New-York tribune., 1841-11-06
WESTERN VIRGINIA
The Burning sPring--;he Aann"hn val
Iey-sait-TOm Ewin2-Nountnin
scenery. &c.

Va the { flowing account ot what he has seen ana
heard 70 the Har iorI Review
Our wav Law along the bo,ro,.l of the Great ha-
na,yho through immense fields OF corn OF most lux
uriant grow,h-we observed some stalks twenty
FIVE feet high and field. Of fifty acres which ave-
RACED fifteen feet, and the produce OF which this
season will not be less than go bushels to the acre
Abou, six miles from Charestown we passed vlne-
ward of some thirty acres, containing every varety
of grape known al the East On stopping TO look
al il the owner with that poi,eness and hospltai-
ity so characteristic of this part of the country, IN
vited US TO aigIit and on complying we mad an OPP
por;unitv of regang ourselves with the Isabella
Madcira-M -Muscudins-M Missouri-Black Catawba,
and other varieties which do not recouect ms
vineyard was commenced about i've years since,
and now Yields one hundred barrels Of wine annu-
nlly The next object of interest the burning
spring, eight miles from Charleston. IL was dry
when We arrived. On stopping TO inquire fer It's
whereabouts, likely young negro with an eXtrava-
CANT display of ivory and civil bow, proiered
his services TO show US the HOn We found it to be
a rectangular hole dug in Of yellowish earth,
which, bit of burning shaving'beng thrown there
in, was Instantly lighted with brilliant flarne OF IA
deem ornuge color This continued to burn with
great vividness and brilliancy during the whole
time we remained, which may have been for a halt
an hour or more Our guide informed us that
when once lighted nothing would extinSuish the
blaze unless it SHOULD happen TO be blown out by
the wind. 1t is said that Gen. Washington was
the first white man who discovered this remarka-
bic phenomenon-and the very spot is poHted Out
Il few rods from the spring where ne encarnPed tor
the night when visiting the valley OF the Hreat ha-
nawha to survey the lands which were granted TO
him by the crown Cor his good conduct at Brad
DOCKS defeat His camp-hrcs we're lighted IN the
vicinity Of the spring and much his surprise he
observed that they continued 10 burn after the fuel
was consumed. He soon ascer,ained the cause,
and supposing that the fire might be of value at
some future period, conveyed one acre containing
the spring to the State of Vlginin, which still re-
rains the and has enclosed the ground dwlih
a substantial fence. The country through which
we passed abonnds in bituminous coal ot the vGjy
beat quality, aud copious springs OF salt waief.
The sall works OF the hanawta extend twelve mcs
on both sides of the river. The water is raised
from wells 800 10 500 feet in ,,epth by means OF
steam--ti is then Gslled in cast iren'pans twenty
FIVE feet long hv sis and halt wide. placed over
furnace 80 TO 100 .ect in length. GA being boiled
the water turns red and j. drawn of into brine
1roughs to cool AID settle 1t is then returned to
the erancrs in which it i boiled down into salt.
and then put on platform for the purpose OF draw
ing of the muriaie OF lime, or . bitter waters,
a- the workmen call it. 5000 600 bushels OF salt
arc manufactured at these works annually, the
brine Welding one bushcl OF salt TO 20 gallons OF
water. IL was al these works Mr Ewing late
Secretary of Treasury, sought employment nrst
wOod-cuucr, afterwards az oversecr. converseG
with Mr. Charles Brown the gentleman in whose
employ he worked. He informed me that - Tom
commenced cutting wood for him at one dollar per
day; after lahcring ten hours faithfully he would
spend great portion of his nights in poring over
hls books At length his industry and sobriey IN
duced Mr. Brown 10 give him the situation of over
seer, in which capacity Mr., Ewing served him for
several years. until he took the works OF MIR.
Brown on his own hands paying him as rent a
certain number OF bushels OF salt annually. his
arrangement proving lucrative to Mr.. Ewing as
we'll as the Nner he was enabled 10 give up work
and devote his time exclusively To his studies. Nr.
Brown lost sight of him for several years and
heard no more OF Tom until on some public occa
sionhaPpening in at the courthouse AT Charlesiown,
Mr. Brown saw his old woodcuter engaged in
making speech. He listened 10 him in utter
amazcment a, length being unable to contain him
self longer, he exclaimed so as TO be audible
throughout the building" Well done, Tom well
done, Tom :" What aneNamplc is this TO the youth
OF our country and wha, an illustration of the per-
feet equality of our system!
But have DELAYED TOO long among the sslt-worhs
and must hasten on, first remarking that the noun
tains each side of the river contain three layers
OF veins of coal running horizontally and lying par
ale! to one another. The settler and the salt
boiler, the cabin and the manutactory, are alike
supplied; all the cost and trouble ei procuring II
being pickaxe, barrow and pair OF willing
hands.
We stopped the first night at ? Pont creek 80 miles
from Chariestown; lodging on board of store
boat moorcd TO the shore. The country about
here is rough with population TO match The
night before arrival u white NETS negro in
the road near where stopped, and wi,hsut the
least prevocation stabbed him so that he died
observed. the affair did not create the same feeling
as il would done with Us al the East those whom
| heard talking about /. seemed 10 think he would
be hung if he couldn, raise $40 10 fee par
yicular LAWYER. Perhaps the feeling would have
been different had the murdered man not been a
negro, although the laws make no diSnncii9n'-
Quite a fight took place on board Of the boa, dur
ing the night. but was so sleepy didn't take
much notice of it. | learned in the morning that
one Capt Rhodes had been terribly cut IN the very
apartment where was sleeping.
We stopped the next nisRt AT Gauey bildse-
near the confluence of the New and Gauley Rlvers
which form the kanawhs. From Point creek 10
this place the scenery is magnificent; the traveller
winds along among the mountains 4, QUO place
creeping under tremendou, iu,,ing precipices-
threatening every instant tall and crush him,
then diving into the very depths of the valley, with
fine bottom. ascending by radiant slope on each
side Of him
Crossing Gaulcy bridge, passed up the north
bank OF New River, contiSsally ascending and oc
easionall, catching through the trees glimPses OF