Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-07-22

very highest grade of Portland cement,
the best in the world for ordinary
purposes, and ready seller in all
the markets
81 find this shale on the surface Of
the ground and covering vast tracts Of
land in sections east and south of
Martinsburg, and in close proximity
to the railroads, which is an item of
considerable importance when it
comes to the manufacture of cement.
This shale, or slate. as you people
here have termed it, lies loosely on the
surface and goes down to consider
able depth, where it becomes hard
aud fit for use for building purposes
and for articles of manufacture. 1t
is not only OF very high grade and
vast quantity, but it lies in close touch
with the richest Limestone deposits in
the county.
g TO the manu- facture of cement this
fact of close proximity of both lime
stone and shale is all improI tant. 10
nearly every case the manufacturers of
cement erect their plants near lime
stone deposits, and then ship the shale
from other points. often paving enor.
nous sans for freight alone. Here
You have both the chief ingredients of
PoItland cement Within few feet of
each other, so that the limestone could
| be taken III one side of plant and
the shale in the other, making
saving Of the big freight bills. Both
deposits are practically inexhaustible,
and huge plants could be operated
! here for many years and MT make
any appreciate impression on T. csc
Veins.
"rhis shsle and limestone have both
been tested in the state laboratory.
and thew are found to be of the night
quality. Governmentlee have
also examined this section, land their
opinions closely coincide with. mine
as to the value of the-deposIts.
Il shsll return to the eastern pm
handle in the fill and make some
further researches, -and the lwhnle
work will be incorporated in the state
geologist's report of the clays. lines
and cements to be found in this sec
| tion. Irepeas, Berkeley and Jefferson
counties have a great futur4 before
them, and when outside capital comes
to realize the richness and value of
your natural resources. there will be
rush such as will make this section
fairly hum with industry"
HIS OPINIONS Is ENDORSED.
! Mr.. Grimsley is not the only person
in West Virginia who is enthusiastic
ever the future greatness and wealth
of the eastern panhandle, for DR.. l. G.
White. head of the state geologic al
Office, has declared before the leRisla.
ture that there is more natural wealth
in Berkeley county than the richest
coal county in the state. He based this
assertion upon his personal knowledge
of the vast deposit of limestone shsle.
CLAY, ETC.. and predicted that in time
the attention Of a great number of
capitalists would be drawn to this
section of the state. The work of
making a survey under the direction
of his Office had been pet project
of DR.. White for several wears. but he
was unable 70 accomplish it until
recently. The resalt of the investiga-
ton has borne out his prediction.
Among many of the business men of
this CITY and county there is a firm
belief in the future OF the county,
when its natural resources are appre-
ciated. Many of these men have IN.
| derstood for years the magnitude OF
the deposits of lime and shale. and
also have knowledge of rich deposits
of CLAW, snch as is used in the manu-
acture of tiling, ornamental brick.
etc. One gentleman states that he has
been assured by competent judge
that one vast deposit OF clay will
burn into brick OF a snowy whiteness
and will be far superior and much
cheaper than the enameled brick manu-
featured in Western Maryland some
of which have been used in buildings
in MaItiusburR.
Another gentleman forwarded two
barrels of clay from bis farm near
town, the raw material being manu-
featured into a dozen different article
of commercial value and high grade
AT least one big deposit of yellow
OGRE, a mater al used by painters, ex-
] Its on tine old Kilmer farm alorg the