The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-02-15

present to us, IN It's true HSht, al
important "Fact of History
Big Stone Gap and the Manufact-
ure of Pig Iron
1t is a matter of considerable sur
prise to stra gers visiting this sec
ton who become conversant with the
facts, as to the extent, variety and
quality of our mineral resources, sc
far as has taken place, has been
conducted on so limited scale. A
careful study Of the Big Stone Gap
mineral section will convince the
most skeptical that there is no other
point on the American continent
where all the materials which enter
into the manufacture of pig iron can
be brought together as conveniently
and with the same dispatch as at Big
Stone Gap, and moreover, that there
are few other places that afford such
favorable transportation facilities for
marketing the products. This is
not idle talk. 1t is an assertion
that is based on actual and incontro-
vertible data, which any one, disbe-
Loving the assertion, can readily OBJ
tain by reference to the official re-
ports of the government in coal pro-
auctions, and to reports made by Mr..
John r. Proctor, formerly dicector Of
the Kentucky Geological Survey,and
by Mossrs. McCreath and DInvilliers
Of Pennsylvania. With vast depos-
it's of coking and domestic coal, COM
prising about 100 square miles, anc
extending from the town limits
northward and southwark, and iron
ore and limestone in abundance, e&
tending from the town limits south
ward and eastward, and two great
railroads tapping every important
market in the east, west and south,
Big Stone Gap occupies position OF
prominence as a site for every branch
of the lion industry.
The analysis of the coal adjacent
to Big Stone Gap, as reported BY
McCreath is as follows:
No. is splint coal and No. 2 a
camel coal
No L. % ~
Fixed carbon. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5s.o'e $500
Volatile combastlbe.. ............. 3I.5oo 4J'Uo9
Ash. 30T5 o225
sulpur. 0.40G Obs
The analysis of the red fossil ore. two
miles from Big Stone Gap, Nos. l, 2
and 8. No. 4 a limonite or brown
ore six miles away:
~ III 49, AZ
Metallic iron. :. 47O5o 4olas 1882 $1,000
PHOSPHORUS. . ols7 ool5 o.l22 o.l6i
lnsouable 49,. ,2o.s7O 2lOo 24.52 III
Sulphur. o.I32 Obs les
The blast furnace-capacity 100
tons-owned by the Appalachian
Steel g. Iron Co., situated at Big
Stone Gap, which has been in opera
ton since April, 1892, has made a
remarkable record. Running as it
has, and does, on local ore and lime
stone, and Pocahontas coke (the
manufacture of coke at Big Stone
Gap not yet commenced) it has
produced pig iron of very superior
quality that has commanded a
ready sale during the recent hnan-
cial depression.
The cost of this pig iron is frac-
ton less than IS per ton. This very
low rate of cost is due to cheap iron
ore and labor and the proximity Of
the raw materials to the furnace. In
this concction, due regard must be
had to tile fact that the coke used by
the furnace in question is hauled 100
miles and costs $2.35per ton, where
as, when coke is manufactured at
this place aud arrangements to that
end are now being perfected) tho cost
will not exceed, it is expected, $1.25
per tor. The iron has been intro
]duced into the markets of the East
land West, and its merits have at
Itained for it quite reputation.
These facts cannot fail to impress
themselves upon the minds of prac-
Ecal men. Big Stone Gap pis iron is
destined soon to lead all others Of its
Ikinl in Tie markets of the country,
land viii lie less affected than any
other brand BY any change in the
EtariG on foreign imports, whether
they be raw materials Of the pig.