The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-08
4 SUGGESTION.


'T-. Hunuf0etureYcYS Record makes sug
eessioa - the railways of Virginia. which IL
feasible and If followed, should be Of great benc-
1T to 9he people of the state, TO the railways and
to the iron interests OF the State
The suggestion Is contained in the following
editorial from the Record;
The Chesa peake and ohio and the Norfolk and
Western Railroad. and to some extent the Vr-
ginian have a very great opportunity to increase
their trafflc add TO the prosperity of The Norfolk
section ara greatly benefit the iron interests Of
abe state This could be done by building ade-
qiIate iron-orc handling facilities and arranging
dor the Importation of foreign ores through Nor
folk and Newport News and thor shipment at
low freight rates TO the interior furnaces Of Vr-
ginia- Many 81 the furnaces Of that state are
iradcouatelv supplied with iron ore. II is GER
tain that the enormous available supplies Of
foreign Iron ores will result IN n great increase
in their importation by American iron interests
The virginia iron industry could be strengthen
cd II these railroads would actively take hold of
this situation. At present thousands NJ cars
which bring coal to Norfolk and to Newport
News return empty. The development Of
west Sound traffic of iron ore even If handled at
n low freight rate, would largely benefit the
railroads with abundant supply of high
grade cooking coal available TO Virginia furnaces
an ample supply Of iron ore would add largely
10 their prosperity. The railroads could take
hold Of this situation and develop II broadly to
the benefit OF all interests.
Moreover. the importation Of these ores would
materially help in developing situation which
you'd ultimately lead to the establishment at
some point on Hampton Roads II large iron
and steel making plant.
When the importation Of iron ore was actively
undertaken through Baltimore about 1880 all of
these ores went 10 furnaces in the interior large
'v I'm PENNSYLVANIA with interest thus aroused,
there finally came the building just below Balu-
more ~ the plant of the Maryland Steel com
pany i similar movement for the impol tatioh
81 iron ores through the Hampton Roads basin
would ultimately in all probability result In
bringing about the establishment there Of an
iron and steel plant.
II II especially desirable that Tho furnaces of
tha Norfolk and Western and the Chesapeake
and ohio should be able TO secure foreign ores
M a low cost Out Of such development there
would probably come striking revival Of the
IRON Industry throughout Virginia, and these
roads would ne the greatest benehcaries there
from Their managers ought TO see the op-
pos4Grity and to utilize IT, We have faith TO be-
lieve that they will
The coal cars which bring the products Of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia mines to Tidewater for
shipment return West empty The railways
would increase their profits II they could bring
these cars back TO tho mines filled with iron ore:
The cost Of transportation would be increased
but little being limited mostly to the extra cost
Of handling involved. Wear and tear rolling
stock. use Of fuel and wages Of the train crew
would be increased but slightly whereas now
much o. this cost In going TO waste.