Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-01-20
Old Dominion Goal Company.

We have read with much pleasure the
report ofthe OH Dominion Coal Com
pany, written by its Chief Agent, Philip
p: cambridge, Esq. I
The report speaks ofthe great demand
in the Western markets for Coal, of the
vast amount Of coal now cons umed on the
Western wate 8 and in the Western cities,
and shows that the demand now is much
greater than the supply and this demand
will increase-with the rapid increase Of
. population in the Great Mississippi Val
ley: III -h". b. 49, -
The report goes on to show that at pre-
sent the Pittsburg Coal fields supply chief
ly the Great West with coal. and that
the 4Pomeroy Coal-felds, also supply
large quantities, and it then enters inlot a
comparison respecting the Coal-felds OF
Kanawha, Of Pittsburg and of Pomeroy,
and shows that Kanawha Coal has the
advantage over the Pomeroy Coal IN
I quality, and that it has greatly the adj
vantage over the Pittsburg coal i'll its
nearness to the Western Markets-the
Kanawha RIVER atits mouth being about
eqzsmiles nearer Cincinnati than the
Pittsburg coal. fields. In fine it shows that
3. if the Pittsburg coal mines are profitable
4. the Kanawha coal mines. ought to be
much more SO: because Kanawha is much
nearer the Western markets than Pitts
burg, and because the =kanawha coal in
quantity and quality equals, fit does not
surpass the PittBburg coal. -, -.
Respecting the. Improvement of the
Kanawha river, the report says: j,
'sGop.racts have been made for the
improvement Of the navigation of the
Kanawha river from its mouth to a
: point S0miles above, promising partial
Improvement during thesunmerof1S-
STAND perfect workby the fall of1S5S.
Steps are also in progress to remove
some ofthe difficulties in the Ohio,
below thesmouth of the Kanawha,
during tile same time. These works
Ss;willsprogress under the stimulus ofthe
large amounts Of capital interested in
heircompletion-of capital invested
in the various enterprises above, and
in the trade of the cities and country
below; ofcapital grasping at increas-
ed profits: and of enterprises depend
ent upon their supplies of fuel for con
tinued existence The most c6lnpe-
tent engineers have charge of. the
Improvement, while the "work" has
been let to responsible contractors
And respecting the r, Sou g 5 and tuture
ofthesKanawha Valley the ,rcpqrtl CON
efu1es as follows r =" ~
eaThe valley Of the Kanawha pos,
se$ses unsurpassed facilities for man
utacturing enterprises =, employing
large amounts ofcapitalnow- giving
a consumption Of about 5000, 900,
bushels coal. annually. These must,
increase with thcsiucreasilIg want of
the "Wcst"-with increasing facili-
ties for the delivery of their products
to the markets of the. world. =
The '.Salines" are capable of indie
: finite extens. on. Coal exists in guam
titles estimated to reach nearly l ,000,-
900 Of bushels per acre. -. -. " r.
+: Iron, in uxta position with coal and
limestone, is found in large quaint!
ties and of excellent quality
Dense forests, accessible to the riv-
er Communication" have their val
!; liable. woods almost as yet untouched.
f. Agricultural lands ofexcellent quail,
ity may be bought at almost nominal
prices. W. :. '... .
The soil and the climate are we'll
adaptetlto the growth of the vine, of
tobacco, and of the various grains,
grasses, and other vegetables produced
/: in tie temperate region. portion
y of the United States enjoys more I'M
interrupted health. Its broad aud
gently flowing river connects with the
many thousand miles ofwestern navi-
] cation giving water-communication
with the Gulfof Mexico and the Lakes
Of the north, AMI easy access to the
railroads travcrsing the almost bound
) less territory ofthe valley Of the Mis-
Asissippi. Tho Goyinston ana Ohio
road wilrbring it within a few hours
>of the cities ofthe cast; while ID pre-
SCENTS 7 tie only Spas" through
which canal boats may be towed from
the uttermost limits OF western navi,
cation, to the ports on the Atlantic,
%wlthonttranshipment oftheir cargoes.
With the abundant presence of crude
materials with the easy access TO
market, and the means ofsnstainiitga
dense popniation--it is easy; to forsee
that large manufacturing enterprises
must eventually occupy this interest
ing valley ,giringadd ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
territory and increased eonsumptionto
it's fnel, in the preparation ofthe mines
in the improvement OF the river, in
the erection of. mills, and establisl.
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