The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-08-14
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Total shipments from Co,,rel,svie for waekondinf
November ~ 1880. cars, distributed as folie
To Pittsburgh, $50 cars 10 the Vest AGO cars; u
the East, ,:Is1 rnrs-
Bcssemer ore M costing at Pittsburg 81
per ton, and n-Bessemer ore costs at Pitts.
burg from 81 90 to $500 per ton.
Nou-Bcssemer orc will cost at Big Stone Gar
| from 81 .25 to $3.50 per ton, and the fIesscmeI
orc from $500 TO S.. 80 per ton.
Limestone will cost at least twice as much
at Pittsburg as at Big Stone Cap. .
ii is said that 1G9 tons of PocabOntas coke
passes west through Bristol daily for furnaces
in the Alabama and Chattanooga districts.
This coke viii cost from $:,.7 to $3.50 per ton
at those furnaces.
These facts show the smaller cost Of coke
and iron ore ut Big Stone Gap and require mo
comment. Coke can be delivered at the ovens
here much cheaper than these figures indicate,
and still afford Il 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 4 Steel Institute, recently
visited Big Stone Gap. Mr. Darby is young
man, but has already reached prominent po-
stion among the iron and steel producers OF
England. lie inhcrits his aptncss for these IN
dustrics from ancestors who have been prom
inent in them for a century. Ills grandfather
was tile first to make iron from knocked 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 practIcali iron aud
coke men of England.
"Thc very things wanted to see are here.
did not care to see the manufactures IN oper-
alton, for we have those at home as numerous
and as nearly perfect as one could wish tosee,
IN hnrf,
surprised and pleased at the great concerns we
saw in the North. Their equipments are not
so complete nor thcirmctEods so economical as
ours in England, but they are rapidly ap-
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 flne
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 a combination that is bound to make
you great here. Ihayc ncrer seen 1t cQmdted
elsewhere. Your coke is the best have seen
in America. The brown ores wc Inspected to-
day are admirably adapted to the basic process.
Of course, your proximity to the magnetic ores
at Cranberry is 4 great card in your favor, but
YOU will not need that to make the possibilities
Of tbis point simply incalcu!ablc. We have
been over large portion of the Southern min
eral 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 grcatly u,
and hope can return sOOn."
Mr.. Monks spoke in the same strain, saying
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 sand
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 90 per cent of the area. included
in the Appalachian coal-6eld in Southwest VIZ
gnia, 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, arc heavily timbercd from base to sum-
NIT with as magnificent forests as have ever