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NOTES OF A TRIP 
 
 rn 
 
 ROUGH THE JAMES RlVER VALLEY 
 
 By JOSEPH D. WEEKS. 
 
COMPLIMENTS OP 
 
 JOS. D. WEEKS. 
 
 NOTES OF A TRIP 
 
 — THROUGH THE — 
 
 James River Valley. 
 
 By JOSEPH D. WEEKS. 
 
 A paper read before the Engineers' Society 
 
 OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 Febnxctry ££cl, 1881. 
 
 PITTSBURGH : 
 
 NATIONAL IRON AND STEEL PUBLISHING COMPANY. 
 
 I88l. 
 
& 
 
 
 <b 
 
NOTES OF A TRIP THROUGH THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY. 
 
 By Joseph D. Weeks, Associate Editor of the "Iron Age." 
 
 A paper read before the Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania, February 22, 1881. 
 
 In the social and political history of this 
 country the Valley of the James plays no in- 
 considerable part. At the time of its first set- 
 tlement, near the opening of the seventeenth 
 century, the daring and adventures of one of 
 the most remarkable men of modern times 
 threw a glamour of romance about its waters 
 and gave its banks a wealth of legend that 
 even yet has all the charm of fiction and the 
 interest of history. Nearly two centuries 
 later the closing scenes of the American Revo- 
 lution were enacted on its banks, and across 
 its waters echoed the last gun of the war that 
 gave this nation existence. And when, near 
 the close of another century, the question 
 whether that existence should be perpetuated 
 was submitted to the arbitrament of war, this 
 valley felt the heaviest shocks of battle and 
 witnessed at Appomattox the decision of the 
 contest. 
 
 Strangely enough, however, though the be- 
 ginnings of our industrial life, as well as our 
 political life, were on the banks of the James, 
 its industrial history has been very meagre. 
 As early as 1608, less than two years after 
 Captain Newport brought his first vessel to 
 anchor in its waters, the manufacture of glass 
 was begun near Jamestown ; and in 1619 or 
 1620 an iron works was established at Falling 
 Creek, a branch of the James. It was also 
 from Virginia, which at that time meant 
 only the James River Valley, as earlv as 1609, 
 that the first exports of manufactured articles 
 from this country were sent to England. 
 
 The industrial life of which these begin- 
 nings gave such bright promise has had no 
 vigorous growth. Iron works have been es- 
 tablished at various points in the state, but 
 they have attained little or no prominence, 
 except in certain cases for excellence of pro- 
 duct, and have led to the building of no large 
 centres of iron industry such as exist in Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 This lack of industrial life in the Valley of 
 the James — of those conquests that mark this 
 century — has not been for want of opportu- 
 nity. For fifty years it has had developed, in 
 the James River and Kanawha Canal, one of 
 the grandest water powers on this continent ; 
 one, in comparison with which' the Merri- 
 mack, which turns the busy spindles of Man- 
 chester, Nashua, Lowell and Lawrence, is an 
 insignificant stream ; and yet this power has | 
 
 lain fallow, while, shaken by the very rush 
 and roar of its waters, forming the very sides 
 and containing walls of the pools and reser- 
 voirs that store up this vast power, has been 
 a wealth of undeveloped mineral resources 
 with which few if any other states have been 
 endowed. 
 
 It is more especially to some of the mineral 
 resources of this valley that I wish to direct 
 your attention. 
 
 Finding its source in the heart of the Alle- 
 ghenies, the James runs parallel to their base, 
 in a southeasterly direction for some distance, 
 breaking through their most easterly spur at 
 the magnificent pass of Balcony Falls, and 
 still pursuing its general southeasterly di- 
 rection until it strikes Mt. Athos, some six 
 miles below Lynchburg, where it turns ab- 
 ruptly to the northeast, being deflected by 
 the massive quartzites which carry the moun- 
 tain. It runs in this general direction for 
 some 50 miles, to Scottsville, where it re- 
 sumes its southeasterly direction to Rich- 
 mond. 
 
 In this valley " are found in great abund- 
 ance and of superior quality, every variety 
 of ore that is profitably worked for iron any- 
 where in the world, with the exception of 
 the carbonates, like the ' clay ironstones' and 
 'black band ores' of England."* In the upper 
 part of the valley, before the river breaks 
 through the Alleghenies, especially at Clifton 
 Forge, at the point that has been so felicitously 
 called "Iron Gate," and at various other points, 
 are found deposits of brown and red hema- 
 tites that can only be described as immense. 
 At points in this region huge cliffs of ore form 
 the summits and sides of spurs and hills, 
 while along their sides and at their bases are 
 scattered lumps and boulders of solid ore of a 
 fair quality and in sufficient quantity to sup- 
 ply a city like Pittsburgh for months. 
 
 Between Balcony Falls and Lynchburg other 
 immense deposits are said to exist; but of 
 these I can speak only from hearsay. Below 
 Lynchburg, however, at the very point at 
 which the James turns toward the north — is 
 not this significant ? — begins a remarkable 
 ore region. Veins of rich and pure slate and 
 magnetic ore run parallel to and at no great 
 distance from large veins of red and brown 
 
 *Prof. Campbell. 
 
106 
 
 Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania 
 
 hematites, not so rich or pure as the former, 
 but sufficiently so to make very good forge 
 irons. 
 
 For the entire valley, from Mt. Athos to 
 Scottsville.or from the point where the James 
 turns to the north to where it resumes its 
 southward direction again, the ore-b< 
 rocks have been traced. The northwestern 
 boundary of these rocks is the Buffalo ridge 
 and its extensions. The southeasterly has 
 not been determined. Sufficient has been 
 learned, however, to indicate that the rocks 
 have a width of several miles and that they 
 extend through the state in a southwesterly 
 direction. Extensive openings have been 
 made on the Mt. Athos property, which ex- 
 tends some six and a-half miles down this 
 valley, which have developed as many as six- 
 teen veins of ore. The ore-bearing formations 
 consist of alternations of quartzites and mi- 
 caceous, talcose and chloritic slates, having a 
 dip of from 10° to 45°; usually, however, nearly 
 vertical. 
 
 The ores of the Mount Athos property have 
 been divided into four systems or belts : 
 
 (1) Mount Athos. 
 
 (2) Chestnut Mountain. 
 
 (3) The Red Ore. 
 
 (4) The Pot Ore. 
 
 To a Pittsburgh audience the most import- 
 ant of these belts are the first and second. 
 The ores in these belts are mostly specular 
 and magnetic, with one vein of manganifer- 
 ous. What is locally known as No. 7 of the 
 Chestnut Mountain system is a fine high grade 
 micaceous ore. Two shafts have been sunk 
 on this vein to a depth of 90 feet and connect- 
 ed at the bottom. These shafts show the ore 
 to be 12 feet wide, one-third of which will 
 yield 65 per cent of metallic iron, and the 
 balance 4t) per cent to 55 per cent, all free 
 from sulphur and low in phosphorus. 
 . No. 14 of the third or red ore belt con- 
 sists of a series of red and brown hematites, 
 alternating with slate, of a total breadth of 
 from 300 to 600 feet, the ore veins being from 
 2 to 20 feet. The red hematites of this belt 
 are low in phosphorus and free from sulphur, 
 carrying from 40 per cent to 60 per cent of 
 metallic iron. 
 
 It is not possible in the limits of this paper 
 to enter into a detailed description of these 
 deposits. The investigations show that there 
 exists an immense body of easily-mined ores, 
 many of which are low in phosphorus and 
 high in metallic iron, some of the best carry- 
 ing considerable manganese. The chief draw- 
 hack is the smallness of the rich veins and 
 the necessity of the careful selection of the 
 rich ores from the gangue of the leaner, but 
 experience seems to prove that the veins not 
 only grow wider as they descend, but, in the 
 case of the low grade surface ores, richer. The 
 following analyses are of the different veins of 
 the Mount Athos property • 
 
 
 
 VEINS. 
 
 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 3.04 
 0.10 
 0.11 
 91.39 
 0.17 
 1.20 
 (i 15 
 0.20 
 0.64 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 Silicic Acid (quartz) 
 Titanic Acid 
 
 l i.r.T 
 0.12 
 
 82.38 
 0.32 
 L.96 
 0.06 
 0.23 
 0.1S 
 
 1.10 
 0.15 
 
 90.74 
 0.11 
 
 0.12 
 
 0.29 
 0.04 
 
 Phosphoric A.cld 
 
 Ferric Oxide 
 
 Manganic < ixide 
 
 Alumina 
 
 Magnesia 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.00 
 
 100.00 
 
 100.00 
 
 Metallic iron 
 
 0.048 
 
 57.68 
 0.035 
 
 65 71 
 
 Phosphorus 
 
 009 
 
 
 
 No. 1. No. 4. No.10. No.13. No.15. No.16. 
 
 Metallic Iron..56.6G7 36.16 60.18 53.50 57.70 56.3a 
 
 Note.— Nos. 1, 4, 10 and 15 are almost free of phospho- 
 rus. 
 
 SUNDRY ANALYSES OF NO. 14. 
 
 50.632 I 
 1.836 0.008 
 
 Meta'c [run 
 
 41.52 
 
 33.59 
 
 is.:::: 
 
 30.88 
 
 56.80 
 
 Phosphor's. 
 
 0.265 
 
 0.079 
 
 0.47 
 
 none 
 
 0.97 
 
 Metallic 
 
 Iron 
 
 Phos- 
 phorus.. 
 
 Sulphur 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 No. 4 
 
 No. 4 
 
 65.713 
 
 62.987 
 
 57.600 
 
 64.85 
 
 33.43 
 
 0.046 
 
 0.172 
 
 0.048 
 
 tr'ce 
 
 0.12 
 
 none 
 
 0.022 
 
 none 
 
 
 
 Nol3 No.16 
 
 62.126 42.02 
 
 0.159 
 0.011 
 
 1.01 
 
 39.357 
 0.110 
 0.032 
 
 SUNDRY ANALYSES OF NO. 7. 
 
 Metallic Iron 
 Phosphorus.... 
 Sulphur 
 
 62.760 
 
 67.05 
 
 67.797 
 
 0.015 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.019 
 
 0.031 
 
 
 none. 
 
 68.340 
 0.008 
 trace. 
 
 Note.— Vein not numbered. Available binoxide of 
 manganese, 67.20. 
 
 At a short distance below the Mt. Athos 
 property these same ores are being mined 
 quite extensively. Dr. J. P. Kimball, in re- 
 porting on these deposits, says: "The ores are 
 disposed in beds or veins between strata of 
 different composition. They seem to me to 
 be, unlike the ferriferous schists of Michigan 
 and Missouri, segregated deposits of ore which 
 have been metamorphosed along with the 
 whole series of strata. The degree of meta- 
 morphism has been slight as compared with 
 the Hurorian schists, and in some cases 
 they are still soft or only partially altered. 
 While specular hematite is the prevailing 
 form of iron ore some of the deposits are in 
 part in the state of magnetic oxide; others 
 again are admixtures of magnetic and specu- 
 
Weeks — Notes of a Trip Through the James River Valley. 
 
 107 
 
 lar oxides; while still others, especially those 
 of which limestone forms one of the walls, 
 are compact brown hematite (limonite) — at 
 least near the surface." 
 
 It is not necessary to enter into the details of 
 the formations at these points, as they are 
 similar to those at Mt. Athos. As showing 
 the character of these ores, however, we ap- 
 pend a table of analyses: 
 
 - T 
 
 5s J 
 
 c© as 
 
 p CO p p p p en p p 
 
 1 bo to ^j '*. in co to o io 
 
 CO CO ^- CO to 
 
 en 
 
 r. 
 
 1 1 
 
 3.96 
 
 0.052 
 0.177 
 
 1 «» 
 
 1 CO 
 
 
 
 66.622 
 0.022 
 92.002 
 
 re -j 
 
 1 1 
 
 OS 
 
 1 I3I 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 . P*- 
 
 3' 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 1 M 1 8 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 - 05 
 
 1 boo 
 
 1 coo 
 
 Mill §1 
 
 Ot 00 
 
 CO 
 
 I 1 
 
 I I S| 
 
 1 1 
 
 61.12 
 
 0.088 
 
 3 £3. 
 
 • 3 - 
 
 1 1 
 
 1 1 Si 
 
 1 i 
 
 1 p -° 
 
 o=> 
 
 1 *- to 
 
 ■ 
 
 53.01 
 
 0.135 
 11.26 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 Hematite Payne 
 
 Tract. 
 
 69.71 
 0.25 
 
 7.87 
 
 § 
 
 Magnetite Payne 
 Tract. 
 
 111 \%\ 1 1 1 'ill 
 
 1 
 
 • 
 
 Specular Coxe 
 
 Tract. 
 
 
 KlVERVILLE AND 
 WlNHKIELD. 
 
 £ 
 
 Metallic iron 66.229 65.71 
 
 Phosphorus 0.023 0.009 
 
 Ferricoxide 94.613 90.74 
 
 Manganous oxide none 
 
 Alumina none 
 
 Lime trace 
 
 Magnesia | — 
 
 Silica 4.370 
 
 Phosphoric acid... 0.052 
 
 Sulphur mine 
 
 Titanic acid I — 
 
 Water I — 
 
 0.11* 
 4.43 
 
 0.29 
 0.12 
 
 I.H) 
 0.2 
 
 0.15 
 
 o.l 
 
 57.68 
 0.035 
 
 82.38 
 0.32* 
 1.96 
 0.23 
 0.6 
 
 14.67 
 0.08 
 
 0.12 
 
 65.71 
 
 91.39 
 0.17=1 
 4.20 
 0.20 
 0.15 
 3.4 
 0.11 
 
 0.10 
 0.64 
 
 i X 
 
 52.98 
 0.23 
 
 75.69 
 0.29 
 3.76 
 1.29 
 0.25 
 |16.60 
 0.54 
 
 0.18 
 1.40 
 
 57.30 
 0.30 
 
 81.86 
 0.20 
 3.06 
 L.38 
 0.1s 
 
 11.32 
 0.70 
 
 0.22 
 
 1.08 
 
 *Ferrous oxide. 
 
 Stapleton. 
 
 Cherry 
 Tree. 
 
 54.65 
 0.29 
 
 6ft.vein 
 
 46.09 
 0.10 
 
 Stapleton 
 Cliff. 
 
 Lee Red. 
 
 Metallic iron.. 
 Phosphorus.... 
 
 47.20 
 0.32 
 
 O.06 
 
 Stapleton. 
 
 Kent. 
 
 Maude. 
 
 2- £"h 
 
 • — 5.5 
 
 ! '- ? ' ' ' 
 
 Maude. 
 
 Aver, ship- 
 
 mentsJan. 
 
 to March... 
 
 Metallic iron.. 
 Phosphorus... 
 Manga nous 
 
 0.001 
 
 62.796 
 0.099 
 
 22. .'.7 
 0.08 
 
 54.669 
 
 0.06 
 
 
 
 The ores of the James River Valley, above 
 Lynchburg, are, as a rule, hematites, with a 
 somewhat higher percentage of phosphorus, 
 and lower in metallic iron than the specular 
 and magnetites of the Mount Athos region, 
 but existing in much larger deposits and more 
 easily and cheaply mined. Prof. Campbell, 
 of the Virginia Military Universitv, in a re- 
 port made by him to the James River and 
 Kanawha Canal Co., speaking of this part of 
 the James River Valley, says: "The canal and 
 its railway connection traverse every one of 
 the five great ore-bearing geological forma- 
 tions of Virginia, and one of the finest lime- 
 stone regions of America." Of the develop- 
 ments in the neighborhood of Clifton Forge 
 and Iron Gate, Prof. Campbell writes: " 'Red- 
 shale' and 'Fossil' ores are mined at Clifton 
 Forge, where they are found in the shales in- 
 terstratified with the heavy beds of hard 
 gray sandstones that constitute a large por- 
 tion of the remarkable arches, or rather suc- 
 cession of concentric arches, so strikingly dis- 
 played where the river passes through" Rich 
 Patch Mountain. The ores of this formati n 
 were extensively mined on the eastern slope 
 of Rich Patch Mountain for some years, to 
 supply the Roaring Run Furnace in Botetourt 
 county. They are now highly valued for 
 mixing with the more silicious ores of a high- 
 er formation, those of No. VII. of Rogers, and, 
 when their real value becomes better known, 
 I have no doubt that they will be developed 
 in many new localities along the faces and 
 flanks of both North and Rich .ratch moun- 
 tains. 
 
 "Analyses of seven samples, from different 
 localities, give a range in percentages of iron 
 from 38.71 to 57.12, and an average of 49.45; a 
 range of phosphorus from 0.14 to 0.98, and an 
 average of 0.3S for four samples. 
 
 "The ridges that have been thrust up from 
 the bottom of our great trough-like valley are 
 very important features; for they have lifted 
 up and brought to view extensive beds of 
 both ore and limestone for the use of furna- 
 ces; as, for example, at Longdale and Califor- 
 nia furnaces, both supplied from the same up- 
 lift, Brushy Ridge. 
 
108 
 
 Engineers 1 Society of Western Pennsylrania. 
 
 "To illustrate the resources of this forma- 
 tion, it is only necessary to enumerate the 
 principal furnaces that are now, or have been, 
 supplied from its beds of ore. Beginning at 
 the Augusta end, we hare in that county, 
 Buffalo Gap, Ferrol (Elizabeth), and Esteline 
 furnaces; Bath and California, in Rockbridge; 
 Australia and Longdale, in Alleghany; and 
 Rebecca, Callie, Roaring Run and Grace, in 
 Botetourt. 
 
 "Longdale and Callie furnaces have very 
 large and still widening developments of very 
 fine ores; and they are both within reach of 
 competition in transportation. Then along 
 the base of Rich Patch Mountain on the 
 Kayser lands, and at points south of Callie 
 Furnace, as on the lands of Messrs. Woods 
 and Reynolds, there are promising indications 
 of ore beds not yet opened to any great ex- 
 tent. This belt of undeveloped beds extends 
 along the western and middle portions of 
 Craig county for some miles beyond New- 
 castle. Then on the western slope of North 
 Mountain, the still inexhausted beds of the 
 old Rebecca Furnace, near Dibrell's Springs, 
 are only awaiting transportation and cheap 
 fuel. 
 
 "Let us now tabulate all these general re- 
 sults of the analyses of the ores of the four 
 belts west of the Blue Ridge: 
 
 Forma- 
 tions. 
 
 Range of 
 
 metallic 
 
 iron. 
 
 Phos- 
 phorus. 
 
 Average 
 
 of 
 
 iron. 
 
 Av. of 
 phos- 
 phorus. 
 
 Primal, No. I 
 
 Hudson, No. 
 
 Ill 
 
 40.62 to 55.84 
 48.97 to 55.66 
 
 0.06 to 1.08 
 
 50.87 
 
 51.91 
 
 49.45 
 51.12 
 
 0.35 
 
 Clinton, No. 
 V 
 
 38 71 to 57 1" o 1 1 tn n or 
 
 38 
 
 Oriskany 
 
 ■ 58.29 
 
 0.03 to 0-96 
 
 0.38 
 
 A letter from the owners of Callie Furnace, 
 near Clifton Forge, speaking of their magnifi- 
 cent deposits of ore, says : "I would have liked 
 very much to have shown you two of our 
 openings you did not see— one a very fine ore 
 of very dark color, manganese ore, a new 
 opening, just made, very rich in iron. The 
 other, our new red ore,which has been tested 
 by the Cambria Iron Company, who report 
 .0189 of phosphorus and 54 per cent of iron, 
 and this from the surface, before being open- 
 ed, as it now is, showing 25 feet in width, 
 and not through it yet." 
 
 Uf the Reynolds Bluff, before mentioned, 
 which now belongs to Mr. D. S. Cook, and is 
 called the Walton Mines, the vein of which 
 is at least forty feet thick, Mr. Cook gives the 
 following analysis by Mr. Britton : 
 
 Metallic Iron 51.57 
 
 silica L3. it; 
 
 Sulphur none 
 
 Phosphorus 0.049 
 
 This was a surface specimen. Another sur- 
 face specimen gives 
 
 Metallic Iron 59.410 
 
 Sulphur none 
 
 Phosphorus 0.289 
 
 "The phosphorus would be probably less fur- 
 ther in the vein." 
 
 We have not mentioned these properties in 
 detail because they were more promising than 
 a score of others in this valley, but because 
 we have more definite information from 
 them. We have used them only as types of 
 what seems, all things considered, to be one of 
 the most interesting and important ore sec- 
 tions in the country— a section where there 
 is as much activity at the present moment in 
 ore as in any part of the country. Our 
 most prominent and sagacious ironmasters 
 are investing largely in these lands, and 
 at their suggestions capitalists are joining 
 them. New furnaces are constructing, and 
 old ones are repairing and going into blast. 
 Ferrol, Callie, Low Moor, Longdale,— all mod- 
 ern coke furnaces— are or will soon be in blast 
 in the neighborhood of Clifton Foige, and 
 making iron at a cost of not more than $12 a 
 ton, and in some cases less than this. 
 
 And what of all this to Pittsburgh? We 
 are a society of engineers, who are popularly 
 supposed not to be influenced by the "Qui 
 bono" of the practical man; but after all, this 
 is the question: How is this to benefit Pitts- 
 burgh and Western Pennsylvania? 
 
 If Pittsburgh is to continue to manufacture 
 and not to buy its pig iron, and the wonder- 
 ful achievements of our furnaces and the im- 
 provements in progress warrant the belief 
 that she will so continue, one of the most 
 important questions in connection with the 
 future of our furnace industry is the supply 
 of ore. 
 
 Of the value and abundance of the rich 
 and pure ores of Lake Superior and Missouri 
 there is no question, and the fact that for 
 years to come we must draw a large percent- 
 age of our supplies from this locality is also 
 evident; but it is only the dictate of a wise 
 business policy to secure if possible other and 
 nearer sources of supply. The locality in 
 which these supplies are to be sought is un- 
 doubtedly the Virginias. They are the near- 
 est, and the indications are that they are the 
 purest and most abundant. Within less than 
 300 miles of this city, "as the crow flies," lie 
 these immense bodies of ore, of some of 
 which I have endeavored to give you some 
 general idea. That they can be mined cheap- 
 ly, and are suitable for our furnaces and our 
 work is proven by the facts. From the re- 
 gion below Lynchburg 60,000 tons have 
 already been sold by Messrs. Naylor & Co. 
 for delivery this year, mainly to Western 
 Pennsylvania furnaces, among which are 
 Dunbar, Charlotte, Edgar Thomson and Cam- 
 bria. From the Low Moor property, for sev- 
 eral years ores have been sent to the Ohio 
 and down the river to Ironton furnaces. The 
 product of Longdale and Quinnemont fur- 
 
Weeks — Notes of a Trip Through the James River Valley. 
 
 109 
 
 naces is well known in this market, and that 
 of Callie and Low Moor will soon be. 
 
 The chief hindrance to the development of 
 these ores has been the lack of transportation 
 facilities. With the completion of the Rich- 
 mond and Allegheny railroad, which is being 
 laid on the tow path of the James River 
 Canal, access to many of these ores will be 
 easy; and as the grades are very low, freight 
 can be easily moved; but the great hope is 
 the building of a line of road to connect 
 Pittsburgh through West Virginia with the 
 Valley of the James. 
 
 The value of such a road to Pittsburgh can- 
 not be told. In addition to opening up these 
 vast stores of iron ore, it* would open up a 
 large market for our product that is now con- 
 trolled by the East. The development of the 
 South in the next ten years promises to be 
 marvelous. Its rich and fertile lands are 
 being broken up into small farms, and with 
 prosperity will come a demand for all of the 
 products "for which our city is noted. Such a 
 road would give us a new outlet to the sea, 
 and that by a port that promises, if improve- 
 ments in contemplation are carried out, to be 
 the great seaport of the country, south of 
 New York. 
 
 I submit that here is a field for Pittsburgh's 
 energy. Surveys are now in progress for this 
 road, and I believe that if Pittsburgh will 
 show an interest in the project in any way 
 commensurate with the va'ue it will be to 
 her industries, the road will be built, the vast 
 mineral resources of the James River region 
 and the timber of West Virginia made cheap- 
 ly available, and the great southern market 
 opened to her merchants and manufacturers. 
 
 Notes op Discussion of Mr. Weeks' Paper, 
 February 22, 1881. 
 Mr. Kent— This question is one of vital 
 importance to engineers and Pittsburgh at 
 large. Some of the ores from this country 
 are as fine as any I ever saw. In regard to 
 the testimony and analyses made I think 
 they ought to convince the people that there 
 is excellent ore there in very large quantities. 
 There is something peculiar about the devel- 
 opment of much of this Southern country. 
 North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and other 
 states were settled before Pennsylvania, and 
 although some of them possess natural valu- 
 able resources equal to Pennsylvania, they 
 have lain dormant. Virginia is now emerg- 
 ing from her stupor. Pittsburgh now has the 
 opportunity to develop these immense fields 
 of ore. 
 
 Mr. Reuben Miller — I regret very much 
 that I was unable to be present so as to hear 
 the first part ot this interesting paper, and 
 on that account I feel that I hardly have a 
 right to say that I would like to have this 
 discussion postponed for two or three weeks. 
 
 Mr. Jos. D. Weeks — We have talked every 
 year about the scarcity of ore and the high 
 prices, and sworn that we would "never, no 
 never," pay these prices again, and yet every 
 time we have done it over again, when we 
 have within 300 miles this enormous supply 
 of iron ore. I believe the great trouble has 
 been the lack of transportation. If Pitts- 
 burgh will just show it wants this road, it can 
 have it. I do not think they want much 
 money. If we make these men who are de- 
 veloping this region believe we want the 
 road, that is all they want. Such a road would 
 tap every great trunk line east of Chicago. I 
 want to see a road from Pittsburgh through 
 West Virginia and Virginia, more especially 
 for the ores of Virginia. If Pittsburgh is to 
 retain her prestige she must seize every 
 facility. 
 
 Mr. W. F. Zimmerman — In conversation 
 recently with an engineer familiar with the 
 region described, he spoke of the vast quan- 
 tities of ore, and said, as was mentioned in 
 the paper, that Richmond would be before 
 many years the largest sea port south of JNew 
 York. I think the matter should be post- 
 poned and continued for discussion. 
 
 Mr. Reuben Miller — If the discussion 
 were postponed it would be of course until 
 the next meeting. I would suggest that after 
 the paper is printed, copies be sent to the 
 manufacturers and all interested, and that 
 they be invited to be present and join in the 
 discussion. Too much cannot be said on this 
 subject. 
 
 Mb. Samuel Wickersham — Is it the railroad 
 we are to consider or the ores? If it is sim- 
 ply a matter of the ores they can be delivered 
 now in any quantity. If we can have ore 
 delivered for $8.50 per ton 1 do not see any 
 good of going to the expense of another 
 road. And if we had a new road the proba- 
 bility is prices would be just as high. So far 
 as the ore is concerned it rests entirely upon 
 how low it can be offered. In this city we 
 have plenty of low ore and we are learning 
 to manufacture these ores and make iron as 
 cheaply as from the high ores. I do not 
 think there is any question but that Pitts- 
 burgh will maintain her position. Years ago 
 I heard this same cry that Pittsburgh was 
 going to lose her place as a great iron indus- 
 try, but in every case where the question has 
 been raised we have successfully met the 
 difficulties and Pittsburgh is to-day stronger 
 than ever. The ingenuity of Pittsburgh 
 manufacturers will always meet the emer- 
 gency. I have seen cold blast charcoal iron 
 lying on our wharves for over two years at $14 
 per ton offered without buyers. There is no 
 doubt that Pittsburgh will continue to be the 
 great iron center. 
 
 Mr. Jos. D. Weeks — If there is any man 
 who believes in the future of Pittsburgh I 
 am that man, and this is the reason that I 
 want to see a road put through. We want 
 
110 
 
 Engineers,'' Society of Western Pennsylvania. 
 
 that Pittsburgh should have every facility. 
 With regard to lowering the prices of ores 
 and freight there is no use discussing the 
 matter, it must be done if Pittsburgh is to 
 maintain her position. 
 
 Mr. T. P. Koherts— I think I could add a 
 few words on the transportation question. I 
 have been absent from Pitt^burgn for some 
 seven or eight months in the eastern part of 
 the state. While in Chambersburg I heard 
 a great deal of this ore, and also of the ex- 
 tension of railroads. It was proposed to 
 strike into this country. Lately a New York 
 company purchased titles to about 8 miles of 
 railroad property in the South. The Atlantic 
 and Mississippi, or it may be the A., O. & M., 
 is pushing its lines. That is an index that 
 some of the great capitalists see a great deal 
 in this Southern country. I think that Pitts- 
 burgh ought to have the most direct facilities 
 and the shortest lines to the South that can 
 be had. 
 
 Mr. Wm. Kent — Two or three years ago the 
 
 f>rice of ore was $7 per ton at Cleve- 
 and, and I think it is about time some other 
 
 places were receiving the benefits as well. 
 
 The President— 1 started once to go 
 through that country myself, but was unable 
 to make the round trip. We spent a week in 
 the Cranberry region and traced a vein for 
 28 miles without a break, openings not less 
 than 5 feet in any case. The whole country 
 is filled with fine forests. That country can 
 also be reached as soon as Pittsburgh gets a 
 Southern connection. We had some samples 
 of ore from South Carolina; some of this we 
 melted in a crucible, getting 28 lb. yield, 
 about 66 per cent of the ore put in. We took 
 some of this free from dross and melted it 
 again with manganese and drew it into a bar 
 which was sent to one of our most expert axe 
 makers, who sent back the steel made up into 
 axes, and when asked said the steel was 
 about as good as the Crescent brand, thinking 
 we were trying to sell him some new mate- 
 rial. And this was the result of a few crude 
 tests. 
 
 [After some further desultory remarks, the 
 motion as made by Mr. Miller for postpone- 
 ment until March 15th was carried.]