New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-11
THE KANAWHA coal FIELDS.

Some idea may be formed Of the prospective ad-
dtjop TO our national resources by adverting to the
statistics OF the Pennsylvania Anthracite coal fields
As late as 1s2O their mineral value still undeyel-
ouod but since that time 20 100000 tuns OF COAL OF
The value Of sl6O 600 have been sent tde-waer
This statement made ID 1854, and large amount
nav be added 10 the sum above stated for the year
that has since elapsed, and the ratio is annually in
creasing A similar result has been seen as to the
Bituminous coal.
In 1s45 about 900, 900 bushels were sent from
Pittsburgh down the Ohio River. In 1852 upward Of
10 OoO 600 bushels were sent The increasing con-
sumption Of Bituminous coal by steamboats, on the
Ohio and Mississippi will soon call for an amount far
exceeding the total amount shipped for all purposes in
the year last named II estimated that there are
ZOO steamboats, fese rivers, OF an aggregate OF
about 900 coo tuIs Custom House measurement, whose
consumption Of coal If wood fuel were entirely dis
penscd with, would amount in a single season 70
$4,000 900 bushels. Again, in the City Of Cincinnati
in the year 1850 the amount consumed was 100000
bushels; in 1885, 1000 600 bushels and like increase
has been going on in Louisville Cleveland, and other
places.
II is obvious that the supply must have been I'M
equal 10 this advanced consumption but for the dis
covery Of hitherto hidden But in addition
to the ordinary of coal household fuel and for
the generation Of steam, another has been within
few years added, viz: the manufacture of gas.
In valuable Report made by Joseph Gill; Esq,
State Engineer Of Virginia, to the Coal River and
Kanawha Mining and Manufacturing Company the
surerority Of canned coal for the production of gas IL
clearly shown-tbe primary object being to produce
the greatest amount Of pure gas from certain weight
or measure of coal--the secondary one, of making
=. of littlp i'm
portance. "The great comparative per centage
"of pure volatilized carbon expended in brilliant
"fame in combustion and its rapdity of ignition,
serves to entitle to the most decided preference for
"tis purpose, especially when it is considered that
the coal in these establishments is burnt rather to
make gas than to produce coke" And he quotes
the opinion Of Mr. Parnell an eminent English chem
list, that camel coal would generate more highly
combustibe gas and give brilliant light in
smaller quantity, without the production of so mnch
heat az is developed by the combustion Of the highly
hydrogenated gas derived from the common kinds Of
coal
The Report above referred to is production of
more than ordinary merit, and furnishes many facts
and scientific calculations of much interest.
In another report made by a Committee of the Can
mel Coal Company Of Coal River we find some re-
marks on the value Of the Camel Coal for the genera
ton of steam as well the production Of gas. The
| uobsorce of sulpbur ana residuum which in common
"cosls prove 80 destructive to CRATE bars speak
"stropcy in It's favor while the ready ignition and
90 nrofnse fame is a desideretum in steamboat fuel.
Its nrefminence however above all other Goals con-
ss,s in its indesructblty and the property it pos
"sesses Of remaipng unnjwed or unimpaiEed By any
"ehcth ofexposute to the weather Its freedom from
"tbe possibility Of spontaneous combustion in the
"hold Of vessels is another important feature All OF
"the principal cities in the United States are now
"liebted with gas In New-York coal alone is used
"to produce gas and this coal is now entirely I'M
"ported in proportion of two thirds Camel and one
" third Newcastle. In Phadelphs coal is chiefly used,
and most Of the supply is obtained from Virginia.
1t seems proydenisl that just as the use Of gas Is
getting to be so general in this country that the pe'
cies of coal most servceable for the production OF
pure gas should have been discovered TO so great an
extent upon the tributaries OF the Ohio The most i'm
poltant of these in respect TO coal IL the kanawha
which flows into the Ohio 26i miles below Pittsburgh
and 1874 miles above Cincinnati. Coal River enters
the Kanawha IS miles above the mouth of the latter,
ND to which point the junction Of Coal and kanawhal
II is nsyigable the same period that the Ohio is viz
eight TO ten months Of the year; and there Is daily
| line of steamboats, between Charleston lon the Ka-
pawha 70 miles above the mouth Of Coal River and
! and Cincinnati
The coal strata ave chiefly found above the Junction
and entered across from river to river cropping out in
prodgsl profuson from the sides OF the broken hills
which line the small streams flowing into those rivers
On one of these streams Brar Creek the formation Of
coal is in four or FIVE successive strata, exhibited one
above the other, you 90 from the base to the
NIT Of the hills each ofthese strata being essentially
distinci-the upper one being pure camel, and the
Others bituminoss Of various quality.
Coal River is at times difficult Of navigation, but by
an arrangement Of locks and dams which are In the
process of being constructed, all the difficulties will
be obyiated. so that there viii be an unobsnucted
outlet for vessels OF the usual size from Peytona
which is 70 miles above Bnar Creek and 90 miles
above the junction Of Coal River with the kanawha.
These statistics are Of general interest. We see no
occasion for Jealousy between rival companies
There VII be a market commensurate with ell the
enterprise and capital that can be brought 70 bear
upon the extraction Of these newly developed treas
uIes Of the West. We conclude with an extract from
tie Report Of the Virginia Board Of Public Works Tor
1851:
statistics Of Western trade have been 50 often and
from go many sources laid before the public that 70
exhibit them here would be useless repetition Iney
bat teach tie great fact Of the country uli lis'
capacity when fully populated, for tie prod.-lon o.
\ human food and mineral treasure. lbs IN iense
cspacity for production has caused an increase Of pop.
ulaiion such a. tie world never witnessed before anu
recprocalv this astonishing increase OF popuatou i.as
multiplied il material wealth with a rapidly olis-fp'
pirg sllIreyi0us computation
A FoRAY ov MTxIoo.-Tis austin Texas S'aie
/ Ga-she June g. says:
IN u n.ln- ~taar-i F4