Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-04-17
KANAWHA SALT WORKS

II mas oeen known to the public for some two
years. mat several extensive salt furnaces in the
i SAVANNA SAT- region, have been operated exclu-
slvely by Gas. The Gas forcing up the water
from the depth of thousand or fifteen hundred
'ee'' and then being collected in a barrel which
serves as gasometer, it is conveyed by a nine
70 'he furnace, furnishing all the heat necessary
10 carry on, at the same time, all the processes
vi the manufacture OF Salt to its completion. in
an establishment capable of making hundred
"a', rem IN day-and at night brilliantly lighting
! up me whole works-thus saving the expense Of
steam engine to pump up The WATERFALL the
'aei and lights. Last week i'm deepening one of
me wells OF Messrs. Dickinson g. Shrewsbury
'he anger struck stream Ct Gas, at the deptb of
one thousand feet, that in quantity and force far
suIPasses any thing of the kind heretofore disco
Vefed here, or, perhaps in the world The anger
was pressed up with such force, as almos, to
overcome the exertions Of the workmen 10 hold il
oo"n, while they could unscrew the detachments
he way being cleared, the Gas having full piav.
sem column OF water ono hundred feet, (and if
uoeu. would no doubt raise it to double that dis
tance,) occasionally discharging stones from the
size OF a musket ball 10 that Of hens eoo. al.
most win The force OF grape shot from piece of
ordnance. When we were there, on Thursday
iast, all hands were engaged in active efforts to
get down plug 10 check the force of the Gas.
so as 10 enable them TO insert the tube. They
naVe' we learn, partially succeeded, and in few
'''S cao anu WdtcT VIII De turned TO
good account. Serious apprehensons were very
justly entertained of the destruction OF The fur
naces, in the immediate neighborhood, as we'll az
OF The residence Of Mr.. VIM. Tompkins. should
this Immense body Of Gas take fire, which. it was
thought, might occur from a steamboat PASSING ON
the river, so extensively was it diffused in the at
mospheTe. A strong guard is kept up night and
DAY to prevent such catastrophe. On Saturday
the third well from the one we are SPEAKING Of
took fire, and with the most active exertions was
not extlnguished till considerable damaoe was
done 10 the works.
That our readers may have some idea of the
extent OF natures laboratory or Gas factory
on the kanawha, we viii! say, that Gas enouob
issues from this single we'll to light all the cities
In me United States, and we think, we MIGHT
safely throw in London. Paris, St. Pctersbureh.
and a half dozen other big cities of Europe.
some entertain fears that both the Gas and the
oail water will shortly fail, but we incline TO the
opinion that the upper stratum, the outskirts. the
suburbs only, OF the treasures of Salt and Gas.
as well as many subenanean wonder, are iust
now being reached. No matter whose dominions
down there, may be encroached upon, whether
those OF Pluto or Eolus, our enterprisino Salt
manufacturers are determined to explore them.
annex them, revel in their palaces, as The Annex
atlonlsts are by and by TO revel in the Halls of
the Montezumas.- PA. } Republican