate City, but the
cynosure of the entire world. Mr.. Henderson,
the patentee, is not only to be congratulated
upon the success of his idea, but upon the
greater fact that he is benefactor of the most
affirmative type to Birmingham. Alabama and
the South.
The glorious fact is established, Birmingham
steel has been made-made in Birmingham,
with birmingham coal. out of Birmingham pig
iron, the latter produced from Birmingham red
n6matltG ore. by means OF coke COk6Q in BIZ
m1ngham from Birmingham coal and let no.
body forget it! Feb q, 4sss-"Red letter day.
New BoARDs-The Senate in Executive
session confirmed the nominations made
by the Governor for new members of the
Boards of Visitors for the Public State
Institutions at Stanton.
For the d. d. DC B. InstitutioB-W B.
F. Leech, of Rockbridge; George A,
Musllback, of Alexandria, and James B.
Caddell, of Newbern, Pulaski county, for
the term of one year from April is, 1888.
John T. Harris, jr., Of Harrisonburg; S.
Fl. McCue, of Augusta county, and Walter
T. Booth, of Richmond, for the term of
two years from April 10, 1855
Marshall Mccormick. of Clarke county;
Meade F. White, of Staunton, and James
W. Marshall, of Craig county, for the term
of three years.
For the ". L, Asylum, John ". Todd,
of Stanton; Samuel F. Coleman, of Cum
berland county; w. M. McAllister, Of
Bath county-for the.term of three years,
commencing April 18th.
The Stack mines, Allegheny county,
shipped a hundred cars of iron ore to
Mines for the Gem Furnace last week
r. T. W. Duke. jr., has been elected
judge of the city of Charlottesville He
is a prominent and rising: young lawyer,
Mrs James A. Bowler, of Covington,
died on the oath of February. She was
daughter Of r. j. Glendy, Esq, of Bath.
On the Goth Mr.. ost presented in Con-
gross petition from the letter carriers Of
Stanton for increase of pay; and also a
bill for the relief OF Jacob Warwick, of
Augusta county.
Hon Jas. D. Brady is the President of
a newly organized granite company in Pc
tersbnrg, and hopes to get the contract for
the stone Of WHICH the proposed Catholic
University is to.be built at Washington.
TIA Most oraaah1e