The Washington times., 1922-12-24
FOUR VIRGINIA
.|R0N.FURNACEs
RESUME WORK
Plants at Max Meadows, Pull
aski, Buena Vista, and Low
Moor Operate After IdIeness
BUSINESS is STIMULATED

Company Official Says Outlook
for Normal Conditions Of In
dustry Is Becoming Brighter
ROANOKE, Va, Dec. 2S.-Four
Virginia blast furnaces are now
operating full time. these being At
Max Meadows, Pulaski, Buena
Vista and Low Moor, and their re-
sumption Of operation marks the
return of normalcy in the iron and
steel industry in the United States.
During the four years following
the signing Of the armistice not
pound Of pig iron was produced
by blast furnaces in this State,
and the demands Of foundries were
supplied from stocks left over when
operation was discontinued.
OUTLOOK IS BRIGHTER.
In speaking Of the resumption OF
operation by the furnaces named
above, an official Of the Virginia
Iron, Coal and Coke Company, which
company 10 operating its furnace at
Max Meadows, stated that the mar
ket today did not really justify op-
Grafton. but that prospects for the
industry in the future were begin
ming to assume q brighter aspect.
That II In possible Of other fur
naces in the State, at Roaaoke. Rad.
ford, Pulaski and Reussens. Will
commence operations early In 1928
was gathered from the conversation
Of this official. consumption OF old
stocks of pig iron having been COM
pleted during tho years following
the war.
The virginia Iron. Coal and Coke
Company IL, perhaps, the largest
producer Of pig iron in Virginia dur
ing normal times. having furnaces
at Roanoke, Radford, Pulaski. Max
Meadows and Middlesboro, KY, and
the closing Of this company's plants
during the market slump succeeding
the world war caused q depression
throughout the southwestern part OF
pany's furnaces are located. a. 1t has
than other points where the COM
pany's furnaces are looted. as 1t has
many other Industries, but Radford
and Max Meadows felt the depres-
sion greatly. Closing Of Dora fur.
mace at Pulaski at about the same
time the Pulaski Iron Company's
furnace discontinued operation
caused a business depression in that
city also. which condition has been
to some extent improved by the
opening of the Pulaski Iron Com
sDx q
MAX MEADOWS FULL BLAST.
The Max Meadows furnace. with .
capacity Of over 200 tons q day In
four casts, 10 operating full blast
and giving employment to approxi-
mately 800 men. including the force
used to operate the company's ore
mines situated in the mountains near
Max Meadows. This furnace ID the
only industry In Max Meadows and
resumption Of operation there will
bring the town back to its former
position as q growing industrial To-
cation.
The Pulaski Iron Company's fur.
mace at Pulaski IN the largest and
most modern blast furnace in Vir-
ginia and has q capacity Of well over
800 tons a day. This furnace Was
built new on the site Of the old plant
in 1915 and with the new stack, i'm
proved modern equipment was in
stalled. The compeny's ore and coal
mines are now being worked also.
CAPACITY OF $50 TONS.
The Low Moor Iron Company owns
two furnaces at Low Moor, but only
one of these II In operation as yet.
Both stacks were rebuilt completely
a few years ago and each has q ca
pacity Of about $50 tons a day. This
company owns several mines produc.
ing coal and ore and these also have
been opened, giving employment to
several hundred men.
The Buena Vista furnace II COM
paratively small stack with q capac-
ity of about $50 tons per day. The
company operating this furnace also
owns ore mines which win be worked
to supply the demands of the furnace.
Resumption Of operation by pig
iron manufacturing concerns in Vir.
ginia will have q far reaching effect
on the general posperity Of the State,
1t has been said. as the industry 10
closely allied with other industries
notably the foundry and mining in
dustries.