Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-29
WILL NOT DECLINE
MIR. AYERS ON GOVERNOR.
SHIP AND SOUTHWEST.
A Section That Is Emerging from
an Era of SpcculatiOn---Min-
eral Products, &c.

E1-Attorney-General Rufus A. Ayers,
OF Big Stone Gap. is a guest at the E1-
change Hotel. He was approached by
DISPATCH reporter last night in reference
70 politics and other matters OF interest
TO Virginians just now. The converse
ton very naturally turned TO the APP
proaching cubernatorial contest, and
Mr.. Ayers, whose name has been fire.
duently mentioned in connection with
the Democratic nomination, being asked
IL he would be candidate. replied
"Some Of my enthusiastic friends IN
the Southwest taking advantage OF my
absence in New York and refusing to
take no for an answer have placed my
namo before the people OF Virginia as a
candidate for Governor, and am sup
posed to have acauiesced in their action.
81 personally have no desire to
enter into contest for tho nomination,
as know there are O great many true
and tried Democrats in the State who
have rendered invaluable party service
and who are equally as deserving as l
en-, any of whom would be an honor TO
the State we're they nominated
NOT AN EASY ROAD.
"My experience in office" the
speaker went on to say. "has been that
there is no easy road for conscientious
and faithful servant OF the people to
tread. Iregard public Office rs public
trust in the strictest sense, end know
that the man who attempts to correct
the many evils which have crept into the
enactment and administration OF our
laws will have undertaken task hrls-
ting with difficulties which can only be
overcome By the united support OF the
people aud their representative.
al have been for years aiding IN the de-
velopmcnt Of Southwest Virginia, and
now that We believe the fruition OF oil
our hopes and expectations is near at
hand I vould fain remain n private
citizen, the most Independent AMI tran
Gull condition of any man. 1 am, now
ever, fully sensible Of the honor my
friends confer by even mentioning my
name in connection with the nomination
for the exalted and dignified Office OF
Governor. and ] am deeply grateful Tor
The words OF encouragement have vol
unfairly received from them throughout
the State.
Will NOT DFCLINT.
al have not sought the nomination,
Mr.. Ayers assured the scribe, land DO
not propose to enter into any contest for
II bnt should the people decide to con
for If upon me | Will accept 1t and en-
deavor to win success for the party IN
the interest OF the true and lasting re-
forms which tho people have 50 yainly
sought i'm the past and which 1t is to be
hoped they will provide for in the
coming contest by the intelligent eXer-
else of their rights at the ballot-box.
AFFAIRS IY TIM SOUTHWEST
Mr.. Ayers, speaking of the condition
OF AFFAIRS IN Southwest Virginia, sad
that il was slowly but surely recovering
from the i'll effects Of the era of spccu-
lation which swept over that sec'lon
three years ago, and IS laying firm fouu-
datiOns for future Crowth
- great May towns continued the
encakcr. (which were established with
ont reference to conditions conducive 10
growth AMI prosperity arc practically
Gea 7. b1t tho.e contiguous to the great
coal and iron deposits are growing and
ur9spcring. Radford, Bristol, Gra-
ham. Pccahontas. Bluefcld. and Big
Stone Cap have been steadily gro wing
in wealth and population.
Southwest Virginia is destined with
in the rear future to be the greatest
producer Of iron and coke in the United
States.
DEVELOPMENT N IRON
- note with Measure AMI approval, y
remarked Mr.. Ayers enthusiastically,
"the figures published bv the DISPATCH
this morning showing Virginia to bo
next to Alabama in her iron product, hnt
the next decade will place Virginia far
ahead OF any other southern State.
Whilst the development has been great
il is vet in is infancy. For instance,
take the two furnaces at Big Stone Gap,
one OF which is in blast. The ore is
mined within two miles and the coal for
C he IS mined four miles away. The
prodrct, which Is wholly from fossil
hematite ore, is sought all over the West
and Northwest. having largely taken the
place of charcoal iron in the manuiac-
tlre of great many articles.
WHERE IRON Is SHIFTED.
Large quantities Of this iron" Mr..
Ayers asserted, ego TO Detroit, and a
shipment has been made to Canada. SO
far as | know there never has been any
iron made in the South wholly from the
red fossil ores without mixture, yet this
remarkable iron is made from this ore
alone and the daily reports for three
months ending December 31st, showed
the ore to have averaged 30 per cent. i'll
the furnace during October, November,
and ecember. These ores exist in mex
haustibe quantities. parallel with the
coal for seventy-iive miles. and will in
evitably result IN the location OF i'm
mense plants. to work them under condi-
tiOns So favorable.
MARK my prediction" concluded
Mr.. Ayers, "the next census will record
Virginia far in advance Of any other
southern State in tho production of iron,
coal, and coke.