Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-03-12
Camel and BituminouS Goals and Iron Ores of

Extract from Hunts Merchants Magazine" on the
Mineral Wealth and Resources Of Virginia
If nature has dealt out er riches with stint
to other parts of Virginia, she has dispensed
them here, must profusely. Western Virginia
is, like the "Great Vest with which she is con-
nected geographically and in political dealings,
almost superabundantly supplied with all the
elements of national wealth. will in general
Terms notice the extent of her possessions in
Camel and Bitumen Goals and Iron Ores,
which forms the basis of Englands manufuctu-
turing wealth. if not her national grandeur.
| The following is description of the property
lately acquired in Western Virginia by the
"WtnJred Mining and Manufacturing Compa-
nyJ parganad," for the purpose of mining and
| shipping the Camel and Bitumen Goals aboun-
ding thereon.
1t is situated in Kanawha and Boone counties,
| and comprises 10000 acres of land, held in fee
simple-5,000 acres of which are on Big Coal
River, about IS miles from its mouth, and the
remaining 5000 acres, which has been worked
by the Company, having its principal frontage
on the Great Kanawha River, 70 miles from
Its confluence with the Ohio River at Point
Pleasant Steamboats, run daily. from its nrin-
cipal frontage to Cincinnati. Point Pleasant is
264 miles below Pittsburg and 1914 miles above
Cincinnati; 2,028 miles to New Orleans, and
to Cleaveland on Lake Erie, via the Ohio Canal.
about 400 miles.
This Company's deposits of Camel and rich
B1tumen Goals are extensive, and possess the
advantage of great accessibility. Their thick
ness and quality are believed to be u.equalIed
by any banks that have yet been discovered, and
can be mined to almost any extent. A most I'M
usual and advantageous feature connected with
the working of this Company's Goals is their
thorough development by natural accessibility.
The working OF these mines, therefore, is, in
great measure, freed from the objection which
perhaps more than other causes, deters persons of
limited means from embarking in mining OPERA
tions generally. The peculiarly favorable and
unequivocal character of the Coal deposits of
Western Virginia, leave SO little for speculation
or conjecture that there is no difficulty in de-
monstratlng, to a certainty, both the expendi-
ture and returns OF their operations, judiciously
conducted.
This Camel Coal gives an aggregate thick
ness of feet of pure coal, and the rich Bin
men to feet of pure coal, free from sulphate
and residium; their Bitumen Coal possessing
great quantity of Charcoal. Boats from the
mines. carrying 5000 bushels or 300 tons each
have safe transportation. The natural outlet
from the Company's principal frontage on the
il
tunen Goals, is down the Great Kanawha River
to the Ohio River, thence to Cincinnati, Louis
vile and New Orleans to the seaboard. The
Great Kanawha River is generally navigable
when the Ohio River is.
Cincinnati, Louisville and New Orleans are
seeking for large supplies of those most import
ant fllels-Cannel and Bitumen Goals. Their
introduction into general use among the steam
boats on the Ohio River will establish and &C.
cure HOME market of unlimited extent. The |
prospect of n demand for the Camel and Btu
men Goals is question which any one at all !
with the trade of the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi rivers can readily answer. Each year, /
as the country becomes cleared of its timber, /
so does the consumption of coal increase.-
The rate of increase for the last year, on tho I
ONO alone was rs per cent. over the preceding
year and amounted to over million of tons.
The prices of even the most ordinary Goals at
Cincinnati and Louisville, range from to 30 I
cents per bushel, depending on the stage of wa
ter in the Ohio. Any condition of affairs that
can reduce the price of the Company's GOALS |
even bringing them into direct competition with t
the ordinary bituminous Goals, lower than 10
cents per bushel by the boat-load, and when
once IN full operation, this wifi give them a
margin OF profit Of full 100 per cent. In New
Orleans the price of common Goals varies from
20. to so cents per bushel. The sugar-ma-
kers along the Mississippi are already eager in
quirers for Cannel-coal, and promise to be no
trif1ing consumers.
1t Is believed, however, that the true interests
of the Company will be to introduce their Goals
into general use among the steamboats, ON the I
Ohio, and thus acquire a home market of un-
limited extent. The sales at Pomroy, for |
steamboats, alone, amounts to from to 5000
bushels daily, and this is only one Of the many |
extensive colleries of common bituminous coal, |
exclusively from that source.
The great superiority of Camel coal for gem
Grating steam cannot be questioned; and suffi-
clent supply once guaranteed, it would be used
with avidity to the exclusion of all other fuel.
The absence of scoria its cleanliness, ready
ignition and profuse flame, are the desiderata
in good fuel, for alland every purpose. Its pre-
eminence, however, above all other Goals is in
Its 1ndestructibiity, and the property it pos
sesses OF remaining unimpaired through any
exposure to the weather. Its freedom from the
possibility of spontaneous combustion may not
be mentioned here, when the
public mind has so lately been shocked by the
destruction OF tour ships, resulting from the pre-
sence OF common bituminous coal
But looking at the Company project in its
most unfavorable aspect, ian unusual feature in
a popular report) and bringing the Camel coal
to the market standard of the common bitumin-
Dus Goals; assuming the maximum cost deliv-
cred in New Orleans, and the minimum price,
a certain margin of from 2 to % dollars net
profit per ton can be shown. Fifty cents per ton
is the limit of expectation in the Marylan and
Pennsylvania mining companies, where the ex-
penditures have reached millions of dollars
The company cannot learn of any company in
,he United States going into operation where
so much can be. and has been accomplished, at
80 small an outlay.
The company have the choice of an unlimited
nome market in the'steamers of the Ohio
They have the neighboring cities of Cincinnati
md Louisville anxious to become large consul
ners, both for gus and domestic purposes. The
sugar makers on the Mississippi, and the more
Instant city of New Orleans. leave nothing to
wish for In this respect. The company add
hat the Goals can be mined cheaper than any
'ther kind of coal, fom the entire absence of
slack or waste and it is thought that their supe-