Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-06-22
IS INTERESTING CAPITAL
Prof. GrimsIey Writes of Cement
Possibilities Here.
MARTINSBURG'S ADVANTAGES
Much interest is Manifested IN the
Undveloped Resources of This
Section.

Section.
q Prof. Grimsley, of the State Experr-
mental station. who is ia this section,
il very enthusiastic over the prospect
of the opening up of the cement in
dustry in Martinsburg. Prof. Grimsley
is making every effort TO get capital
interested in this section. He is do
ing everything that he possibly can to
let the world know the resources of
Berkeley county. He is in constant
touch with parties who would be inter
ested in a cement proposition.
He has just recently been in Pitts
burg and says that the capitalists OUT
there are beginning to take notice of
the possibilities here. He has written
several articles on cement lor the
trade journals and nearly every day
is receiving letters from parties who
have become interested. Letters are
received from all parts of the world
making inquiry concerning these lime
stone deposits.
On May rs the Engineering and
Mining journal of New York. the
leading publication of this character
in the world, published an article by
Prof. Grimsley and it has attracted
much attention
Below is reprinted from the Engi-
nering andMining Journal what he
says of cement possibilities here.
West Virginia with its valuable de-
posts of coal and natural gas fuel, its
1000 niles of railroad and over 500
miles of navigable waterways, near
ness to large markets, and almost in
exhaustible deposits of materials for
the manufacture of portland cement,
deserves careful attention on the part
of capitalists in search of profitable
investments. AT present there is a
single mill, that Of the Buckhorn
Portland Cement company, located on
Cheat river, near Rowlesburg, which
is in successful operation with daily
output of 1900 barrels. The State
Geological survey has recently issued
a report on clays, limestone, and ce-
ment in West Virginia. In my work
in the preparation of this report, as
we'll as on reports on these resources
for private companies during the past
two years, | have been surprised at
the natural advantages for the growth
of the cement industry in this state,
and the fact that many of these val
liable properties remain undeveloped
Advantages of Martinsburg.
In the eastern part of the state is
the city of Martinsburg, reached by
two railroads., the Baltimore G. Ohio
and the Cumberland Valley. 1t is only
rs miles from Washington, 100 miles
from Baltimore, 1876 miles from Phila
delphia and 22S miles, from Pittsburg
These cities can be reached with a
very low freight rate. In this region
the Shenandoah limestone of Cambro-
Silurian age covers a wide area and
consists of belts of rocks of marked
uniformity of composition in the same
belt. but varying from one belt to an
other Near Martinsburg there are
seveal belts of high-grade rock, light
in color and smooth in fracture, which
average in composition SO to 80 per
cent, carbonate of lime, and less than
one per cent. of silica These belts can
be traced in few cases eight to ten
miles in length and in width, 25 to 60
feet
On account of the high degree of
purity the rock is in demand for fur
mace fiux and has been extensively
Guarried for this purpose. From So
900 to 10000 tons have been shipped
quarries mostly to Pittsburg The i'm
preston has been that this grade OF
rock is reaching exhaustion in this
area, but recent examination has
shown that there are very large de-
posits not yet opened
Dolomites and magnetism limestones
of almost theoretical purity occur in
elongated lenses in this field. and
have been worked on a small scale
to furnish rock for open-hearth fur
naces. While the high-grade of lime
stone could be used in the manufac-
ture of portland cement, there are a
number of belts of lower grades of
stone adapted to this work. They av-
erage in carbonate of lime about 80
to 80 per cent. with a higher per-