Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-12-23

tenslV0 openings uaO uOt Oe0u mooos
Since then Colonel Noorehead has
enlarged greatly upon the opening
of one Of the phosphate veins and has
run railroad from his main line to
the mine. In the State College Bull
|le.in, Professor Ihlseng says: "Thres
classes of phospatic material have
thus far been discovered. The fret
is friable.. white rock locally known
as "white vein" containing in typical
specimens from tscenty mine to fifty
four per cent of bone phosphate The
second consists of red nodules simi-
lar in appearance to the so-cslled
"clay iron stonea," but containing
from forty to ffy-f,Oe per cent. Of
bone phosphate along with o consid
erable percentage of iron and alum
ina. The third class of material con-
sists of blocks of what appears to be
dense blue limestone, but which ap-
pears on analysis to contain in the
neighborhoodo of forty per cent. of bone
phosphate of lime"
Professor Ihlseng paid second
visit to the Trscarora Valley phos-
plate beds, and in that visit he con-
firmed what he had previously learn
ed of the great and valuable deposits.
In letter to Hon. J. G. Crawford.
dated State College, Centre county,
Pa, December IA. 1896, he says:
"The facts gained at my last visit
were perfectly in harmony with my
early report and views expressed
therein, ard there was nothing
new to present 1 confirm.d my pre-
vious analysis and reported accord
ly to the director. am still of the
opinion that you have a very promis-
ing prospect for the developing Of a
good bed Of phosphate and the sup
port of a profitable industry. It is
now a question Of pick and shovel
Active work should give you an out
put that will furnish fair margin of
profit, and the formers Of the central
counties O cheaper material of high
fertilzing energy than they now get
from the south. trust that Mr..
will make it possible to
ship the material at competitive
prices with the various goods now on
the market"
It is thus shown by the highest
scientific authority in the state that
the phosphate material is of high |
high as animal bone.
Professor Labig the world vida rec
ognized Agricultural chemist slys
that the best animal bone does not
contain higher per cent. of phos-
phate than ffsy-five per cent. A great
deal of what is considered good ami
NAL bone falls long distance below
that percentage. By other tests than
State College tests some of the Tus-
,arora Valley phosphates run above
the highest animal bone percentage.
In this brief summary of the unde
veloped resources lying along the
Valley Railroad and its
proposed extension, a glimpse may
be had through the gates njar OF the
rich field for railroad and mining en-
;erprise. Colonel Moocehead has
been doing much to bring into pub
ic recognition the richness of this
.erritory. His enterprise speaks for
tself and will be of ipestinable val
lie to those who contemplate an ex-
.ension Of the railroad. He is q
practical engineer aud has the sur
1ey of every foot of the route from
he Susquehsnna to the Potomac.
BE is practical geologist and min
eolosist and when he sees a new
stone or new rock, he is not content
ill it has passed the crucial test Of
MS laboratory. His practical turn Of
MUD has served him we'll in making
his text book learning available in
turning rocks and mineral into mon
ey, and if thoss who are interested in
lines that must from the ma
ture Of their location and the valua-
bles that parallel their routes will
turn in with the Colonel, it will not
be many years till he will have the
road working on paying basis from
Virginia to the Valley of the Susque-
hanna with outlets to the markets of |
New York and New England and
the west.