The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-01-02
Within Our Grasp.


NJ. E. Ingalls,, president of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Railway, taken from the
Richmond Dispatch, which reads almost
like romance. Scarcely q man. in Vir
what has been done on this great line
of improvement until the various eXpen
ditures and plans, were grouped together
in this interesting statement. And
yet Gen. Ingalls, presentation is confined
to the work and operations of the cor
poration with which he is connected.
1t does not include the projects and i'm
provements along his road, which have
more or less been inspired by the en-
lightened policy which characterizes his
administration of his important office.
Between the Blue Ridge and Kanawha
Falls, lies the greatest sources of wealth
that are tributary to the traffic of the
Chesapeake & Ohio system. The mex
haustible coal deposits of the New River
and Kanawha sections: the iron ore Of
the Allegheny county district, and that
of the Blue Ridge range, constitute ee-
ments OF affiuence. when worked to
their approximate capacity, une-
qualed probably on the continent. New
openings are being made all through
the coal districts, and tracks constructed
to accommodate the increased output of
the mines, testing the capacity of the
road to its fullest to meet the demands
upon it. The successful operation OF
the mines and furnaces of the Low
Moor, Longdale and Goshen plants,
demonstrate their great value. The Els
taline and Ferrol properties are equally
rich i'll the best of brown ores. While
at the Blue Ridge, specular and brown
hematite ores are found in the greatest
abundance, AMI in the South River dis
trict, ranging along the western base of
the mountain, the presence of manga
nese only requires the application of
skill and means to demonstrate it's guam
tity and quality.
Referring to these natural resources
we find in addition to the plans of the
railroad company, private schemes for
locating various other kinds OF indus
trial plants At Iron Gate, but Il short
distance from Clifton Forge, a rolling
mill is almost completed, and it is stated
will be ready for operation in the early
spring A steel mill is practically ar
ranged for, as we'll as a stove factory,
and with several planning mills in opera
ton. In addition to the building now
going on. including a capacious hotel,
an improvement company was recently
formed in Staunton, which purchased
200 lots, on which houses are to be
erected at once; and other arrangements
entered into to place Iron Gate among
the assured new cities of the State.
At Ferrol large force of hands is &C.
lively at work bringing to the surface
thousands of tons of brown hematite
ores ready for shipment to various points
of consumption. The Estaline property
-one of the richest in the North Noun
tain range-has had new openings eX-
posing red and brown ores in apparently
endless quantities. Near Buffalo Gap
operations are going on for anthracite
coal, and the latest indications are eX-
ceedingly encouraging for a find of this
valuable product.
At Waynesboro a veritable boom is
impending. The Basic City Company
organized a week ago, capital stock,
$1,000, 900; with 1000 shares 500 each. on
t ne market, have sold over one-half of
that amount, and are now considering
propositions for furnace plant. Their
holdings of building lands and mineral
properties are large, and they start
under encouraging auspices.
The Waynesboro Company organized
last week. has some very valuable prop
erty and beautiful location for town.
1t is an enlargement Of Waynesboro
proper. and will take in its scope one of
the prettiest sites in the South for the
object in view These two enterprises
will practically, in the course of time, be
one. while operating under different
powers and different arrangements.
The properties of the Roseland Iron
and Coal Company, and the Hermann
Iron and Coal Company, are contiguous
and will form the basis of industries
which will contribute to the success OF
both the other projects. 1t looks like
an i'm posing business centre would soon
sprin up from the combined efforts OF
these several enterprises, and give an
impetus to development, that will soon
implicate the whole South River district
the richest mineral range in the South
With the management of the Chesa
peake & Ohio railway devoting its eff
forts to the improvement of it's own
property and the development of the
country through which it passes, and
the People along its line cooperating
with it. in the same trend, the possibi.i
ties of the territory between the Blue
Ridge and Kanawha Falls are beyond
computation. There is indeed, between
the Blue Ridge and North Mountain,
including both, enough hidden riches
to make an empire OF wealth. All that
is wanting is well directed effort and a
plenty of it, backed by the necessary
means to fully realize all that we have
predicted. With furnaces and factories
in operation. farms would become more
valuable because of a market at their
doors, and innumerable sources of profit
be brought to light, which are not now
dreamed of. Our timber practically
going to waste, could then be utilized;
our water power harnessed for the uses
of machinery; idle labor be employed,
and values of every kind be made to do
their part in regenerating this portion of
our beautiful valley. and bringing it up
to that state of development and i'm
provement, which nature designed it
should enjoy. Our people should awaken
10 the opportunities before them. Every
man should feel that he has work to
perform, and do his part towards re
vitalizing the dry bones and breaking up
the fossils, which have gathered about
us during the many years of inactivity
and comparative sloth, while 9th ar com
munities not nearly SO highly favored
with natural advantages have been
forging ahead in the line of progress