The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-05
WONDERFUL.
CONTINUED from Fyr,l Panel


edge concerning them may be presente
by brief mention OF the varieties Of OF
found, grouping them under the head
of Carbonates and oxides.
Carbonates, more or less oxidized b
exposure extend across the entire Stat
from and including Preston county I
Big Sandy river, the Kentucky Stat
line. They are found ia many forms
kidney, nodular, beds Of different color
from gfeenish gray to black Of the blacl
band; OF varying thickness, from 81
inches 10 feet, and yielding from 80 t,
40 per cent OF iron Of high grade, cspe
cially when made with charcoal or higl
lgrade Of coke. These carbonates, par
ticularly the limestone ore, can b.
mixed togreat advantage with the oxides
Elk river and sixty miles Of the Grea
Kanawha may be said TO divide thu
State into two nearly equal parts, ant
among iron men 1t is well known tina
the valley of Elk from head to mouth
q distance Of 100 miles as the rivel
runs, has almost throughout its wholt
length carbonates in workable beds o
high quality, including some valuable
beds OF black band ore. No iron in the
market, l may add, was in better de
mand or commanded higher price thar
the iron made few years ago at the
Savage furnace, in Braxton county.
In considering the oxides, however
we come to what may be properly styled
the iron region Of West Virginia. Be-
ginning at Harper's Ferry and running
with the Virginia line TO Tazewell,
through the West Virginia counties Of
Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, Hamp'
shire, Hardy, Grant, Pendleton, PoCa-
hontas, Greenbrier, Monroe and Mercer,
we find the true Eastern oxides-red
and brown hematite ores in large and
persistent veins or beds, and inclining
at good angle for mining. Through
Hampshire. Hardy and Pendleton both
kinds arc abundsnt-the red ore OF more
than ordinary quality and quantity. This
is generally called the Clinton ore (red
fossil and red shale) and is identical
with the great ore bed OF the Red Noun
tain District, Birmingham, Ala. There
runs from Greenbank, in Pocahoutas
county, 10 miles northeast OF White
Sulphur, mountain some 40 miles long,
which we NAV collectively call the
Beaver Lick" This mountain. has
throughout its whole length fine veins
Of red fossil and red shale and, inter
mittingly, pipe ore. These red ores are
understood to be equal in quality and
quantity to the red ores Of East Ten
nessee. 1t is claimed also by those who
ought to know that the brown hermatite
ore is found in very thick beds in this
mountain.
OF the extraordinary value Of this ore
field there is now most conclusive evi.
dence, and it is likely at no distant day
to bs penetrated by both the Camden
and Davis railroad systems, bringing the
New River coking coal, only twenty
miles away, into the region, where these
ores will be most keenly sought sfter
The lower Helderburg limestone, used
60 much as fux, is found in this noun
tain everywhere.
The brown hematite ore extends
through the eastern part Of Monroe
county. Some hall dozen chemists Of
character and reputation have analysed
1t, and while not prove Bessemer ore,
it is the very thing for the basic process,
with the magnetism limestone right at
hand. Two tons Of this ore will make a
ton OF iron in everyday furnace work
year in and year out. AS to quantity, l
have it at first hand from those who
have been on the GROUND, that it lies in
continuous beds and outcrops from 20 TO
50 feet thick. In East river mountain,
the line between Mercer and Giles coun-
ties, thick beds Of this brown ore are
found, being, in fact, buta continuation
Of Peters mountain, southwest OF New
river.
The manufacture OF iron has as yet re.
ceived little attention, because until
quite recently the extent OF our resources
and the favorable conditions have not
been generally understood. West Vir-
Ginia is destined in the near future to
take high rank as producer Of pig iron.
Indeed, I have the best authority-the
report Of an English expert Of known
character and ability, who has made
report for an English syndicate who con.
template making large investments-tor
stating that pig iron can be made in the
northeastern part Of the State for 81
ton, which is the lowest point yet reach
ed in the cost OF production. Even
this remarkable statement does not
show the full measure OF advantage en-
joyed by this portion OF the State, be.
cause the product of the furnaces and
mills will be so near to the great mar.
kets and to tidowater that the item Of
transportation will be insignificant.
Many large enterprises have lately been
organized to utilize these extraordinary
advantages, notably company to build
an industrial town, based on iron and
steel production, at Shenandoah juno
ton. The same conditions have led to
the organization Of company at Charles.
town, and other similar enterprises are
reported in vari ous stages OF progress.
THE OIL PRODUCTION.
Rich as is West Virginia in coal, iron
and timber, the past two years have
demonstrated that she is no less rich in
deposits OF petroleum oil. There are now
three well.defned producing fields along
parallel lines having general northeast
and southwest direction, and the activity
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