Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-13
BUENA VISTA, AGAIN.
SOME DETAILS OF THE INDUSTRIAL
ANTS ALREADY SECURED.
,,.,,eo.,,on of n Furnace with Three
Virginia strugGles--The NUMBER OF
Hands-Inspiring Sight.
p..rs. y1srA. November II, 1890.

|
pr,vY, VISTA, November IL, 1890.
| AL said in my letter of the 18th from
this place. its development calls for no
exclamation on grounds other than the
nost natural. The more one familiarizes
himself with its surroundings the more
le examines the reports of experts upon
the mineral wealth OF the company's pro-
pertv. the wider open he keeps his eyes
the more apparent this fact becomes.
Nevertheless. he will find himself wonder
inc NJ times. and the more he wonders the
more the wonder grows The man who
has lived even in the most progressive Oh
the older cities Of the country aud is ac-
duainted with the processes OF eyolu-
ton by which they have attained 10
the business activity of the present era
will when he remembers that Buena
Vista is only eighteen months old, con
staptly. despite the evidences OF ms
senses. ask himself the question, "Can
such things be ," But such things are,
and lust in proportion as his observation
extends from Peneralities to details re-
garding the industries that have sprung
up here is this fact accentuated.
COME CLOSER
In my last letter gave list Of the
industries that had been secured at
Buena Vista, the aggregate capital OF
which is 50, 16l, 800. Let the readers oil
the DIspATcH come closer. | will pass
over any details regarding the iron ores
OF Buena Vista. Their quantity has been
known ever since Colonial times, and
that this quantity has not been over
estimated by experts is being demon
strated by every cut that has been made
in the mountains and every pit that has
been sunk. 1t is only necessary to say
that the pick Of the miner as 1t InyestI-
gates the extent OF the deposits IS con-
stantly developing raw material for In
dustries other than iron-making.
THE FURNACE.
Therefore pass on to the furnace, which,
in n sense, is but an evolution from a
furnace that existed here as far back as
I77s. and from the iron Of which, 1t is
stated, cannon-bals were made that were
used by the American army in the Revo-
lutionary war. The ruins of that small
and primitive furnace ere yet to be seen.
| In 1847 Captain Jordon built more
modern furnace and named it Buena
Vista. The product of this furnace
was n decided factor in furnishing
ordnance for the Confederate army in
the late civil war, but in 1868 the fur
mace was destroyed by Hunter when he
invaded this beautiful valley with fire
and sword. Thus Buena Vista furnace
is interestingly identified with two OF
| Nirginias great struggles Of the past.
Now a new furnace OF one hundred tons
capacity rises like a Phoenix from the
ashes to take prominent part IN Nlr-
ginia's struggle for rehabilitation and aid
in working ont her manifest destiny,
which is that of reaching the front rank
in the industrial development of the
country.
AMoDEL.
The new furnace is built on the most
modern plan and is pronounced by IRON
masters and others a model in every re-
spect. The president is Mr.. Clarence
| NJ. Clark. OF Philadelphia, and the vice
president Mr. II. s. Chauyenet, who has
! long been Identified with the furnaces
about Lebanon, Pa. Thegeneral manage
mentisin the hands of Mr.. L. b. Richards,
who has had extensive experience with
MIR. Carnegie and who expresses the
! opinion that the ores Of Buena Vista are
especially adapted for the manufacture
OF pig metal for the open-hearth basic
process. The capital of the enterprise
is 100000. and the number of hands
| employed will be about 800. The fur
mace is completed and will be in blast in
a few days.
ENGINE AND BoILER-woRKs.
Next in order as what | may term O
collateral industry is the engine and
boiler-works of Alexander X. Rarig.
This plant Will be completed by the first
of the year. 1t covers thirteen acres.
Each of the main buildings is provided
for their full length with twenty-five
electric overhead travelling frames. and
the plant is to be equipped with all the
most modern machinery for the manu-
facture Of blast-fuInaces, rolling-mill,
and other heavy machinery. The ma.
chine-shop proper is to be 3S7Xl2J
feet: the foundry, 275xl25 feet the
boiler-shops, 250xl25 feet the black
smith-shops, 100xl25 feet the pattern
shop, 50xl25, and the boiler-room, 40x7C
feet. The capital stock is $500, 600.
Three hundred hands are now employed,
and when the plant is completed the
force will number about q thousand
men. most of whom will be skilled me
chanics. The concern have a plant il
Columbus, Ohio, but it is understood
that when the Buena Vista plant is com
pleted the Columbus plant will be closed
the object OF the removal being to locate
near cheap ores and nearer TO southern
markets.
sTEEL-PLAST.
The Basic Steel-Works, organized
with capital of $500, 600, will be seconC
in size in the United States Thei
buildings will be completed within {
very short time, and the works will Civ,
employment to several hundred hands
Mr.. Clarence VI. Clark, OF Philadelphia
is also president of this company.
The fre-brick works have q capital o
800, 600, will employ about fifty hands
and what with the improved appliance
for brick-making, will carry on opera
tons on very extensive scale. Test
OF the Buena Vista clays show them t.
} be of the very best quality. Mr.. Petty
john, of Lynchburg, is president of thi
company.
a THE PAPER-MILL.
5 Among the most important industrie
Z of Buena Vista is the paper-mill. Thu
mill may be said to be the child OF
pulp-mill that was established near tn,
: old Green Forest homestead seyera
. years ago. The present capacity Of tht
papermill is from eightto ten tons pei
day, and the product consists of news
book, blotting-, and manilla-papers
The output, however will be much largel
in the near future, as the capacity of it.
I faaHa- tha ILL ,.,,f.,