Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-26
ARM0R-PLATE PLANT.
COMMITTEE on LOCATION TO VISIT
RICHMOND IN A FEW DAYS.
OTHER CITIES ARE CONSIDERED.
Advantages and Resources offered
Here Almost UnparalleIed-Gencr
Anderson on the Quality and
Quantity of Virginia Iron.

visit this city to ascertain what advan-
tages are offered for a location for the
proposed factory TO be built by the United
States for the manufacture Of armor-
plate. The verdict of these gentlemen
will be awaited with keenest anticipa-
tion and interest, for it means that Rich
mond Is TO be drawn into comparison
with the rest OF America as to her mine
raj resources and manufacturing facili-
ties, and should she be selected, the bene-
fit to the community will be far reaching.
Richmond has nothing to fear by COM
parison with cities of the North or South
in the particular indicated, for she is
an example Of almost unparalleled manu-
featuring development. This is the logi-
| cal sequence of natural conditions, rein
forced ~ the energy, enterprise, and
business sagacity of it's people. These
natural. conditions are a magnificent
water-power, direct railroad connection
with inexhaustble coal mines, thus en-
suring cheap fuel, an empire of raw
material TO draw from, and a practically
| limitless territory to supply with manu-
| featured products. Iron is already among
| the largest manufacturing interests of
| the city, as more than half the coun-
ties OF the State contain mines Of this
| invaluable mineral in ample quantities to
! give employment 10 thousands Of men
for ages yet 20 come, and so It will be
seen that most eminent advantages are
available here for such an industry as
the National Government intends TO pro-
mote.
Cheap power, a practically ineXhaust-
ible supply Of coal and iron, and good
transportation facilities. besides con-
tiguity 10 the shlDbuilding yards Of Nor
folk and Newport News. are cOnsdera-
tions that must weigh most heavily in the
choice of the location.
COAL AT OUR DOORS.
Within a short time, according to pre-
sent arrangements the James river viii
be electrified and power sold for manu-
featuring purposes at price that will
| be revelation 10 those who employ the
old methods. Then, IN the immediate
vicinity of Richmond, lying on both
sides Of James river. the longest-worked
coal-feld in the United States exists.
The coal is bituminous, and has long
been esteemed as excellent for foundry
and blacksmith work, and the genera
| ton OF steam. The field IS from ten TO
twelve miles wide. and from thirty 10
| forty in length, and in many places the
seams are of enormous thickness. on
the north side Of the James river there
| Is a seam OF natural coke Qhe coal
| having been coked by the intrusion of a
| trap-dyke), known as carbonate. This
| Is naturally admirably adapted for
blast furnaces, having a high heating
| power.
The great virginia coal-feld lies in
/ all
Buchanan, Dickinson, Wise Lee, and
Scott In these counties from 500 to l,0oO
| SQUARE miles are underlaid with numer-
Gus seams Of as pure and rich bituminous
and camel coal as have been found in
the world.
GOOD IRON ABUNDANT.
The quantity and quality Of the IRON
ores OF Virginia, and the result Of tests
heretofore made by the United States
| Government, are detailed in the follow
ing communication, written by the late
General Joseph r.. Anderson 10 Colonel
Frank G.. Ruflin some fourteen years ago:
Dear Sir,-In response to your request
to give you some information as TO the
quality and quantity of Virginia iron, es-
pecally as gathered from my own eN-
perience and from experiments maae
within my knowledge by officers OF the
United States Government. | might make
a long statement, as it would be pretty
much a history OF both the wrought-lron
and foundry branches of these works
since | began to operate them in 1873.
During that period we have had an op-
portunity to obtain a pretty good know
| ledge OF the character of the ores IN
every section OF the State by actual use
of them But ] must conflne myseH
mainly to the consideration or those from
which the irons have been made that
have been used here with success IN the
| manufacture Of chain iron and cannon
for the government. The same irons
have been constantly used and found Wen
suited TO a variety OF other purposes, DOtn
for the government navy-yards and arse
nails, as well as for tho workshops OF
corporations and OF individuals, such as
iron for engine work, boiler and snip
plates. car-axles, and wheels, &c, &c.
FREQUENT GOVERNMENT TESTS.
But I propose to confne myself alone
or chiefly. TO the adaptation of Virginia
iron TO the special objects mentioned
above. for the reason that they have been
the subjects of frequent severe ana pre-
else tests by officers Of the government.
As far back as the time OF the Board OF
Navy Commissioners, which was prior
to the establishment of the present sys-
tenn Of bureau, the subject Of using Trede-
gar iron for chain cable was brought 10
their attention. An order was given Tor
some of IT, which was tested at the
Iron made in States north Of Virginia had
been exclusively used before that for tnls
impOrtant purpose. But after that trlaI,
and after the proof OF the iron had been
at my suggestion much increased, tne
government used Tredegar iron chleIy
for that purpose from 1888 down TO the
time almost when the war between the
States broke out and not a link ever
failed 10 stand the proof so far as L
have been Informed.
NEIGHBORING BLAST FURNACES.
The leading blast furnaces that fur
nished the iron Tor all important pur-
pOses-all convenient 10 Richmond-were
the Cloyerdale, Grace Rebecca Jane. "a
taWba and GienwoOd I'm Botetourt couh-
ty: the Bath Lucy Selma, and Austria
LA (now LOngdalel. California now VIC
toria). Vesuvius. COtopaXi, Buena Vista,
and Esteline. of Rockbridge. and Dolly
Ann. in Allegheny county. Besides these
furnaces I'm those three counties, and
Others the names OF which l 40 not at
this moment recall, from which these
works have been chleny supplied LOT
many years, there are many others In
the southwestern, northeastern, and
Piedmont sections OF the State from
which we have sometimes received IRON
of the highest quality and which are
now accessible to Richmond by new rail-
roads. Indeed, / may say that though
there are undoubtedly different grades or
quality in Virginia ores. / know OF very
little ore I'm this State that could be called
inferior. And yet | believe Virginia has
larger deposits OF IRON ore prooabiy thah
any other State OF the Union. And 1 ex-
nress these opinions after having ope-
rafed besides these works, many blast
furnaces in different sections OF the
state from Shenandoah county to Bote-
tourt county-durlng the war between the
states. as many as eight or nine at one
time.