Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-02-13
[From tie Examiner.l

} RIcHaJSp, JAN. 5lSt lSoZ.
DEAN Sin: In reply your favor OF yesterdays date,
be- leave 10 submit the following observations.
lnn rnqne What t:r extent of the coal forrnati min
the Valley Of the kanawha lwhat is the character Vi The
coa iwlat markets exist for its consumption and what
r''ce will bring and what are The facilities FOX shipping III
Also "Ia' other minerals exist f any the same region
ot cuuaty! Had 10 tho reports and other
statistical information necessary 10 full and satisfactory
answer 10 your Qres, j; wou' afford me great pleasure to
reply 10 them. A. !: is, appTGhcnsi:c inrns
but lizzie satisfactory nforma ton itsc subjects. Such
as Il Is, however, il Is al your service.
rr;;rct my inability enter more fully into details
his su.r' The more, as the very allie ana c"nPTesnsve
Of Gov Flvyd behalf of the Board Of Public Works
The satect uf rrnal improvements lately madc 10 the
Legislature makes il peculiarly proper al his unc:urc 10
present sach local ma1n the Of the Stale,
n'sy add, possi5c additional weight 10 he views
50 eoqnrniy ye Justly expressed by him in that re-
port add in this ccon that the present seems
prop'icus peTiou rect public attention. br means n IN
d!v.dua rpo< in ascnce OF eaoorat, scientific
Information, from The different SECTIONS OF the State show
ing tn" character oi The mineral dcpo$s the extent oi wa
TIE capacity and general character ot tne so us
well the staple products the facility enjoyed for !raclrS
me rhikeis and suc Sndcd Information hs would serve
10 show fully The character and rSten! OF our industrial
and thus not only The eyes o our own PEI
pie" but ri tile nmgan 10 the extent o not only our pro-
ducvr 5u! also nGr unfroductlvc weallh am cunden
nis pursued the Board Of Public Works would
hav in n short such hody of thai when properly
spread before The pubic would exercise 2owerul inl-
tic fortunes Of the State, and be tie Immediate
Of arfesn2 and Inducing large tide OF eGsraLln
together with capital and enterprise, into our m'is' Ths
inurna lion could 30 obtained by OF circulars, con-
tanning incrugalocs the various points upon which In
formation required and addressed 10 The CerRs OF Inc
different county courts and euch other persons ns would
be likely interest themselves in tho subject observe
much valuable information OF an analogous character ls an
nus!y COLLECTED 10y this by tho Head OF inc Patent
Office.
In reply to your first inquiry woui tina, there exist
on several of ie tributaries o the Kama win the I'm
portant of which Coal river re workable veins of btu
ninuus coal md two veins OF camel COAL oil found a5oVe
the level Of the river So far examinations have MS yet
extended the largest and best despost of coal Is found On
Coal river The aggregate thickness Of the btunInous coal
that river amounts 10 a feet that OF TIC cnnn coal TO
feet The o'rs Of the several measures Of coal are either
fire clay rocks and roofs Of ALL without exception OF
sandstone rock WITH in instances thin beds o slate
intervening The dip of The seams is inclined toward the
Northeast at very low angle approaching nearly 10 level
surface ,rdng unusual facilities fer mining and drainage
OF the quality Of The bmnons coal It is unnecessary TO
say tian that il found by Professor Rogers fully
equal the best Pt!shug coal vide that eentemnna report
Legislature of Virginia the Geology OF the State
where an analysis Of tho coal will be found.
Of the camel coal less known, from the fact that II has
been found in limited quantities and in thin veins the thick
found in England Scotland not exceeding twenty-five
inches In consequence OF which, has been mined great
expense ard sold such prices putt beyond the reach
of the million. Without attempting minute or technical
description Of The coal will quote from he Sclen-
tihc American" which says:
I'VE have before beautiful specimen of the camel
coal kanawhn w. and acquaintance with TINS Kind
of fuel Is not nconsderabe have no hesitation In ayg
think be equal any coal Of the same kind In the
world and far superior other coal whuterer o great
number OF purposcs Camel coal breaks with dull fracture,
but is capable Of receiving polish Ike marble But oeau
fu though this fuel is. with its clean und haro yet paoe
grain its vaGe consists in its usefulness ano superl".y as
nm article fuel producer Of light and heat NJ coal
can equal il for producing gas either in quantity or quality
be better Than the Cumberland coal Of Mary
land for rasng seam and is free from any laoy 10 spnh
,aneous combustion Those bitnmnnus Goals which are la
bic To spontaneous combustion contain considerable portion
Of sulphur II is The absence Of sulphur in camel coal Whcn
makes il SO valuable Tor good gas II burns In CRATE Ike
candle with fine white fame and leaves only a lew whl'e
ashes behind"
In addition may add that from The close grain and COM
pact this COAL it beas transportation nnd expo
hc better other coal IL contains
from three 10 fou cubic feet per than
thp k.-r
ncls Applied Chemistry Ap2!ctons edinn trase" steam
desired point in thirty mnutes-te best bGntn Goals
tuking nus wide Prof w. Il. Johnsons Report
10 Congress American coals.) In short, It's superiority
any practical purposes manifest that there can be
doubt but that sufficient quantity oil lic coa
can be sent 10 market II wall snpe!scde all o.c Ans VI
fuel. "
The markets for this coal extensive and growing
Idly Ihsy are found In the various cities on the Ohtrnn
Mississippi particularly the steam marine OF these wa
and the gull Iric. The amoupt OF coal taken from
the mines the Ohio and It's tributaries is estimated 10 ex
coed i0O000 bushels year. The consumption OF Goa
by Cincinnati s rstinated by competent Judges to exceed
this yea 1000 600 bushels wide Cists Adveser) How
greatly the demand for cannc coal would increase when the
in the Western would use il 10 the excu
sion all kinds of fuel may be imagined when it
remembered that The tonnage Of these rivers excGed 2uUO
tons.
The price heretofore obtained o camel coal has been
advance Of five cents bushc over the best
Pisburg coal have doubt il will maintain this ad-
vance and be found cheaper this price than the other coal
! AT The lower price.
The facility for shipping is mt by any means what it
be what ii could be readily madr Heretofore,
the parties engaged in mining The coal on Coal River nave
had dement, entirely spring freshcis, and, in conse
qucncc sas,aacI heavy losses breaking boats The M
ercnt falls of Coal River have doub! that property
cccdinr N value the cost o.! !kna and damnina Coal
River been already DESTROYED and lost owing o The dit
f:uv of alrignon They have abored under the addi
tonai dis! ivantagc o reaching the markets. 8" ac in the
find h:n already supplied |; IL to DC iopfd
the legislature Will lind favorable ear to the bill no" be-
fore that body asking or appropriation Tor the improve
men, c Coal River. The Increased value ot property on
that r.vcr growing of this Improvement would in
short nn amply compensate tie State for the Investment
There es;s!s nowhere in Virginia n important interest
than tie one am writing OF As II Is II Is ni l!''e
value any one still Iss to the Stale Ey the JudIcious
expenditure u( EuaIrcd thousand dolar1, tie mines
w.Iud IH worth mliJns-woui prove an incXhausthlc
of wealth to the people and The State The Stutc 0!
Pennsylvania expended large sums Of money for The i'm
prOyemcn! Of the Monorgacn with view Of facilitating
the development Of her mineral wealth. understand II Is
OF the best paying investments in the State need not
point ont the immense advantage. resulting 10 Inc Stac ana
people from the extensive trade carried on by them IN coal
The Kama ~ha coal fields niu& inore lavohhy situated
and could reach the lower markets at many Pc!oas III the
year when they could not be reached from ritshure
The completion pf the Central Rlirohd Will enable inc
camel coal 10 be Richmond al cost not exceeding
four dollars per ton
In these remarks have omitted many other mportsn.
considerations connected with the subject think have
said enough awaken interest in the matter the minds
of those whose action In The present Legislature ms
speedy development; Of this important interest IN great
measure depends
Other and valuable minerals exist In the sec.on.
Extensive deposits Of valuable lion rich In qnaiy a
found in immediate conneXon with superior Il clay IN s
uauns advantageous for working, prevail throughout
the kana%ha valleys SOURCE OF wealth mat necns out cap
al and enterprise make it valu1be Limestone hsdran
lie and COMMON is al, found In trnh, enough known
from the superficial examination 10 lead the nina 10
believe that the kanawha Valley il one OF the chcs Sec
os the world in mineral deposits aid needs but Inc los
ering OF n wise and 5agacou Legislature TO make II
not only the Lowrl the Manchester and BIRMINGHAM
of America Nature has done every thing, man bui he
for section, yet l. is not unreasonable, trns I"
hope that day is dawnng upon, not only the section
interested in, but the whole Staei-that the penny
wise and pound foolish te curse OF States and peope
will give way comprehensive srstem that VIII al once
relieve from The rsproach of neness, and arouse our
people just pion Of the destiny That awaits hein
When have all tho material elements of prosperity TO
degree of abundance unexampled, shall We employ the
means necessary its Development or shs! we SIT down
contenlcd with ie poverty and decay that sooner or later
uvertakes the suggardl ,
Very truly. yours EDHAhD hENHA.
To Mr. JoHE NJ DANIEL.
From Tuesdays Repubic.]