The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-07-24
,us''sce ccke - 15 lcr ton Foun,rv cSs: -

Noye,rhr =. ,n from Connclisvle for weckoni,,c
~ ~ Isoo GOT ears distributed ms so,ax
lo tlttsburgh, l5G0 cars Ia Tho w. w, ~ losew
| the East, lSl7 cars. NV "es'' SILVA cars; To
nt ,s ore is costing at pittsburp 81 80
per Ton, and non Bessemcr ore costs at pits.
o"Sg from Sa0o to 5000 per ton,
n"1 -, ore will cost at Big Stone Gar
from Sl25 to $3.50 per ton, and the Ress. nay
orc from $500 to $3.50 per ton. ''''''''c'
| Limestone will cost at least tw;cc ne ,,o,
at :, fi!ttsbnrg as at Big Stone Gap.
| IL is sand that 700 tons of Pocabontas cot,
passes west through Bristol daily for furnaces
u, IN inc Alabama and CHATTANOOGA district.
rms coke will cost from 1915 to 81. 80 per ton
at those furnaces r. o
thcSe facts show the smaller cost Of coLo
ana iron ore at Zig Stone Gap and require M
comment. Coke can be delivered ut tho ovors
here much cheaper than these figures ;ndcstn
ana stili afford large profit to the maker.
OPINION OF TWO ENGLISH EXPERTS.
Mr.: John w. Darby, of Wexham, Eng. and
M AZ /. MONKS, OF Warrington, Eng, members
OF the British Iron Il Steel Institute recently
a's.lea big stone Gap Mr.. Darby is a young
man, but has already reached prominent mo,
Sltion among the iron and steel producers Of
England. tie inhcrits his aptness for these in.
oustries from ancestors who have been prom
lnent IN them for century. His grandfather
was the flrst to make iron from unlocked coal
and his own plant, located near Chester. was
the first to use successfully the basic process
for making steel. Mr.. Monks is one Of the
oldest and best known of the practical iron and
coke men Of England.
The very things I wanted to see arc here.
ana not care to see the manufacturers i'm oper-
alton, for we have those at home as numerous
and as nearly perfect as one could wish to see.
although must say that have been greatly
surprised and pleased at the great concerns we
saw in the North. Their equipments are not
so complete nor their methods so economical as
ours in England, but they are rapidly an
preaching it. What those of us who mean
business wished to see in America is Just what
have seen to-day at Big Stone Gap; as fine
coke as have ever seen in England, with iron
ores only two miles away, and limestone be-
tween, together with water power and railroads.
This is combination that is bound to make
you great here. | have ncrc7 seen it cquuicd
elsewhere. Your coke is the best have seen
in America. The brown ores we inspected to-
day are admirably adapted to the basic process.
OF course, your proximity to the magnetic ores
at Cranberry is a great card in your favor, hut
you will not need that to make the possibilities
of this point simply incalculable. We have
been over large portion of the Southern min
eral belt, and | regard this as the best point
VIC have seen for the manufacturing of basic
steer, Owing 10 tie quality ana quantity OF
your brown ores and their proximity to this
coke. have enjoyed my day here greatly,
and hope can return soon"
Mr.. Monks spoke in the same strain, saving
he had been practical producer of coke and
iron for forty years, and that he had never seen
better coke: and the iron ore, both brown and
red were fine. He thought the best card for
the future of Big Stone Gap in the iron indus
try was the advantage it had over any other
place he had seen for the production of steel by
the basic process.
TIMBER.
Prof. Proctor in his report says of the tim
Der: "About 80 per cent of the area included
in the Appalachian coal-feld in Southwest Vir
ginia, West Virginia, and Southeast Kentucky,
is covered with forest of valuable hardwoods-
oak, yellow poplar, hickory, etc. The Black
Mountains, Immediately north of Big Stone
Gap, are heavily timbered from base TO SUM
nit with as magnificent forests as have ever
seen.