The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-09-15

with no exaggeration be valued at more
than 30 millions OF dollars. In this rough (
estimate the coal is set down at one cent
per bushel. Ito this we add the value Of
the two beds Of ore, the vastamonnt of un-
touched forests Of valuable timber-embrac-
ing the poplar, sugar tree, beech, cherry,
&C., OF the finest qullity-the fertility OF
the soil-mostly are naceous, aud peculiar
" adapted to the production OF tobacco, as
well as grains of great variety and abon- |
dance, and the two regular layers Of lime /!
stone and other rocks Of the finest workable /
and durable quldty-the dersive epith It or
cognomen of "Hucklebcrry Knobs" which
has been banded about 50 charmingly a.
mong the renters and corn growers Of the
more alluyial portions Of the state, becomes
pre-eminently significant
In the richness OF its orp--em5racing both
the argilaceous strata--Warj township per-
haps has no equal in Athens and Hooking
counties, and has very few IL any equals in
the State, at least so far as am informed
by personal observation or from other sour
ces. Blocks have been taken from the bed
beneath the coal at NeIsonville Of several
hundred pounds weight, which demonstrate
of course the thickness Of the stratum. In
a hasty calculation upon this point, made
while visiting that place since my last CON.
munication to your paper, have set down
this iron deposte at valuation, reckoning
1 it at IL cents per ton, Of over sixteen mil
lions Of dollars. Not to trace this subject
farther at present, it may be important, both
to those who reside in that vicinity and TO
the Commonwealth Of Ohio, to ask if this
immense weaIth--the treasure and gift of
| ~ AZ nd a3 ~ n -
has for centuries past concealed in tine bo-
som Of the earth! Have not all our men OF
| business enterprise, our cities and cilizens--
throughout the length and breadth Of the
land, common-a matsrial interest in its
developments Is it matter OF small Pc
cunary consideration that the iron for do
nestle, agricultural, mechanical aud rail-
road u poses, be furnished at reduction of
one-half cent even per pound less than the
present unnatural and enormous pricesl-
/ We now consume annually over 900 900
tons Of iron land perhaps oae-half this n
mount is domestic, the other half is import
ed. Omitting any reflections in relation to
existing duties, it seems unavoidable that
every rehecting man see that American
consumers pays the cost Of lis importation.
Taking the consumption OF iron at 10000
tons this will give tax in a single year, Of
little less than nine millions Of dollars
Abaling the part of this sum which will 90
to few of our own people-still a large
proportion of it remains in the hands Of for
egners. This amount is sufficient to build
furnaces capable OF yelling annually half a
million of tons OF iron-or rolling mills ca
pable Of turning out hundreds OF thousands
of tons Of railroad bars, each and every one
of which would tend towards bringing the
result to make US sellers ofiro instead of
continuing purchasers of it. Nature has
made US capable of being independent--we
make ourselves dependent.
! The construction of this comparatively
short line of road--although but one, is yet
a very important link in the great chain of
improvements which shall ere long bind the
British lion, as in territorial and naval juris-
diction, so also in commercial matters, To the
equitable and honorable dictation of the
Young giant of America. We have the re-
sources in iron as fully as in cotton to hold
IN perpetuo the balance of trade against the
World 1t only needs to be developed and
used by our internal Improvements and cap
ital Again is it small pecuniary matter
to the manufacturers If our large cities and
the mass of the population, mostly depend
ant upon coal for fuel, to be connected by
perpetual and constant line, where no cost
of reshipment is incurred, with the exhaust.
less resources of this valleyl Let it not be
said that other roads will be made--no 9th.
er road can be made ranging centrally a:
does this, through the whole length of this
great iron, COAL and salt basin! | venture
the prediction, that by the increased devel.
H. 81 eAaoJiar
tation Of coal by this road when constructed
its entire cost will, at no very distant period
be saved to the masses OF our large town:
+ who look here for the supply of their mar
ket. ....-.
Ii seems, therefore, evident from sucf
consderatons--and they are but cnrsory--
, that the capital of the more distant town:
of our State is deeply interested in this en-
terprse, and should not be withheld, if nee
essary for its speedy cOnsummqtion.
propose at this point to illustrate The
annual loss Of the farmers along the line o
this conf templated road, and especially to thC
Owners of the mineral lands, from the wan
of such an outlet as will be offered BY thi:
con nstruction when completed. But as my
article is already too long defer this point
with several others, for my next. have
, not designed to give to these articles scieh
, tific features, but to present consideration:
| bearing directly upon the matter under con-
| sideration It would be pleasant, and in
deed instructive task to discuss briefly the
proposed theories, to account for the origir
, formation and deposit of coal--as well a
some other peculiarly constructed portions
of different sections of Ohio, but facts art
| more important at present.
, Athens, Aug, 80, '53. ]. G. BLAIR.
SHtPwREck AND GREAT Loss OF bTFE.-
The British ship Nessree was chartered al
some port in India. in April last, to convey
a number of pilgrims (who were returning