Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-06-11
From the Charlestown Va. Republican.

IL Ids UCCu huOHH " puUItC Two
or three years that several extensive salt
furnaces in the Kanawha salt region have
been operated exclusively by gas. The
gas forcing up the water from depth of
a thousand or fifteen hundred feet, and
then being collected in a barrel, which
serves as gasometer, it is conveyed by
pipe TO the furnace, furnishing all the pro-
cess of the manufacture of salt to its com
plerion, in an establishment capable Of
making hundred barrels in day, and at |
night brilliantly lighting up the whole |
works; thus saving the expense of steam
engine TO pump up the water, and all the |
fuel and lights.
Last week in deepening one of the wells
of Messrs. Dickinson and Shrewsbury, the
auger struck stream of gas, at the depth
of one thousand feet, that in quantity and
force far surpassed anything of the kind
heretofore discovered here, or perhaps in
the world. The auger was passed up with
such force as almost TO overcome the ex-
ertions of the workmen to hold it down,
while they could unscrew the detachments.
The way being cleared, the gas having
full play, sent column of water one hun
dred feet, (and if tubed would no doubt
raise it double that distance, occasionally
discharging stones from the size of mus
ket ball to that of a hens egg, almost
with the force of grape shot from a piece
of ordnance. When we were there on
Tuesday last, all hands were engaged in
active efforts to get down plug TO check
the force of the gas so as to enable them
to insert the tube.
They have, we learn, partially succeed
ed, and in few days both the gas and wa.
ter will be turned to good account. Sc
rlous apprehensions were very Justly en-
tertained of the destruction of the furna-
ces in the immediate neighborhood, as well
as the residence of Mr.. VIM. Tompkins.
should this immense body of gas take fire,
which it was thought might occur from
steamboat passing in the river, so extern
sively was it diffused in the atmosphere.
A strong guard is kept up night and day to
prevent such a catastrophe. On Saturday,
the third well from the one we are speak
ing of took fire, and with the most active
exertion, wasCnot extinguished till conside-
rable damage was done to the works.
That our readers may have some idea
Of the extent of Natures laboratory or
gas mandatory on the Kanawha. we will
sag that gas enough issues from this single
we'll to light all the cities in the United
States, and we think we might safely throw
in London, Paris, st. Petersburg, and a
half dozen other big cities of Europe.
Some entertain fears that both the gas
and the salt water will shortly fail; but we
incline to the opinion that the upper stra-
tum, the outskirts, the suburbs only, of
the treasures Of salt and gas, as well as
many subterranean wonder, are just now
being reached. No matter whose donlin-
ions down there may be encroached upon,
whether those of Pluto or Elous, our en-
terprising salt manufacturers are as deter
mined to explore them, annex them, and
revel in their palaces, as the annexation.
lists are, by-and-by, to reyel in the halls of
| the Montezumas.
DEPENDENCE UPON THE NORTH. - A
writer in the Augusta Chronicle aud SEN