Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-22
. RICH IN MINERALS.
Wonderful New Territory Opening Up
to Supply Material to Pitts
burg Manufacturers.
AB0UNDS In NATURAL PRODUCTS.
A Railroad Built Along Little Buffalo, on
Which to Bring the Various Ores
to the City,
ABOUNDS IN NATURAL PRODUCTS.
TO BE IN OPERATION BY OCTOBER l.
The Owners Propose to Build Manufacturing Town
on the Property.

A new branch of the West Penn Rail-
road, running along Little Buffalo creek, in
Butler county, from the Butler branch to a
point known as Winfield Furnace, is about
completed and will be put into operation
October l. The road is about ten miles in
length, and penetrates one of the largest
and finest agricultural and mineral tracts
of land in this section of the country. Over
200 workmen have been employed since
early in the spring, under the direction of q
Philadelphia contractor, building the road.
1t opens up piece of territory that will be
of incalculable value to Pittsburg's various
manufacturing interests.
The tract contains over /, 400 acres, in the
southeast corner of Butler county, u miles
north of Freeport, and is covered with tim
Der and is underlaid with several kinds of
minerals. 1t contains two veins Of good
coal, one immense vein of limestone Of the
best quality 40 feet thick in some places,
and nowhere on the entire tract is it less
than % feet The property also has 10
foot vein of fire clay and several qualities
of building stone, together with an unlim-
tied supply of natural gas and consider
able amount of oil. 1t is doubtful if a
piece of property the same size can be found
anywhere in the country containing such a
variety of natural products. And the
wonder is that this one. lying SO close to
Pittsburg, has been allowed to remain un-
developed so long.
A WAR FURNACE THERE.
There was an immense furnace operated
at the northern terminus of the new railroad
during the war. 1t was known as the Win
field furnace, and was operated with gas
from we'll which is still producing pow
erful flow of this valuable fuel, which will
be used in prospective manufacturing estab-
lIshments. At the furnace alluded to,
which was one of the old style, was manu-
factured charcoal pig iron, from which was
made cannon used in the war.
The Mckee heirs, of whom F. W. Mckee,
Esq, OF this city, is one, are the owners of
the property. For years they have been
trying to have the railroad company extend
its road up the creek, so as TO afford an op-
portunity to open up the territory, but
the attempt was a failure until last
summer. Since the company was induced |
to bald the new branch the owners have |
leased portion Of the limestone land to A.
G. Morris, of Tyrone, the largest limestone
dealer IN the State, and who has already
made preparations to begin operations, and
as soon as the railroad is put into operation
he will begin to ship limestone In bulk,
both raw and burned, to Pittsburg and other
manufacturing points. 1t is claimed that
this limestone is the best for blast furnace
purposes that can be found in the country.
In addition to it being found in great guam
tity, the Limestone lies in horizontal strata,
and is easily and conveniently mined.
LOOKING FOR LoCAToRs.
The owners are now negotiating with |
number of capitalists with view of locat- |
ing several manufacturing establishments. |
A glass house and blast furnace may be |
among them. 1t is expected that one or two |
deals will be closed within the next few |
davs No place could be more convenient |
for this purpose, as the limestone and sand |
stone would be right at hand, as would also |
be the gas. There are now two large pro-
ducing gas wells which have been in exist |
ence for many years, and others will be put |
down If necessary.
Part Of the property has been reserved and |
laid out in lots, where a town will be |
created. The owners will pursue the plan |
that was followed at Ford City. No lots |
will be sold, but all property will be |
retained and houses will be put up for the |
accommodation of the workmen EMPLOYED |
in the various establishments.
The town will be called Winfield, after
the township in which it is located. A |
large hotel has already been erected, and |
work on a number of the houses will soon
be commenced. 1t is expected that inside |
of q year the town will have a population of |
several hundred men, who will be given an |
opportunity to earn their livelihood within |
its limits.
Aside from the benefit the new railroad |
will be to the owners ol this property, it will |
be of great advantage to the surrounding |
portions of Armstrong and Butler counties. |
The demands for railroad facilities along |
Little Buffalo, and particularly in the |
neighborhood of Bricker's Mills, Sarvers-
vile, Slate Lick and other places have been |
pressing for years, and the people will be |
greatly elated at the sight of the first great |
iron horse which shall bound through their |
territory, thus giving them the advantage of |
one of the most wonderful means of trans |
portation of civilization.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC PROMOTER.
f. W. Mckee, one Of the owners of the |
property at Winfield, in talking of the en-
terprise to a DISPATCH reporter yesterday,
said: "We think We have one of the most |
desirable manufacturing sites in Western
Pennsylvania, and we will soon be in shape
to test its value as such. We will have a
desirable residence town beside. We think
our plan in reference to retaining the own
ership of the property is preferable to any
other. We can prevent Objectionable per-
FrnFn fharn + nh fwr1n H.
safe to say that Inside of a month several /
hundred tons OF limestone will be shipped
from Winfield daily, and the next year will
see at least three manufacturing establish
ments located there. This is no land
scheme. There is not a foot of the property
for sale. We will use 1t all for manulactur-
ing and resident purposes"