The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-12-19
The South and Bessemer Steel.

in reference to Bessemer steel manufac
ture in Alabama. He states that Bes
semer ingots are being made in ITALIA
dega county in that State, but as yet
Bessemer ores have not been discovered
to any great extent. The brown ores,
low in phosphorus, are presumed to run
across several counties in the State, but (
it is not demonstrated that they exist in
sufficient quantity to prove the !
fact that the manufacture of acid Besse-
mer can be depended upon to any great
extent. The brown ores of that section
are better adapted to the basic process
where certain per cent. of phosphorus
is advantageous in the bi-product that
results, which is valuable as a fertilizer.
In North Carolina the Cranberry ores
are known to be a steel ore, and large
capital is being invested in steel plants
in that State.
On Cripple Creek in Southwest Vir-
ginia, it is claimed Bessemer ores are
found in large quantities. Of this, how
ever, we know of no demonstrative evil
dence. We have no doubt they do exist
there, but only future tests will prove
satisfactory.
At Wavnesboro Junction it is now be-
lieyed the mines of the Roseland Com
pany will prove to be a good Bessemer
ore property 1t is specular or red oxide,
and as to the quantity there is no ques-
tion. The latest results of the extern
siye mining operations there now going
on, encourage the opinion that an mex
haustible quantity of Bessemer ore Will
be found. A recent tunnel driven in from
the west side of the mountain, struck
the ore 70 feet below the surface open
ings which have been attracting atten-
ton. The improvement i'll the per
centage of metallic iron, and the lessening
of what has been popularity pronounced
silicon, in the latest output, leave no
doubt as to the great value of the mine,
and justify the belief that a revolution
may be looked for in iron and steel ma
king. as a result of more complete and
varied tests at this point. Tests MADE
of the ore in the blacksmith shop, with
bituminous coal as the fuel, and in re-
forts, demonstrate that what has been
termed silicon is more in the nature OF
silicate of aluminium. operating to the
advantage of the ore, in being lux,
rather than disadvantage. The result
of both the test in the shop and the retort
was a malleable iron. This element in the
ore has not been fully investigated, but
from the results already obtained, it will
not be surprising if all that is claimed
for this great property is fully real
lied A boss miner engaged in the Her
man mine, adjoining the koseland prop
erty and partaking of the same charac-
ter of ores, informed us that the ores
are the same us the steel ores OF the Go
gebic district in Michigan, where they
are brought up from depth OF from
600 to ZOO feet, while at the Herman
and Roseland mines they can be gotten
above water level by shafting 100 feet
or tunneling from the western face OF
the mountains. These mines are located
Immediately ON the main line OF the
Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and sid
ings are being constructed for the ac-
commodation of the mines. There are
now from 70 to 100 hands at work in
these mines, and the ore is found in in
exhaustible quantities, over an area of
about 4, 900 acres of ground.
The great value of these properties
may be appreciated by statement OF
recent sales in the Michigan district.
There four separate holdings, embracing
about 100 acres, were sold to railroad
corporation for $4.000,000. One-fortieth
of that sum appropriated to the devel-
opment of the Roseland and Herman
mines would expose values, if present
indications are verified. worth ten times
that of the properties above referred to.
An expert in handling ores OF all kinds,
including those of Lake Superior, in
formed us last week, that he was salts
fed the present output from the
recent tunnel would be 80 per cent.
metallic iron, and that the ore would
improve as the veins were penetrated.
These veins, as far as uncovered, num-
Der thirteen, ranging in thickness from
8 to 80 feet, and of unknown depth, and
running through the properties to the
length of five or six miles.
The expert referred to further said
that he knew of no iron property, that
in his opinion, compared with the Rose
land. except the Cornwall district in
Pennsylvania The value of that dis
trict, we learn, is placed at $50 1000, 900.
The possibilities of the Roseland are
almost indefinite, if further laboratory
tests of the ores sustain the opinion az
expressed by the ore dealer whose opin-
ion we have quoted. or course we do
not wish to mislead any one. We know
that superficial opinions have been ex-
pressed as to this property, which are
unfavorable. But there is nothing SO
demonstrative and convincing as ! the
pick and shovel, and the results of these
are removing doubts and dispelling
preconceived fancies based upon sur
face examinations, and revealing Won
ders as to the immense values of the
Blue Ridge red ores. Besides the red
ores, the brown ores exist in vast guam
titles and first-class quality. OF them
selves, the brown ores would make the
property valuable, but when supple
mented by the marvellous extent of the
red ores, and their prospective quality,
we know of nothing to compare with
the intrinsic wealth of the properties
mentioned.
We hope soon to be able to give some
interesting facts in connection with this
mineral district and the movements as
sociated either directly or indirectly
with it, Until then we content ourselves
with this general reference.
Suicide of Frank B. GOwan.
Frank b. Gowan. at one time Presi-
dent of the Reading, Pa, railroad, and
one of the most prominent and distin-
guished lawyers of that State, committed
suicide in Washington City last Satur.
day. He was found dead in his room at
Wormly's. in the evening, and it is sup
posed the tragic death occurred ten or
twelve hours previous to the discovery.
A pistol was lying by his side, and a bull