Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-06-11
kalhaWa Valley.

The kanhawa Valley is about one hun
dred miles long, commencing al the juno
tl0n OF the New and Gaulev rivers and
extending 10 the mouth of the kanhawa.
Al lis commencement ii is very narrow
but 1t gradually widens as YOU descend.
Throughout the soil is of great fertility;
bat in the salt-worRs the people are 50
absorbed in the manufacture of salt that
agriculture and taste are greatly neglected.
On each side of the liver the mountains
are in many places PERCEPTIONS and being
near TO each other, The reflected rays OF
the sun make the heat in the valley in-
tense and The evaporation prodlglOus.
There is therefore 4 very humid Amos
pherc as evidence, some ut the trees are
50 covered with niSlleloe as scarcely TO
have room for their own foliage. About
six miles above Charleston there stood
some years ago a large rock on the bank
of the river covered with Indian hero
gIvphics. This has been demolished TO
be used in the construction fsalt furnaces.
Several miles down the river are 4 num-
ber of artificial mounds, which, though
round nj the base, rise in some instances
to the height of about 25 feet; they are
supposed to be burial places of the lndi-
ans. In Mason county there were for
merlv numerous remains Of the dams OF
the beaver, and possibly these may yetbc
visible.
The first attempt to settle this valley
was in 1873, at about II miles below the
fork, but tLis was soon broken up by the
Indians, as well as subsequent attempts,
until in 1905 Coils. David and Daniel Ruff.
ncr, from the county ofPagn, commenced
the manufaturc OF salt about six miles a
hove the prescnt seat OF the Court House.
Having discovered that their cattle resor-
ted much to the margin ofthe river, when
the water was low, they were led to ex-
anime, and by digging down several feet,
discovered water strongly impregnalcd
with salt oozing out of the rock. They
then set in a gum and were enabled TO col
lect what made about four bushels of salt
per day. This they readily sold at 81 ,25
a bushcl. SuppOsing however that if they
could bore through the rock water of great
er strength and in greater abundance might
be obtained, they procured Implements
for the purpose and proceeded in the work
until they gotthrough, when TO their great
Joy they found the object Of their search.
1t was necessary however 10 insert cop
per tube to a considerable depth to exclude
the fresh water from the river. This
done and pump affixed, which was wor.
ked by horse power, they manufactured
salt with greatly increased rapidily. No
one supposing that saltwater could else.
where be obtained in this region, they
might have made money 20 almost any a
mount without rivalry. But wishing 10
increase their business they sunk another
well at short distance from the former,
and having obtained water, others were
TO bore, until the works extended
ON each side Of the river for about 10
miles; and the quantity of salt manufac-
turcd has increasd from bushels per day
in 1903 to 10000 per day in 1850. Aud
the price has lailcn from 81 % in 1909 10
- cents per hushcl in 1850, and a good
business at that.--UmchesfCr Urginidn.