The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-09
Smallest G oun ty of
Sout est Group is
Perhaps the Richest.
BLUE GRASS HILLS
AND RICH VALLEYS
M line al Resources Immense,
Iron Ores Of Finest Grades.
Limestone and Manganese
Nearby Export Cattle,
Splendid Sheep and
Fine Horses.
DY FRANK s. wooDsoN,
Industrial Editor.

Industrial Editor.
Some weeks ago there Appeared In
the Industrial Section an illustrated
article on the general and varied pros
ductiveness OF Virginia, it's natural.
and It's undeveloped wealth,
The writer treated the broad subjecr
In broad way, no particular county
being especially mentioned, and the
pictures used for illustration were
made from Tho Times-Dispatch's art
In which is stored all
the photographs. engravings. picture
post cards, magazine layouts. etc, that
can be found and kept for future use.
One or more pictures taken iii the
county of Craig happened TO be used
in a general way In this layout. and
a friend in that county wrote the In-
dustrial- Section. mildly complaining
that more was not said in the body OF
the article about the wonderful re-
sources of that delightful little sub
division of the grand old Commons
wealth.
This friend and two others, who
think the little county Is the garden
spot Of the universe, have been writing
me and telling me wonderful things
about Craig that l never dreamed of.
having never been there to see with
the naked eye.
Where Craig County H.
From this data I gather the idea
that Craig county, like a certain his
torlcal statesman may be little, but
it's Ioud.''
The county is small, the smallest
perhaps of the Southwest Virginia
group containing but S51 square mics.
1t borders on Monroe county, w. We.
and has Allegheny county for north
side eighbor. Botetourt and Roanoke
counties for Eastern neighbors. willis
Montgomery and Giles are its southern
neighbors. The Allegheny Mountains
separate it from West Virginia.
While small In area, 1t is probable
that no county In the State Is richer
in good lands, In pasturage, In fruits
in minerals In water power and In
many other goods things than little
Craig.
All About Craig.
Tho railroad facilities at present
consist of the Craig Valley Branch OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.
which extends from New Castle me
busting and enterprising county seat.
to Eagle Mountain, In Botetourt coun-s
ty. station on tho James River pi-
vision of the Chesapeake and Ohio
line. The Norfolk and Western Is
building branch line from point
near Roanoke intended to penetrate
the county. and 1t need surprise no
one II the new virginian Railway, al =
tracted by the mineral and timber
wealth of the county, finds way to
get into Craig also.
The general topography of the. coun-
ty is that of Mountain and valley tha
most charming combination that na-.
ture can bestow upon man for 5yigor
and health.
The mountains are rich In minerals,
and are clothed with forests OF timber
Of original growth; the valleys are
fertile, and produce abundantly grains.
grasses and fruits of various kinds.
These valleys are well drained by
streams OF pure water; the princlpa a..
ones are Craigs Creek, Johns Creek,
Sinking Creek, Potts Creek and their
tributaries, all Of which are we'll sup
piled with mountain trout and black
bass. The principal industries are
agriculture. stock-raistng. poultry
raising. fruit-growing. mining and
numbering.
Iron Ores and Other Minerals,
The county Is situated in the very
heart OF what is known all over Viz
gnia and all over the country as the
Virginia. These valuable ores are
found chiefly and in their greatest.
abundance along the creeks above
mentioned and their tributaries. and
| they extend the entire length of the
| county, a distance OF about thirty
]miles. Tho Oriskany is tile great ore
bearing formation. and the ores large
\ ~ consist OF what is known as the
Thrown hemetite or hydrated oxide . +
! iron The seams of these valuable
ores are declared by biologists. and
| n 10 =
sistent and regular. and their con-
tinuIty, thickness and uniformity ct.
/ quality and quantity are not cues
Etfoned. In fact, they have been
abundantly tested and demonstrated
| by years Of most profitable operation
1 by the Low Moor Iron Company he
Alleghany Ore and Iron COMPANY ADO
! others, and the modern method i Q Z
mining have developed their inl-33
1 meuse value. 35
But as a matter of fact the vaiue
Of the mineral resources OF the Sec
Etion now known as Craig county8iwerf
| known more than u century ago, and.
/ many long years before any OF the;
present cities We're born furnaces 9 s
f the most primitive character We're.
| operated along valleys and ridges sff.
this region. and tho iron hauled away
In wagons over the mountains and
down the Valleys 4pEouSAtf$ oaStS "A liti ~ VI
gold dollars.
ict In It's Infancy
Owing to the peculiar location pc
these ores mining Is relatively mex
pensive and water for washing PUT
poses, where washing Is necessary
abounds almost everywhere. With
abundance Of limestone for fluxinss,'
Timber for mining purposes IL Il also
found In large quantities nearby; cons
sequentiy mining may be condncted
with profitable results durinE almost
market. Mining in this fa!d, corn \
/ paratively speaking. As in its infancy.
and 1t may he trnthfplly stated that
thefore supply OF this count y y. n
yeti scarcely been touched. 5sSs
IT seems to he a prnyision of iaf,irs 4.
that where Iron is found the otksr
sC.nntinuaa an rhied lsaEesA "