Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1852-11-02
From the Ohio State Journal.
Railroad to NelsOnVilIe.


Mr.. EDIToR:--I have for some weeks en-
gagged in exciting an interest among our ciIi-
zens in the valuable mineral lands lying in
the valleys Of Hooking River, Monday
Creek, and Raccoon Creek. have been,
for number Of years, resident in that
richest mineral region in the world, as il is
called by the Hon. Thomas Ewing, and am
we'll acquainted with its resources.
There seems 10 be query in the minds
OF some whether Railroad will PAY from
This place 10 the Ohio river, running through
the towns of Lancaster, Logan, Nelsonville,
Chauncey, and Athens, 10 Pomeroy. A
single fact will settle this point. A train Of
cars tha, will bring 10000 bushels of coal
from Columbus, in six hours, can be run al
but little more actual expense than canal
boat that will require ten days for trip, and
carries only 1900 bushels; and if this latter
pays, certainly the former will.
1t has been ascertained that Columbus
and Nelsonvile are on q level with each
other, and grade can be made Of less than
ten feet 10 the mile, and no deep cutting, bul
little bridging, and no tunnel except one be-
tween Athens and Pomeroy. The whole
distance from Columbus TO Pomeroy is SO
miles, and 10 the coal regions only SO miles,
and the estimated cost OF the road is $12 900
per mile.
In regard 10 the mineral wealth Of this
region, have but little to say Professor
Ma,her, as State Geologst, published many
valuable statistics relative 10 the minerals OF
Hooking. | will mention, however, few
facts, for have been engaged in company
with P. Hayden and others, in mining in
the coal fields on the Hockiug river, and
know that many hills near the canal are al
ready exhausted, One hill that rises per.
pendicular from the canal is slrati6ed as
follows: from the level Of the canal is 0
strata of sandstone thirty feet thick; next {
thin strata OF coal about one foot in thick
ness and very rich; above that for fi(ieer
feet is shale and fire clay, then a secont
vein of coal 21 feet thick, also very rich
27a feet above that is the workable vein o
coal from TO l5 feet thick, the 272 feet be
ing mixture of shale, slate, fire clay, ant
several sralas of iron ore; above that j
about Two Ieet of black slate; 13 feet o
shale and iron ore, and then comes III
fourth vein of coal Al feet thick, including
= IA inches kennel coal, about one foot fron
the top OF the bituminous coal; above that i
five feet shale, and above still is the heav
' range Of sandstone from 10 10 1870 feet thick
=, used for lock walls and for building pur
poses, and beneath this rock is found tn
alum rock.
Our coal is easily mined. One man ca
mine three tons per day, and place it in tn
cars. Our iron ore is still more valuable
We have six or eight different species {
/ veins The most useful is the black plat
=. and kidney ores. We have also valuabl
;. clays suitable for making Liverpool war;
= Also, abundance Of salt water and sulphu
alum, copperas, glauDer salts, &C.; SAN
flag, grind. flint, marble, oil, and whet stone
>, Also, as valuable lead mines as any in Mi
), souri, or Wisconsin. Our hills present II
r.. same indications Of metals as the Oza
,. mountains and Polos mines.
y, In regard 10 quantity, there is sufficie
- iron ore 10 last the State Of Ohio for &C
" years; and in regard TO the supply Of o.
, coal, have small tract which is estimate
to contain 4O0,OO0,0O0 bushels, es,ma,i
$3.50 cubic inches to bushel. This, at Il
n common price in this markets. cents
i bushel-will amount 10 ihirty-two millo
4 of dollars, and the iron and lead ore, stor
y. clay, &C., will probably come TO as mu
i. more when used. shall have in a (t
days all The different specimens from Hoe
n. ing; also specimens Of oil.s;one from (,
n Ozark mountains, with silver, lead and CO
~ n per ores from the same place.
- AS soon as the necessary preparations C
., be made, the books lor railroad TO this
,o No. gion will be opened for subscription, and /
!, ,9' citizens of Columbus are earnestly invil
,l' 10 subscribe, for it will much lessen /
prices of fuel. J. F. SOMERS.