Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-03-06


POcahontas county. At some point it
has been found to be $50 feet in width
and the depth has not been found. The
exact intention of the purchasing com
pany has not been made known, but
in addition to Goshen furnace, which
it will supply at once, it is presumed
that so soon as conditions warrant, it
will erect furnaces near the ore.
This iron property presents peculiar
features. 1t lies right beside the finest
of limestone, and is nearer coal than
any iron property of value in West
Virginia. The company has bought
a railroad as stated. which extends
from White Sulphur Springs to the
POcahOntas county line. From its
northern end at the Pocahontas line 1T
is about IA miles to Marlinton. the
county seat OF POcahontas county,
where it could build and thus connect
with the G. q y. Railways Greenbrier
branch, thence with its line to Durbin,
where it connects with the G. & 1. Ry.,
a Wabash branch, giving direct Pitts
burg connections for the transporta
ton Of Pig iron, or ore. At Marlinton
there is little road belonging to the
Campbell Lumber Co., which extends
over into the coal fields of western Pc.
r. VI
could be hauled to furnace establish
ed at the mines of this company, the
greatest distance being only about 80
miles. There is another small road
known as the Warn Lumbe Co.'s road
leading from Seebert over into the coal
field on the head Of Cranberry river.
The terminus of this road at Seebert
is only about 20 miles from the present
terminus Of the Iron Co. g railway on
the Waters of Anthony 3 creek
In addition to this, if a line were
built by the Iron Co. from its present
railway terminus to Durbin, it would
give direct Pittsburg connections over
the G. & l. RY., Wabash branch to
Pittsburg as we have shown. The line
from the Iron Co. g rail way to Durbin
is an easy proposition, down Douthat o
creek to Knapp's creek on to Dunmore,
thence to Deer creek and along it's
waters to the head, thence over to
Greenbrier river at Durbin, the pres.
ent junction of the &. y l. and Z. & D..
Rys. Such line would pass through
section Of country heavily timbered
and lay along the base OF the iron
mountain belt from the company s
present mines to Greenbank. This
portion of their road. if built, would
ray as an independent proposition. Its
construction would give the Iron Co.
competing freight rates, a short haul
for coal from the W. Va. Central 8
mines, and direct Pittsburg outlet.
The Iron land was purchased some
years ago by a Mr.. Daniel O'COnnell
now residing at White Sulphur, pro-
badly the shrewdest and most far see
ing person ever interes ted in the lum-
Der interests of West Virginia. 1t for
merly belonged to q. z. Hunt ingtOn,
g. E. Storrs of New York, r. 81. Cat.
lett and j. Fred. Effinger of Stauntun,
Va, and 81. A. Holt and A. F. Math-
ews of Lewlsburg, W. Va, who placed
a value on it as iron land, but seem ed
never to have been able to locate the
vein. After some years Of disapp0lnt
ment in proving its real value, they
sold to MIR. U'Connell, who had been
cutting lumber on adjoining tracts
and who had faith in the existence of
ore in paying quantities. He i'm.
pressed it's value on certain BaltlmO
reans, viz: Mr.. q. G. Homer of the
Second National Bank, Messrs T. j.
Shryock and Geo. F. M. Hauck Of the
same city. and company was formed
known as the Sherwood Go. of Balti
more city, afterwards incorporated in
West Virginia under the name of the
Sherwood Co. of W. Va This COM
pany was the owner at the date Of the
aforesaid sale. After the property
was acquired by them Mr.. O'COnnell
persistently hunted for the ore. Being
an old Colorado miner, he to some ex.
tent ignored the expert, and the geolo-
gist, and called in the practical miner
with pick and shovel. These turned
the trick" after some eminent geolo.
gist bad turned down the proposition
as mo good" After he had put bis
practical miners to work at the point
where he felt sure the ore must be, if
at all, and the ore had been found in
such q antilles as made bis Baltimore
associates smile, diamond drills were
installed and they told tale of wonder.
Since the purchase by this new COM
pany, they have sent about 200 men to
the mines who are now at wOr k build
ing shanties and such houses as are
necessary for the operation of the
mines, and are installing cable from
the mines to the railway track, and in
little while work will begin in earn.
est. The ore Is brown hematite of ex.
cellent quality, yielding about 90 per
cent. of pure iron, and is easily mined.