Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-02-15
COMMUNICATED.
To Our People of Jefferson

Jefferson county, West Virginia, Is by no
means exclusively an agricultural county,
| for she has some valuable mineral deposits
both cement nd iron. Her cement covers
a large area. The great wealth Of this coun :
tvs cement has been blindly overlooked lot
all these years; and now that we have larae
home market for it. we propose to make
move TO develop the vast quantity OF nrst-
class cement in the county.
After prospecting for years in southwest
Virginia and Tennessee for many kinds
| of ores, returned to West Virginia and
found our people investing largely In town
property wondering at the time why they
did not invest in cement property; for we
have every reason TO be convinced OF The
fact that within the limits OF Jeffer coun-
" we have rich deposits which cannot be
exhausted for years.
To locate the position % natures mineral
derosits we must be guided by the geological
formations, so even fwv were not convinced
of the immense strata Of cement lying within
the limits or jefferson by actual working for
nearly a ceGtury, we would know from the
rock exposed tha' we had this valuable de-
post. Even TO the present day our people
It. In looking carefully over the territory
below Shepherdstown and near the Potomac,
we find the richest evidence OF a valuable de-
post OF first class cement, and IN spite OF dull
times and the large quantities on the mark
cts OF the woi lid, we now invite the attention
OF our home people TO this matter, In order
that We may make move within ourselves
TO develope Jefferson county's cement.
There is a strata OF iron pa ssing through
the county northeast-southwest;a and lying
outside OF this, to the west, is the cement,
and am firmly of the opinion that this is
the chief lead or strata in tie county. The
magnitude OF the lead where Ii crosses the
Hendricks lands well defined, showing
| width OF abou 3c0 feet, and cropping out well
so there would be little cost TO uncover and
expose the pure strata for its entire width
The lead could be stripped with plough and
scrapsr, as there are no lodges OF rock lying
above the cement deposit. The cement at
this location Uses from 100 to 40 feet above
the su rface wafer OF the Potomac. A mere
inspection ofthe deposit at this location will
satisfy an expert that the conditions for
mining could not be more favorable.
The most promising location to expose the
uepOblJ 10 Ol MI JdlhtS ilCh-
dricks's farm, ahout two miles.below Shep-
herdstown, very near the Potomac river,
and, consequently, the canal.
very practical and satisfactory way to
make the development, is as we here propose.
FIRST we invite disorders at s25 each 10 or
ganize the Union Cement Company OF West
Virginia.; and whe we have $3.50, twelve SUBJ
scribers, we will prospect as TO quality and
quantity that deposit OF c. ment Oh the james
Hendricks land. Mr.. Hendricks gives the
priv eye OF prospecting. requiring no money
for the privilege, only requiring the land TO
be practically left in the same condition as
found, provided the 100 acres which h Odds the
cement Is not purchased by the Union &C.
ment Company, after prospecting.
The big consideration Is the extremely low
price Mr.. Hendricks Will accept Tor the l0O
acres. Three hundred dollars would be suf-
ficient to uncover and 20 down on the ce-
ment ledge at sufficient number Of places
TO determine the quantity and also 10 burn
and grind 100 bushels for shipment to test
quality.
Now the great advantage in acquiring this
property at the extremely low figures is TO
have this cement near by to supply the mar
kets OF Baltimore and Washington; for in a
few years the above two cities will together
have one and a-half or two millions OF peo-
pie, and this cement will reach these cities
by water, as the canal boats can readily be
towed across the Potomac TO the cement mill
This certainly is Il splendid inves' ment and
our county should control the business, maxi
ing handsome profits and keeping the money
within the county limits. AS we have this
natural advantage, why not appreciate II by
developing the same within ourselves ano
turning IL to our profit?
ALEXANDER s. DANDRIDGE.