The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15


obtained we shall have them.
Reasons for the Faith That Is In Us.
There is one physical fact which has
been thoroughly established in the minds
of those who have examined the matter,
and which can he made clear to those who
have not examined it, and that is that Big
Stone Gap possesses combination OF AID
vantages which do not exist at any other
point in the United States.
The only question is, arc the COM
modtics which we propose to furnish the
world now in demand and likely to re-
d., main SO?
Without specializing upon the unknown
mineral wealth vet to be discovered in the
almost umcxplored mountains around Big
Stone Gap, it is sufficient for our present
purpose to know that we have vast area
of the finest coking coal in the world: that
to the west of us and adjoining us we have
the finest belt of timber north of the trop-
les: that We have immediately around us
iron ores of excellent quality, and that we
are within 100 miles of the famous mag
netic ores of North Carolina
Are these products in demand, and will
they likely remain SO!
| That they are now in demand seems
clear from the fact that coke, which sold
only two wears ago in England at IL or
IL shilings per ton, now brings % shill-
ings ut the ovens, 81 at the furnaces, and
40 at the docks. Iron ores in the same
country have advanced from IL to %
shillings within the same period. Though
the output in this country has been enor-
mouslv increased, exceeding that Of En-
gland, the multiplied uses to which iron
and steel are being applied render it diff
cult for our manufacturers to supply the
! home demand The Lake Superior ores
have advanced more than 81 per ton within
twelve months, and the product increased
from 1000, 900 tons in 1889 to 100000 in
! 1880 (estimutcd). Yet it is said all this
supply will he absorbed by Western manu-
fac:urcrs, causing n scarcity in Eastern
cities, and rendering increased activity
necessary in the iron producing regions of
the South
We're these conditions only temporary,
capitalists might hesitate TO draw too
heavily from their accumulations for new
investment in such industries. But what
is TO materially change them? The diff
Guilty of working both the English and
Spanish mines, which furnish the bulk of
the output of Europe, is daily increasing,
and must continue to increase.
According to recent report of Mr.
Joseph Dickinson, Her Majesty inspector
of mines for the Manchester and Ireland
district. it appears that of the lO,265,0O0
tons of coal wrought in 1889, only little
over one million came from Il depth of less
than 100 yards; nearly eight million tons
were mined from depth of 400 yards,
while over million came from depth OF
nearly one thousand yards.
Here our strata are above the dcpres-
sion of the valleys, and we have the power
of gravitation to aid us in mining them,
whereas both in England and in Connells-
vile the miners have to contend against
that force.
The only danger We can see of re-
action lies in the too rapid development
and an overproduction in this country;
and even should such result follow the
present activity, which is very improbable,
investors in Southern properties have an
advantage in the fact that we can mine
the coal and make the iron cheaper than
it can be done elsewhere, and the intensity
and sharpness of competition can only
serve to force the transfer OF plants from
other sections of the country to this.
But when We consider the fact that iron
and steel are being daily used in new and
hitherto undreamed.of forms, the diminn-