Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-20

over 200 in the past II months. The newly
built railroads are chiefly cross lines pene-
trating the interior of the State, and con-
structed primarily to reach and throw open
10 capital those sections of the State par
ticularly rich in coal and iron deposits and
varied agricultural capabilities. The traffic
developed by these roads within a year or
two is often surprising. The coal and coke
shipments, for instance, over the West Vir-
ginia Central Railroad in a single year
alone aggregated in excess of 1900, 600
tons"
Production of Coal and Coke.
After moments thought Governor Flem-
ing said: perhaps the industry that will
be most advanced is that of coal and coke
production. Rapid as has been the expau-
sion Of this industry in West Virginia, it is
but in its incipiency. The great Appalach-
ian coal measures are known to embrace the
entire State, with the exception of the lower
Potomac counties The coal area is COM
puted at 16, 600 square miles. A great por-
tiOn of ii is easily and cheaply mined, all of
it is of the highest grade OF excellence,
much of it lies in close proximity to vast
deposits of iron ore and limestone, and is
admirably located in point of accessibility
to the best markets
Perhaps the most notable development
in this State is taking place in the Pocahon-
tas and Elkhorn district This field, eI-
tending from Webster and Nicholas coun-
ties in this State to Tazewell and Russell
counties in Virginia, it opened up by the
extension of the Norfolk and Western
Railroad. The growth is phenomenal.
That 1t will continue, if not indeed increase,
is bevond doubt. The coal is of superior
quality and thickness
AS illustrative of the remarkable coal
deposits found in this State, may refer to
q conspicuous development on Pond Fork
of Little Coal river, in Boone county.
There may be seen no less than ten seams
OF COAL ranging from 2 feet Z inches to II
feet in thickness, and aggregating 6S feet IL
inches Of coal from top to bottom. One
vein is pure camel coal 40 inches thick,
oYerlaid with 81 inches OF splint
OfInterest to Pihsburg.
"The iron ores" continued the Governor,
''sre OF course of special interest to Pitts
burg. As yet there has been comparatively
little development in this line throughout
West Virginia, but this has not been be-
cause of lack of natural advantages. A
few small blast furnaces have worked the
native ores which belong to and are found
in the coal measures in the northern part of
the State, but lack Of cheap transportation
facilities at the time caused the abandon
ment of these enterprises, and but little at
tentlon has since been paid to our iron ore
deposits. The rapid development of our
Goals, however, and the extension of our
railroads into the interior of the State, will
certainly excite more active inquiry into
the extent and value of our iron ores
West Virginia is destined in the near
future to take high rank as a producer of
pig iron. Indeed have the best suthori-
~ Wha oE Ill
known character and ability, who has made
q report for an English syndicate who con-
template making large investments-for
stating that pig iron can be made in the
northeastern part OF the State for 81 ton,
which Is the lowest point yet reached in the
cost of production. This TACT would. with
good transportation facilities, be most i'm
portant to the Pittsburg plants which need
large supply of raw material
Any Quality of Lumber.
There is another of our staples" said
Mr.. Fleming, (which is constantly in de-
mand in a growing city like Pittsburg. Our
supply of lumber is almost inexhaustible
and much of it is of the finest quality. AS
it is now, we ship most of this lumber as
far away as Boston, New York and Chicago
If these cities find it profitable to buy lum-
Der here, surely to neighbor like Pitts
burg it would be even more advantageous
Yet at present we ship scarcely any lumber
to your city. The lack of means of trans
portation is of course almost entirely re-
sponsible for this condition.
"Rich as is West Virginia in coal, iron
and timber, the past few years have dem
onstrated that she is no less rich in depos-
its of petroleum oil There are now three
well defined producing fields along parallel
lines having general northeast and south
west direction, and the activity of the
operators, the millions of capital already
invested, the extent and character of the
territory make the State the chief rival of
Pennsylvania as the source of the future
oil supply of the country, The develop.