The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-03-16
TIE APPALACHIAN FURNACE

TIE APPALACHIAN FURNACE.
Among all the different enterprises
talked Of and put into operation at
Big Stone Gap, the Appalachian
furnace stands head Of the list. AL
though the gentlemen who are at the
head of this great enterprise have
met with impediments and disheart-
cning obstacles, still, they are men of
unquestionablc ability and have so
far managed to overcome and sur
mount all the difficulties with which,
they have had to contend. Few men
would have had the nerve to have
taken hold Of and pushed the work
on to completion during the general
depression Of the past three years as
have Messrs. +. j. Bird, ST., and h.
j. Bird, jr These gentlemen came
here with encouraging prospects held
out to them. They were led to be-
lieve that by the time their furnace
was ready to 60 into blast they could
get their coke laid down at their fur
mace at cost Of 50 per ton. Instead
of this, their coke has been costing
them over So, and to-day, apparently,
they are no nearer the - coke than
they were the day they kindle! their
first fire.
The furnace is truly the only great
industry or enterprise of the town
that has absolutely gone on and done
everything that was expected of it
by the public. 1t has been the means
of putting thousands of dollars into
circulation in and around the town
It's managers certainly deserve
great credit for the hard fight they
have made in placing their furnace
in successful operation, and President
Bird speaks cncouragingly of tho
prospects Of the future.
On his return from Cincinnati las
week he said, while away he hat
found that some gnoramus ha'
placed in circulation a rumor tina
was calculated to injure the Big Stone
Gap coal district for a time unless
corrected. He said the Statement
had been made by some one too igno
rant to be classed as anything clsj
than o long-eared ass, that serious
break or fault extended through thu
Big Stone Gap coal field, and tina
this fault or break ran right through
. the town of Big Stone Gap.
Such smart Alex as these only
unwittingly display their gross igno
rance in regard to the true facts, bu
in doing this they also temporarily
inIure this district in circulating sucl
reports among people who have neve
been here and know nothing person
ally in regard to the facts in the case
The "grceny" who originated sucl
statement has not sense enough t
know that the town proper OF BIS
Stone Gap has never claimed an.
coal in it's limits, or even within ;
distance of three miles of the place
But at that distance from the town
and at many other points on the diff
fcrent branches of Powell's river TIL
great "Imb0den" seam, running il
thickness from six to seven feet, ant
several other veins, of equal thick
ness, have been opened up and driver
in for hundreds of feet, showing regu
lar and persistent veins.
Of coke made in oven test, at Big
Stone Gap, Va, from sample o
coal from the "Imbodcn" seam, Mr.
Andrew S. McCreath, of Pennsylva
mia, furnishes the following analysis
Moisture. .................... 'Voo
Volatile Matter. ............. .5G4
Fixed Carbon Observation-Disclosures. 94.O40
Sulphur. .............. 900
Ash. 49,. ........ 4.|4u
i In a certain sense the statement 8
this "wise geologist, in attempting
to air his knowledge, is correct, in sc
- ~ IL 4 r. d., C@c,o ~ a i,