The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-02-12
What did if.
The Pittsbnrg correspondent of the
New York SIN has the fOllowin" preg-
nant paragraphs:


The Pittsbnrg correspondent of the
New York Sun has the following preg-
nant paragraphs:
1t appears that the competition of Southern
iron had more to do with the shutdown of the
iron furnaces in the Mahoning valley than the
price of coke and railway Discrimination Only
two furnaces in tile valley are in blast. Pig iron
has fallen i'll price "a per ton III the last foul.
months, and iron Is brought from the Southern
furnaces and sold here at fifty cents cheaper.
than it can be made III this city or in the valley
The furnace men declare that if coke were given
them they could not compete with the Southern
iron. They have shut down to ascertain whether
the southern men selling cheap merely to
get foothold i'll the market or whether they
have profit at present prices.
1t may be taken for granted that the.
Southern iron makers are not losing
money at the prices they are selling.
their products. The difference between
the cost of ore in the South and that
paid in Pittsburg and the East is so
Marked and the convenience and cheap-
ness of other elements which enter into
the cost of making IL ton of pig metal so
manifest, It's TO make it Il demonstration
that the furnaces of the South can be
successfully operated at much less charge
than those of the East and West. We
know Of an instance where 800, 900 tons
of ore have been contracted for in Ala
bama at less than $50, which will cost
not to exceed 80 cents Il ton to place it
on the ears. This difference alone would
give the Southern furnaces such an ad
vantage as to defy competition, where the
ores are more than twice that price and
labor in equal disproportion.
In Virginia, fifty per cent. ores can
be furnished on the cars at ~ 90
per ton the year round, and in any
quantity required. The furnaces are
conveniently located to the mines, and
the expense of operating the mines
greatly below the Eastern charge. as
the ores are found above water level, so
us not to require shatting in many eases,
and easily placed on the ears. Fuel is
convenient and comparatively cheap;
limestone close by, and labor more
steady and at less price
1t is very reasonable to conclude, from
these known facts, that the Eastern fur
naces cannot compete with the Virginia
and Alabama furnaces, that the iron
making districts of the future must be
lacated in the South. Many of the fur
naces which have suspended in the Ma
honing valley and other industrial dis
tricts of the East and West will never
resume operations, for the reason that
they cannot compete with similar plants
in this section. The trend of capital
and enterprise for iron making is South
ward. And yet our mineral resources
| have only been scratched over. AS com
prehensive and intelligent mining pro-
crosses, the mines fully opened and
improved machinery introduced, fur
mace plants will locate where the raw
material is most abundant and cheapest
Rolling mills viii FOLLOW, and these be
supplemented by industries to work the
iron into the finished product of various
patterns and for various uses.
The South, and Virginia especially,
aud more particularly the districts trbn-
tary TO Staunton, is Just entering upon
the first stage of its development. Each
day will unfold new advantages and
new sources OF profit. Capital and
skilled labor VIII flow in, until the world
will recognize that Virginia and the
South offer greater advantages for iron
making and larger profits from given
amount of capital invested than any
qther nHArtion of the known world.