The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-03-05
VOL. VII.
Cheap steel in the Minneapolis and
and JOHNSON City Districts.
Man,faetnrare' Record

.Cieh. john T,.Wilder is not only one
Of the best iron experts in the country,
but he is also a practical ironmaker
who has cen engaged in every line OF
this industry for 25 years. He built
at Rockwood, Tenn the first coke
furnace in the central South, and all
his iron enterprises ,s have been uni
lSrnily successful financially. Such
mans statements carry weight From
a recent private letter written BY Gen.
Wilder, we gather some facts OF inter
est regarding the great mineral re-
gionsof Southwest Virginia and West
ern North Carolina. Referring TO the
Charleston, Cincinnati & Chicago,
which will form a through line from
Ashland, Ohio, via Minneapolis, Va,
and johnson City, Tenn, to Charles
ron, S. c., Gen. Wilder says:
1t will be a great freight road, BRING
ing the Pocahontas, Elkhorn and
Wise county coking Goals in close
contact with the magnetites OF the
wonderful Cranberry district, the
brown hematitss Of the Tennessee
yally, the Clinton ores that follow the
base cfthe coal fields, with sn outlet
north to the heart Of the Hanging
Rock district Of Ohio, and south TO the
tfde.water at Charleston and by means
ofthe great portheast and southwest
tines reach all parts Of the country.
The completion Of this road in the
near future will enable Bessemer pig
iron and steel to be made at lower
G ,st than they are now made Tor At
any point in the United states, TAX
ing a central point Ike Johnson City,
Gen. Wilder says
Coke from Porahontas can be de-
livered 10 the furnace at $3.50 per
ton, leaving Il profit to the railroad
and miners. The Cranberry ore is
now delivered here in any quantity at
,$2 so per ton, leaving the miners at
Iseast 81 per ton profit in. the mines
gpe brown.sr res can be delivered at a
cost Of $175 per ton and give the
owners,5O. cents per ton. profit IN the
mines Limestone can be had in an
Timitid quaint les ior The quarrying.
Clay for bricks is had for the digging.
The cost OF materials for makingla
ton 81 low phosphorus or Bessemer
pig iron delivered at the furnace at
Johns II City ia a. follows: Two and
threetenta IONS ~ Cranberry mag-
nelic black oxide ore delivered At
(urrare, $5 95 per ton Of pig iron pro-
ducei one and one'tenth tons Of
. ismsh0 0hips cokt smts2E5 per ton Of
.pigsirMs 50 cents for limestone. 20
cents fr saul, aed son have the cost
'saf materials for manufacturing d ton
oI pig iron, being in All rs 70s per ton
81 pig iron produced. 1.-The furnace
uwned and mined the ores and coal
1T would reduce the cost $l.25 per ton
aor would secure its materials for ton
Of low phosphorus Bessemer pig At
;,cost OF $6.45 at the furnace. Add TO
this So per ton for cost manuiactur-
iug, repairs, interest, you have ~ 40
per ton, II you restore the item Of
$1.25, extra profit on ore and coke
sou have the cost OF this pig iron
$40 70 per ton The Cranberry Iron
Co, has opened up, tunnelled into
stripped and bored through and ex
posed 20. view. according to accurate
calculation, 100000 tons Of this ore
r \ might add that Connellsville coke
will Be exhausted in ten years.
AT present Pocahontaa coke il haul
ed about 200 to $50 miles 10 reach
johnson City, and even with the draw
back Bessemer iron, after allowing iol
interest on Investment, cost OF repairs
&C. can be made at cost from 10 u
10 $40 20 ton. In Pennyslvania th'
iron ore alone for ton at pig iror
wx.nld cost about as much and at mans
points even more, With the. compile
ton Of the coke ovens now under con
struction at. Minneapolis, Va. 70. pro
y dGce identically the same coke as 70
cahontas, and the laying OF rails OF
the Three C'sR. r. to that point, sh'
shigh.grade Bessemer ores and cox
will be broughtcloser together, thai
al present, and the long haul Of 2O'
v miles or more fol. Pocahoptas coke Z
reach the Cranberry ore district, vii
S~ be reduced tosanywhere u from nothing
u aat Minneapolis Is go Or 20 miles a
.Johnsona City. Ii that region an i'm
mcnse:iron, steel and coke maxim
development must inevitably tax
place il the next few years.
- E.sS
Senator Hearst Dead.
wAsHlNcrqF I February es Senate
George Hearst, ot California, died q
Ais rssldencspp New Hampshire ave
due at'9s:l0 p. nj. He had been III f
long time, and in December las
went to New York to consult with D
Chas s. Ward in regard to his cond
Stion. The'ph, sician iourd Chat he wa
q afflicted with h complication Of di
eases, resulting primarily from d
rangement Of the bowels Acting o
the physicians advice he retnfne
tohis family ip,this city and yielde
himself entirely tomedical treatmen
absolute quiet and rest were strictl