The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-02
State DETBLOPMENT.
Mr. A. w. campbeII's Trip
Through the Two virginias.
ACTIVITY IN 8LL SECTIONS.
AGreat Move in the Old state..Boom
Prices In New Townsville Rival
West Virginia systems.-what
Mr.. Elkins is Doing.

3 an ISrKImGRScER mau to Mr.. A. v
Campbell yesterday.
. "Why, certainly. Anything to NAL
the boys happy, il they are short OF ma
ter for tomorrow" said the ex.newsp
per man. "What is it you would like
know?n
"Well, you have recently been over th
Chesapeake & Ohio, and, later, over th
West Virginia Central. We would lik
to know what is going on as you gathere
, it while away"
"a great deal is going on, both in es'
and in pose III you will excuse m
FrenCh). There are marvellous deve
opments, present and prospective, il
the two Yirginias.' ,"
"To what do you particularly refer I?
~ refer to the maniift that seems to eX
ist for town building in Virginia, an
Tor exploiting the hidden resources 0
the two States in the way OF iron ore
coal and lumber, SAID Mr.. Campbell,
ITO what special localities do you re
ier2n
"Well, refer generally to the Who'll,
length OF several important railrcat
lines-lor instance, the chesapeake !
Ohio and the Norfolk & Western, il
Virginia, aud the rival DaviE -Elkins ant
Camden systems in this State"
"Of Courae you read the recent semi
official article written at Parkersburl
and published in tho Wheeling papers
in regard to the Camden programme
didn't you2" inquired the reporter.
| ava nrJ NOT, IL al
the article is at least semi'official, il mol
wholly 80. heard intimations Of the
same thing while away. The same sort
of an article, in whole or part, might
also be written in regard 10 the pro.
gramme OF the DaviE-Elkins railroad
system. They both aim at the same
objective points, viz. the chesapeake &
Ohio ore fields at the south OF their pres.
ent termini aud Pittsburgh at tue
north, incidentally taking in Wheeling
by way OF the Baltimore & Ohio"
oHEsAPEAKE 4 OHIO ORE PIELps.
"Can you tell US something about the
ore fields along the chesapeake & Ohio
railroad, at which you say they ara aim
Eyes, something, but do not pretend
to be fully posted US TO details, stop.
ped oil ut Covington, the county seat Of
Allegheny, in Virginia, adjoining the
West Virginia line, in order to look into
the orc question. Covington may be
called the principal center OF the ore
fields tributary to the Chesapeake &
Ohio system in Virginia. It is almost
due south Of Beverly, Randolph county,
w. Va, say 100 miles distant. The ia.
oug Rich Patch mines have their head.
quarters at this place, probably the
richest development OF iron ore along
the line OF the Chesapeake g. Ohio.
'The Lowmoor furnaces are near Gov.
ington and yisited the openings worked
by the company, as also their washing
machinery, whereby they free their
brown hematite ores from earthly matter.
Theae ores average forty to torty.two
per cent OF iron and their CONNER.
Cial value on board the cars is
50 90 per ton. It takes two and haii
tcns to produce ton Of iron, and it re-
Guires about ., $40 pounds Of coke, cost.
ing s. 80 per ton, to smelt them, as alec
a ton Of limestone, valued ut seventy
cents. The cost Of laboris estimated at
81 so per ton, and the whole cost OF pro.
tuCing ton Of iron is figured at Sl2 TO
Sl2 80. This includes the two grades OF
foundry aud mill irons. The freight to
Philadelphia and New York on these
irons (whcro nearly all the Chesapeake
Il Ohio product is nerChantedl is So so
to 81 per ton, and the price there is
about SIT for foundry. The principal
output Of the Lowmoor is foundry. The
company has its own coke ovena; haula
its coal from New river, w. Va, about
seventy.tive miles, and cokes it at its
furnace. They pay ninety cents per ton
for the coal Of the works and about one
dollar freight.
East OF the Iyowmoor furnaces, in the
vicinity Of the junction OF the Richmond
4 AllegG eny branch Of the chesapeake
& Ohio with the main line at Clifton
Forge, are the Longdaie and other fur
uGces that are supplied with ore by the
local mines and all with coke or coal from
the New river region in West Virginia" "
"You spoke Of town building IS pres.
ent mama in Virginia; what do you
mean by the!2 said the reporter.
4owN BUILDING IN VIRGINIA.
"Why simply this, that every few miles
along the Cheuapeake g. Ohio road a
town company has been formed, the ad-
jacent lands bought up or held on
options, and town site, or rather city
site, laid ou.. Now, for instancs, take
Clifton Forge, just mentioned by me as
the point OF junction between the Rich
mond and Allegheny branch and
the main iin0 al the Ches.
apeake & Ohio, Agricultnrally the
land is worthless. 1t was all bought up
CT OptipGed lees than year Hgo by O
town company at SIS per acre, and the
gellers were glad to take over fifty per
cent Of this price in stock in the lRrd
company. Last September the company
made a public sole and bidde!s and buy.
ers came ito@ for and near, and a great
maay lots were sold at prices ranging
from $50 to Sl00 per front foot. The
basis for this boom is the location OF the
ChesnpeaSe 4 Ohio shops at this juno.
tion-yery extensive chops by the way
and great expeCtationE in the
way Of iurnaUeg, iopndEies, golling mills,
etc. Clifton Forge is an old point. They
had furnace floHg gone to decay there
before the war. Itis located on the two
aideg oil jackson river, the principal
tributary Of tha James. 1t is the possi-
bic point OF junction on the part o. the
Camden or the nlvis.glkina systems
one o. Gotn, with the Chesapeake &
tlhio. A real estate man drove me all over
the PLACE and the outlying aud laid of
grounds, over all sorts Of gradeg and
amid all sizes OF mountain side b3giderg.
lie showed me lots, 95xlOO, which were
held ut 500 per foot. l asked. in all
seriousness, II it was really possible that
these lots had been sold at such prices,
and he assured me that they had been.
WY, said /, can buy lots in Wheeling,
along paved streets, where tnere Is gus,
water. stree. caya and all city coDven.
ienCes, including established industries,
and a population OF IS, 900, for this price.
That may be, said he, but oil the same
We expect higher prices for theee lota
next srring. Thpy we've bought on
speCulation at these prices, and they are
firmly held for rise.
al could only express TO him my sense
| nj tho utteP ahsnrditV OF such pfiCeH,