American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-10-25
From the IRichmondJ Religious Herald.
THE KANAWHA VALLEY.

AIhE MANA w 1lA Y AnhE1.
Bro. ,SdndS:-Have you ever visited
the valley of Kanawha? If you have
not, then you have deprived yourself
of a great treat. / had no idea of any
such land of "promice' until 1 came
into Western Virginia.
In mineral resources it is, in some
respects, at least, very Ell Dorado
On either side Of Kanawha river, the
mountains contain inexhaustible mines
of coal; some of these mines are now
being worked with great success. The
coal is said to be Of the choicest kind.
Here is manufactured, in immense
quantities, tho best salt in the world.
Here, also, are the richest and most
fertile lands to be found anywhere, ox-
tending along the majestic river, some
100 miles, till it empties into the Ohio.
When you leave the mountains, and
first enter tho valley, especially in the
summer season, you are entirely capti-
vated by tho point de vere spread out
before you. Never shall / forgot the
impression made upon my own mind,
when, in descending the last of the
mountains, | caught the first glimpse
Of NeW riper, now imbedded amid pre-
cipitous rocks, in its silvcry waters, the
merost stream, and now rushing along
down the messy lodges, and broken
masses of rock, until reaching an OK
pansiye bed Of solid, ridgy slate stone,
it began gradually to widen, and final
ly broke upon the view, a surging river,
extending into one of the most bcauti-
full and romantic valleys We had ever
seen. ......... r....
But as you pass along by the New
and Gauley rivers, which here unite and
form the Kanawha, the scene becomes
more imposing. In somo places you
travel at the base of huge masses of
rock, piled up far above you, it would
seem, by some conyulsion Of nature,
and which, by its almost porpcndicular
ascent, and jutting, frowning crags,
furnishes to the traveller beneath one
of the widest. and grandcst views !;
while the other side Of your road is sha-
|ded by majestic sycamoros, (Which
seem to grow here on an indigenous
soil) far eurpnssing, in statelincss, the
towering forest oak of " old" Virginia;
while through the shady foliage glistons
at small distance, the blue waters Of
the Kanawha. But, in addition to this,
as you pass along, you observe stretch
ing Tar away, on its other bank, those
rich and luXuriant pampas, intercepted
on one side by a chain Of mountains,
towering far up into the azure heavens.
Altogether, you have presented one of
the most fascinating scenes Of nature.
There, bottom lands frequently
change, to the view, their situation,
some times extending along one side
of the river, sometimes on the other,
alternately yielding to the great noun
tain ridges which pass along on either
side; but whatever their location, pre-
senting invariably the same richness
OF soil. After passing along some 80
miles, you reach the mammoth salt
furnaces, which, scattered along tho
banks, obscure the skies for many miles
by their huge masses of smoke. You
pass along through these salincs, and
in short time reach Charlcston.-
This is business place, withal some
what aristocratic, and containing
characters known in the political cir
cles, e. g.: Judge Geo. W. Summers
and our accomplished and estimable
Lieutenant Governor, Elisha McComas.
This latter gentleman, by the way, we
heard speak lately, at o political gath
ering We had no idea that Mr.. Nc
Comas was such an accomplished ora
tor; he will compare well with the
best forensic speakers in the land.
Some 80 miles below Charleston is
situated the cntorprizing little town Of
Buffalo, one Of the most important
places on the river. 1t is beautifully
located on the banks Of the Kanawba,
in Putnam county.
Here are conducted, on an entorpri-
zing scale, various kinds Of mercantile
and mechanical cmployments, and the
town is growing rapidly. Each man s
motto seems to be 80 ahca1 droncs
receive any encouragement. The peo-
pie, indeed, throughout the whole val
ley, are proyerbially active and indus
trious, consequently there are but very
few poor persons to be found. Thirty
years ago, this valley was almost a
Wilderness; now it is diversified by
the most inviting farms, Of tho richest
alluyiol deposit, appraised at so to 800,
in the g general, per acre.
Atno distant day this Kanawha re-
gion will be dcnSoly settled, and will
contain 8 worry largo portion Of tho
wealth of the State. When the great
Central Railroad is completed to tho