Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-12-10
TCoMMUNICATED.]
EDITOR CLARIoN:--

CoMMUNICATED
EDITOR CLARIoN:--
Ineyer knew that Thurmont, or Mechan.
icstown District, was blessed with so many
men possessing full knowledge of ore prop
erty as has been demonstrated by a call made
over the telephone tor experts to 90 to Bal
timore to testify to the value of Catoctin
Furnace property, to reduce its value under
its Indebtedness in order to make IL a bank
rupt
The excursion train to Baltimore on Nov.
28th, was filled with experts; merchants,
farmers, lumbermen, maicarrieus, all loaded
with estimates figured ont to nicely; some
had been in the mountains for huckleberries,
others had passed through the property On
the turnpike and had viewed the mountain
side, some had been in one or two OF the
shuts" on the property; but when they got
together and compared notes and added up
their long columns of figures, each ones col
umn added up just $780, no more, no less
1t is the old saying, "give dog bad
name and every person is willing to step out
of his road and give him kick" that has
been true of Catoctin property; but why
should the Thurmont people be so anxious
to destroy plant that has spread 80 much
money in their midst without any loss to
them, as all the other farms and industries
in the district put together? Are the people
acquainted with the inside history of Catoc-
tin for the last twenty years to know whether
1t has been the fault OF Catoctin property or
the ownership that deserves the kick? The
dog may have a bad master and not be able
to show his good qualities and get the kicks
that should be given his master.
/ am sure there Was not one in the whole
lot of witnesses who would know the value
Of ton OF ore by giving them an analysis of
same, whether it would be worth fifty cents
or five dollars per ton, and whether 1t would
cost fifty cents or five dollars to mine the
same from Catoctin Ore Mines. If the farmer
would have examined the farming land and
made his calculations what would be the net
incoEc from same and capitalized it at or
10 per cent and said, THAT is as far as my
knowledge goes" and the lumbcrman exam.
ined the timber over the track and made his
deduction and said 1.-The ore am not able to
figure out" and the Others SAID it is out OF
nv line of business" thea the odum, if there
ls any, would rest upon those who under take
for their own personal benefit to wrong just
creditors aud besmllch the value Of prop
cr,y they know nothing about.
How would you 60 about estimating the
value of Catoctin property? A business or
property is worth the net income of said
business or property capitalized at or per
cent or as much more as it will take to keep
up renewals and sinking fund, to wipe out
investment when same is exhausted.
What does Catoctin property consist of
and its income, If judlciously man ged, and
necessary capitalization? Catoetin tract
contains about 10,400 acres of land, about
5000 acres of this is worthless so far as the
timber on same is concerned, being run over
every few years by the mountain fires killing
the new growth. But most of this land is
virtually level tract free of stones and spe.
cially adapted to fruit There is 1900 acres
on the eastern slope set with 25 to 30 years
growth of timber worth SIS 10 $50 per acre,
there is 1850 acres worth from IS to $40
there is 1000 acres east Of the pike with 1875
acres of good farming land worth $l5 per
acre. The hematte ore belt contains about
400 acres and lis value can only be obtained
by the present workings and test pits that
haye been sunk on the deposit to estimate
the am ount, the cost of getting ut,and wash
ing of same, deducted from the worth on the
market or what can be realized by smelling
same on the property, the amou.t produced
pei day will give you the amount ofils cap
italiztd worth The former method of min
ing ore was entirely by hand labor with sho'
vel, pick and drill in open pit at foot hills of
the mountain using steam pumps to keep the
mines free of water and hauling the ore and
clay out with mules. After every heavy rain
the mines were flooded and 1t would take
from two to six weeks work to clean the
mines of water and mud before ore could be
mined again. The cost then of mining so
nearly equalled the worth of the product that
it was only profitable during a good iron
market.
What are The conditions today? An open
cut about 1900 feet long, from Is to 80 feet
deep, has been opened into the mines at a
cost of nearly $780, 900 which drains the mine,
permits of working with Steam Shovel and
which has reduced the cost of mining the
ore two thirds The ore is cleaned to yield
7 per cent more metallic IRON, increasing its
value alone to the price of mining same
The showing of ore bas justified the expen-
diture and Catoctin is in condition to supply
a good quality of Hematite ore at very
small cost.
There is vein of Magnetic ore which re-
qures capital to put in machinery to con.
centrate which is equally as valuable as the
Hematite.
The washing plants, ore gig, dinkey en-
gines, steam shovel, railroad switches to
mines and furnace, and narrow gage tracks
cost nearly the value laid by Thurmont ex-
perts to be the whole value of the property.
There is furnace on the property go feet
high, 10 foot bosh, which IS somewhat out
of date, and the furnace stack proper needs
repairs, still with this plant, which at the
time should have been blown out for repairs
but was required to run, and for 3 months.
when supplies were furnished and hands
promptly paid SO that it was kept in contn-