Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-08-24
From the Richmond Compiler.
Geology OF Virginia.
CNuMBER KID
The SoUrI WESTERN Drsrn1er

proachinS In some places the character q
n"'"- Semi-oituminous coal is found il
several localities, as on Strouble's run. &c
~ montgomery, and in other places i,
posny ana w aiker's mountain Iron ore i
also abundant in the same district.
The lead ores of Wythe, under iudiciou,
management in the working, and with f..
vorable means Of conveying the resuI,ino
metal TO The proper market, could not fail 70
oecone large source oiprofit 10 the State.
says professor Rogers. In the forms of suI :
! phuret and carbonate they contain LARGE
per centage Of The metal and is cheaply red,,.
ecu The sulphur in the one and the carbo-
NC ACID IN the other, readily escaping under
moderate heat.
Gypsum, Cor plaster Pnris) according 70
'"iessor rogers, occurs over space OF n =
oou' twenty miles in length md hall a mile
IN breadth, but he thinks the area eccuuied
oy nis much more considerable. The dep,h
oi II IN some places is enormously great
Sometimes the thickness. is nearly 3OO feet
rom The difficulty oftransportation little of
ihIs precious material has heen conveyed I,
The seaboard but during favorable seasons
II IS transported down The Holstoa 10 the
south western STATES, and yields much pro>
ht-.Proiessor X. says: "Wiih facilities of
transportation, what iDcalcuabIe benefit,
might the great Valley of Virginia. and
HxA N
II, derive from this valuable dsposite. and
what an hciive, and pro luc,ivs commerce
might u give rise 10 throughout that region
IN which IL is found"
The SHfines constitute another Of the
treasures OF this district of the State.' Lii.
We mas heen done towards determining the
extent OF the sailerous strata The wells ON
The Holslon are usually from two to three
hundred feet in depth, presenting strata of
q
or slate, alternating with beds of gypsum
several feot in thickness, and finally a sira'
tum OF clay, within which the salt water is
preserved. In some cases 10 gallons of the
n.ine VIII yield one gallon of salt, in others
10 are necessary. Gypsum is always pre-
sent IN the brine, and is almost the only i'm.
purity in it.
In this region upwards of $50 900 bushels
are annually manufactured. This could be
greatly Increased. One gentleman saws his
Salt Springs might he made to furnish 25
QUO tons, and more if demanded.
The iron ore found in GraysoD. Wvtbe
&c, yields in some cases, by The usual smell
ung process, metal having all the qualities
of steel.
Great Western Bituminous Coal and Salt
Region
IL composes that large Territory living be.
tween The western limits of the State and the
eastern range of the Allegheny. Professor
Rogers says no section OF The State holds ov,
richer promise of valuable practical results.
most, 81 not all the strata, belong 10 a proup
OF formations universally distinguished as
being chief repositories of bituminO,Is cooL
The minerals Of this region are easily acces-
sibie from their position near the surface
while the trough like and deep structur. *
The valleys, exposes the edges of the strata
TO The eye, under circumstances the mostfa-
vorable for excavation
One or more seams OF coal have been dis
covered ON the upper part of little Sewe!l
mountain. West Of Camubelps Cre.k
three great seams Of ccal display themselves
almost continuously for II miles, in parallel
and nearly horizontal bands along the some.
what mountainous cliffs forming the boun>
DIARIES Of The rich and lovely valley vt the
kanawha, in the vicinity Of Charleston.
West OF this, thin beds oflimestone occasiou-
ally occur, OF various degrees Of purity. in
some cases containing sufficient alumina 10
render Is valuable for hydraulic lime.
AT w heeling, and Tor II mics down the
river, the cliff or bank presents an upinier.
uPted bed OF highly bitumjnous coal I6 ieet
thick, AID ola quality suited Tor the fuel of
That town, Tor manufacturing as wei! as other
purposes. Above are two thinner LAYERS oI
in ierioT ma ial.
AT Clarksburg, and northward down the
valley OF The Monongaheld, there exists one
OF The richest coal deposi,es in The State
Near The town the seam is from 10 10 II feet
IN thickness. The seams OF this depUsite
may be followed with scarcely ANY inierrup-
ions throughout the whole of the valley of
the monongahela 10 PiIisburg. Ascending
iygarls Valley River the coal diminishes in
thickness and value.
| tIual Z fDunI op,alter sn,,>.. IL -
valley ofihe Little Kanawha. Year Hughes
| river, one OF its tributaries ii is very album
dani and here also springs Of petroleum,
or rock oil, occur. North of this stream on
the ridge, selenile or cryslaIized gypsum is
found.
"On the great Kanawhs the exposure Of
coal is one Of the most extensive and valuable
any where in The United States; and here
from lis immediate vicinity To the salines. il.
practical usefulness has been tested on vide
and profitable scale" Beds of this rninera
are exhibited on The Cole. Gavley and oths,
rivers, and no boundaries can be now qiyer
TO lie extent.
In Hampshire county, coal less bilumi
nous, appears Immediately west Of the east
ern front ridge OF the Allegheny. Professo
Rogers gives The following statement of III,
astonishing arrangement Of strata here ex
posed: upon rich stratum Of Iron ore. no
less than fifteen feet thick, rests a bed 6
: sandstone, upon which reposes coal scar
three feet thick; above this another bed {
E sandstone, then two ieet vein of coal. mes
= sandstone, then another coal seam of Go,
I feet again stratum Of sandstone, and oyt
$ it q seven feet vein Of coal over this he,
w bed Of iron ore, and crowning the serii