American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-04-11
American Minerals and Stones.

Mr. y. SdiuWeit mus writes to tho
National IateHigencer, respecting ma.
tive STONES aud minerals -
In the county of Giles, in Virginia
any amount of the very best burr mill.
stone can be had. The valuable pror-
critics of the burr milestone consists in
its exceeding tough hardness. and sharp
serrated cellular poIosity. And.in ia,
adjoining countyot Montgomery whit.
Hint conglomerate stone abuunds, which
is extensively manufactured in,o mill.
stoves that cannot be surpassed. Mr..
Hawkins, near tho line of Bedford and
Campbell counties, near the Lynchburp
and Tennessee railroad, has quarry Of
white flint of quartz, which has tho
most singular character of cleavage in
every direction; which property, com.
bincd with its exceeding hardness end
cIoseness of grain and texture, qualities
1t for milslones Of the first rank, par,ic.
ularly for making fine -four. In Green.
brier aud Monroe counties conglomor.
ate stone of various character exists
out of which millstones are made TIM,
cannot be surpassed in usefulness by any
other. ~.
In Giles county, Virginia, near Now
port, the finest photographic marble ex-
lists in the county, and those adjoining
of Wythe, Smyth, Washington and Ca.
bel, the black marble and black most
beautifully interspersed with white veins:
also the white. gray, red. yellow and
the varigateG are found in large bodies.
The same section OF country likewise
has the stone for grind and whetstones.
The best of oil.stone is found in MANY
places III the counties of the State East
OF the Blue Ridge. have in my pos
session as specimens. several hundred
varieties. Among them are several
kinds superior as homes. suitable for ra.
Zors thesehonest can be had in Mum,
roe county. South, and within mile IF
the Red Sulphur Spring. No import
ed hone can surpa,s or scarcely equal
them.
On the farm Of General Cooke, on
the Jaques river canal, sixty.fve miles
below Lynchbnrg, is n quarry of the
best oil stone, for carpent er's tools :; no
has had a fence built Of it. From Ar.
kansas aud Missouri, stones can be had
which when fabricated with oil, cannot
he excelled by any found elsewhere
tor sharpening razors, engraving instru-
menf, orroUls which require fine smooth
edge; the hardest steel cannot scratch
them. The white and yellow stones
found near Deep river, North Carolina,
Tor tools are not surpassed by any.
In various localities noar the Blue
Ridge and each other. throughout its
whole range, very valuable stones as
sharpeners for tools exist And in the
whole range OF the Allegheny noun
tain aud tho numerous ridges connect
cd with il, are vast beds Of valuable
stones. important for sharpening tools,
mllstones, building. &c.
Plaster Of gypsum. of tho very best
kind is found in Northwestern Virginia
New York, and on The waters ofArkaD-
sas, Texas, New Mexico, &c.
Coal and iron of iuexhaustable abun.
dance aud of several or all varieties of
each of the finest quality, are found
throns bout the whole valley of The Mis-
slssiPpi, from the Allegheny mountains
to the base of the Rocky mountains.
Large sums are expended to import
various stones into the United States,
from Nova Scotin, Turkey, India, Scot
land, Germany and other countries, for
sharpening tools, &C., aud still larger
amount of money to import the marble
from Italy, Egypt. Greece. France and
Ireland, by our own citizens, who arc
ignorant of the fact, that these articles
abound in equal variety, goodness.
beauty and value, with that which tho
residue of the world can furnish, in our
own territory. .n..
1t fact, it is more difficult TO deter.
mine what mineral our own country
has not than 10 enumerate what it has in
store.
No other country can equal ours in
richness. variety Of mineral, climate, or
cxicnt of territory or resources.