Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-02-09
4 Q. H, VIRGINIA.. TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 9, 1858 NO Al.

charge for toll, the entirerost of shipping
salt down the Kanawha would notexceed
one cent per bushel. Thus the present
condition Of the Kanawha river has
caused loss Of 81 cents Per bushel on
the salt manufactured id Kanawha. which
upon the quantity Of 2. SOC. 900 Of bushels
annually manufactured, would make a
total annual loss Of see. 300, sustained
by the salt manufacturers Of Kanawha,
This sum is equal to ~ per cent. on
the entire salt properly Of ksnawha, and
liz ithad gone into the pockets Of tile peo-
pie instead Of the Kanawha river, would
kprobably have enabled them to weather
in safety the financial tornado which has
swept over the country. We now be-
hold the salt interest Of Kanawha prostra-
ted, and scarcely solitary individual
who was dependent. fnpon il solely for a
livelihood, who has not been redused al
tmostto the verge Of bankruptcy.
COAL FIELDS or KANAwH i. --THEfR DE-
YELoPMENT PREVENTED.
I Not alone is 1.-THE disastrous influence
Eof the condition of the Kanawha river
witnessed IN its effects upon tile saltprop-
erty, butts influence upon other interests
which were about being developed, has
been much more deleterious.
1 Within the last ten years, demand FOR
coal has sprung up as if by magic, and
has been annually increasing in an ex-
traordinaay ratio, throughout the entire
valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi Flyers.
| Ten years ago coal was scarcely used on
| the lower Ohio and Mississippi. Daring
/ the year 1857, the quantity mined and
shipped down the Ohio river, Is estimated
j at SO, 100000 Of bushels, worth from
il 6, oo0, 900 to 5000, 900. About 3d.
o0o, 900 of bushels of this quantity were
mined above Pittsbufg, at points about
800 miles above tie mouth Of the Kama
i wha, and shipped down The Ohio past
). the mouth Of the Kanawha, and sold at
remunerating prices in the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi cities. Whilst the coal seams Of
| the Kanawha Valley, unequalled by any
in the world ia variety, extent and quality.
. remained almost undisturbed, or when
, an adventurous individual endeavored to
bring their rich treasures to light and
ship to market, he found to his sorrow
that he had to pass down the Kanawha,
the improvement Of which, with its pdlLs
and daaas,- were useless in allow stage,
t but which proved almost insuuerabk OBJ.
J struetions to a safe transit in AN ordina-
: ny tide, and which could only. be passed
, in safety in a flood. The resulthas been,
! that after an investment ofabout 3 / 500,
!, 600 in the coal lands Of Kanawha, In
preparations for mining and the etfoFts tc
ship coal in the last FIVE years, those who
i have made the experiment have abandon
/ ed the enterprise, They hayefonnd tina
There was almost a certainly floss. and
q the only reason for it was the condition o
the Kanawha.
MINERAL WEALTH OF KANAwHA.
, We think we hazard nothing in saying
that the Valley of the Ksnawha contain.
u a deposit Of mineral wealth unequalled bJ
any portion Of the Union, not even ex
j cepting California, with her golden pid
! GERS.
il The area Of The coal field on the Kama
wha and its tributaries. Elk and Coal5riy
! ers, embraces at least 600 900 acres, auS
| some parts of it contailt sixteen seams o
y different varieties Of bRumous, splintant
camel Goals. 1t would be safe to est
j mate that this entire coal field contain,
/, an average thickness Of fourteen feet o
t coal in workable seams, above waite
!. level, and which would suffice to supply
! 1870, 900. 900 bushels Of coal each Year
T for a period Of two thousand years.-
t The different varieties are not excellet
rEby any coal of the kind any where il
Y the world. Some of this coal will an
Il swer without cokiag for smelling irol
!. ore, and is extremely we'll suited for th,
| manufacture Of iron in every mode
4 The camel coal and spiint coal, whereve
!. used, have proved their superiority owe
+ any other coal for use as fuel. Tn
{ camel coal has also been tested in th
manufacture of oil, and it has bee
: fonnd to yield sixty gallons of oiN /
e the ton, equal to the best sperm oil fot il
!. Eliminating and lubricating purposes
One ton Of camel coal will WELD oil an
: other products to the value Of $50, an
the expense Of manufacture is insigniG
|, cant as compared with the value Of d
I product. d
9 A mandatory Of camel coal oil is !
4 this time in successful operationin Kans
8 wha. and is turning OFT about four hnh
j dred gallons Of oil per day. Other man
D Eufaetories are being erected IN Kanawha
il and there is but littlesdoubt thatin bril-
If period, the manufacture Of oil from cal
Il mel coal will become, most importaS
\ branch of business. yielding large profit
|. to the parties engaged in il. and addin
It immensely to the wealth Of that secsio
4 Of the State.
iii Parties engaged in the management /
L railways. and manufacturing establish
II lments containing extensive machfne,s
Il can testify that oil isone Of their heaY1s
L items Of expense, and can fully apyeci
i ate the value Of the discovery thai ther
u are exhaustless beds Of camel COZ in IS
10 nawha, one tonHof which, worth6ne do
y lar at the place where mined can at
trifing expense be converted into SIX
to gallons Of oil M
!. III juxtaposition with the seams Of cc
ve are to be found extensive deposits Of ir
4 Gre Of superior quality. The fuel 81
IL the ore are found in Kahawha, restil
id undisturbed ID the same mountain with
Il. ten feet Of each other, and at as little e
- f,6ltha a. ,iss,rs ~, Il, fI6 t1,,r1