The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-09-18
them with prices Mt Connellaville.
Eos. Of coke at Connelisyilie December. 1850:
roto a

| Total shipments from Conne<ville for weckouding
November 2., 1885, G,7 cars, distributed as follow
To Pittsburgh $50 cars: to the West, 4lO0 csrs,to
| the East l,3lT cars
Bcssemer ore is costing at Pittsburg s1.56
| per ton, and nOn-Bessemer ore costs at PlttS-
| burg from $500 to $500 per ton.
| Non-Bessemer ore will cost at Big Stone Gap
| from 81 % to So. so per ton, and the BesscmeI
! orc from So. 90 to $3.50 per ton.
| Limestone will cost Mt least twice az much
at Pittsburg as at Big Stone Gap.
1t is said that 200 tons of Pocahontas coke
passes west through Bristol daily for furnaces
in the Alabama and Chattanooga districts.
This coke will cost from 1915 to $3.50 per ton
at those furnaces.
These facts show the smaller cost of coke
and iron ore at Big Stone Gap and require no
comment. Coke can be delivered at the ovens
here much cheaper than these figures indicate,
and still afford large profit to the maker
OPINION OF TWO ENGLISH EXPERTS.
Mr. John W. Darby, of Wexham, Eng, and
Mr.. F. Monks, of Warrington, Eng, members
of the British Iron & Steel Institute, recently
visited Big Stone Gap. Mr. Darby is young
man, but has already reached prominent po-
sition among the iron and steel producers OF
England. He inhcrits his aptness for these in
dustrics from ancestors who have been prom
inent in them for a century. His grandfather
W
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.
"Thc very things wanted to see are here.
did not care to see the manufactures in 0pcr-
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
I 81
saw in the North. Their equipments are not
so complete nor their methods so economical as
ours in England, but they are rapidly APP
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. Ihave mcver seen 1t cqmdtcd
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, but
YOU will not need that to make the possibilities
of this point simply incalculable. We have
been over a large portion of the Southern min
cral belt, and | regard this as the best point
we have seen for the manufacturing of basic
steel, owing to the quality and 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, saying
lie 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 lie 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
bcr "About go per cent of the area included
in the Appalachian coal-field in Southwest Nir-
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 timbercd from base to sum
NIT with as magnificent forests As have ever
seen.