The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-07-17
Cost o. coke al CcnnrIlRrsl,e December 7ar,,
farnaca coke, 81. Is per ton. Eouilr rnLsi q.

Iosat shipments from Coneilsvile for weeke,,,s,y
n rs ~ lsI ,s cars distributed as foew
the East. l,3I7 cars 80 :"
Bcssemcr ore is costing at Pittsburg 81 Sc
per ton, and non-Besscn,cr orc costs al pitts.
burg from $500 to $500 per ton.
Non.Bsssemer ore will cost at Big Stone GAP
from Si.2S to $3.50 per ton, and the Besseiuer
orc from 800 to $3.50 per ton.
Limestone will cost at least twice as much
at Pittsburg as at Big Stone Gap.
1t Is said that 700 tons Of Pocahontas coke
passes west through Bristol daily for furnaces
IN the Alabama and Chattanooga districts.
This coke will cost from 1915 to 81. so 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 tic 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, Eug., and
Mir. f. Monks, of Warrington, Eng, members
of the British Iron & Steel Institute, recently
visited Zig Stone Gap. Mr.. Darby is Young
man, but has already reached a prominent po-
S,tion among the iron and steel producers of
England. He inherits his aptness for these in
dustries from ancestors who have been prom
inentin them for century. His grandfather
was the 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 practical iron and
coke men of England.
"The very things wanted to see are here.
did not care to see the manufactures i'll opcr-
alton, for We have those at home as numerous
and as nearly perfect as one could wish to Sec
although must say that have been greatly
surprised and pleased at the great concerns we
saw in the North. Their equipments arc 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. have mcuer seen it equoicd
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 great card in your favor, but
you will not need that to make the possibilities
of this point simply incalcu!able. We have
been over a large portion of the Southern min
cral belt. and l regard this as the best point
we have seen for the manufacturing of basic
otCSi1 oN'HS w VIZ Hueiiey 3uoHei0N va
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
he had been a practical producer of coke and
iron for forty years, and that lie had never seen
better coke; and the iron ore, both brown and
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.
TIXBER.
Prof Proctor in his report says of the tim
Der: "About 90 per cent of the area included
in the Appalachian coal-feldin Southwest Vir-
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.