The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-29
More Reasons for Our Faith

prccla(c IutlE INC uuf aHs"Scs VI i's PoS'-
ton and the value of the resources that
will contribute TO its prosperity. So much
has been said of the coal and iron deposits
adjacent to it, that persons arc apt to omit
the consideration of another important in
dustry which will soon develop into sur
prising proportions, and that is the timber
interest. As it is regarded as the least OF
the many elements that combine IN our
favor and has been, to Il great extent,
overlooked. we shall consider it first
Thus far VIC have only been able to OH
tain imperfect data for our estimates, hut
they are sufficient AT least to convey some
idea of the enormous returns that will be
realized from this single and perhaps least
important of the three great industries
that will, within few years, have their
center here.
In the report of Professor Proctor, he
says he selected an average acre OF timber
land and counted the trees upon it, find
ing IL certain number, and he averages
their size According to the estimate of
o timber expert, this calculation of Prof.
Proctcr's, if correct, would show that as
much MS $4,000 feet of lumber can he cut
from an average acre, which seems to be
an unparalleled estimate for any forest
region north of the tropics. In order,
therefore, to allow wide margin for error
in the estimate, We will reduce it nearly
two-thirds and say that it will yield 10000
feet per acre in round numbers.
Now the Virginia Coal L. Iron Company
alone own 100000 acres of this timber
land, and they propose to have the timber
removed as early as possible i'll order to
facilitate the development of their coking
coal mines. Say ten years will he re-
quircd in the saving up and removal OF
the lumber; that it will cost $3.50 per
thousand to cut the trees, haul the logs
and saw them for shipment. This outlay
will be for labor alone, and the cost of
removing the sawed stuff and charges of
transportation will be as much more,
making total of $l3 per thousand, or
$l56 per acre, which will be paid out in
wages and the cost of transportation, and
which represent the amount that will he
actually expended and put in circulation
in this immediate community by the re-
moval of the timber from the lands of
this single company. The total sum cx-
pended in this one industry will be 3d.
100000, making an outlay of $l,50O,0dO
per year for ten years.
Other companies contemplate pursuing
similar course, and it is a moderate esti-
mate that together they will expcnd equally
as much, which will increase the sum to
$3,000,000 per annum for period of ten
years.
But let us also estimate what the Nir-
ginia Coal & Iron Company will cxpend in
developing the coking industry.
Mr.. Taggart, the company's manager,
says, US moderate estimate, that five
nunuTcu ONCuS Will DC OpCiuiVh
two years, at u cost in wages of 81 ,l25 per
day, or SOS, i25 per month, or 1887 800 per
year. Within two years more, the number
of ovens will he doubled, involving an
outlay of $56,25O per month, or $675,-
900 per year Add to this the cost
of the ovens at 5000 each, and we have
$4,000 per annum in addition, making
total average OF $l,SS7 800 for the first
two years, and an average of s., 1000
for the next two wears, which represent
the outlay of this company. Now if
our estimate that all the other companies
combined spend as much as this one, he cor
rect, we have an annual outlay of $4,430,-
900, paid out in wages and actually circu-
lated in this immediate vicinity by the de-
yelopmcnt of the timberand coal interests
alone, without adding the additional
amount which the railroads must expend in
handling and transporting the coke,to say
nothing Of the fuel coal that will, OF itself,
become an immense industry, and the cost
of mining and handling of which will also
involve an enormous outlay.
The railroads Mt Roanoke spend about
100000 per month, or about 5000 per
annum in wages and terminal expenses,
aud the roads centering here must spend
quite as much if not more within short
time.
The opening Of our iron mines, the OPP
GRAFTON of the two rolling mills, of the
planning mill, of the brick industry, and of
Other minor factories, will add considera-
bly to the total sum put in circulation, and
we may safely estimate that $6,000,000
or $1,000, 900 will be put in circulation
here per annum, commencing within
twelve months from the present moment.
The bulk Of this sum will not be tied up
in unproductiye Investments, hut will be
distributed among laboring classes that
keep it in circulation, passing ii rapidly
from hand to hand, stimulating every
trade, increasing the business of every
merchant and every profession.
There is not city within an hundred
and tifty miles Of us that nill get any con-
siderable part Of this sum.or that can
compete With us for the trade it viii rep-
recent.
Some idea may be formed, too, of the
:, .,ia III, & 4; ar -