Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-09-14
Gnqnirer.
By RITCHIE, DUNNAVaNr. TYLEk q WlsE.
MONDAY NO RNING, SEPTEMBER 10.
THE VALUE OF ONE SQUARE MILE IN vIK

AAAS NaASA OS SNA
GINA!
One square mile Of ground in the CITY oil Ne"
York, even calculating it at $1,000 per acre. ~h'c'
is much more than it would bring, except IN ia'ofeo
localities, would be worth $64.OoO,OVo' ano YET we
can find several localities in the mountains Oh '"
ginia which are in reality far more valuable ohe ="
these NAV be found between Smyth ana washington
counties, on the North fork Of the hoi''on' an" r
known as Ssltville, the estate OF Col Inomas IL
Pr, sion. One square mile within the circumference
of the salt basin, including, also, the gypsum LORNA
,iop within the ssme area, We can show, by close cai
culatinps, TO be worth not only more than one square
mile in the city of New York, but more Than ihe
whole city.
The salt rock within this mile ranges from seventy
TO one hundred feet 10 thickness, which would yie'd a
net ton, or forty bushels Of salt to every SOLID yard II
contains. or over three thousand millions oil bushels
which, when manufactured, ia worth from forty TO
fifty cents per bushel. But, presuning it to be worth
twenty osnts per bushel 10 the ground and We have
si1 hundred millions of dollars! to which we must
add two hundred and fifty millions of tons of plaster
within the same space, worth in the ground about one
dollar per ton, making a total of eight hundred and
fifty millions of dollars! New York property is valued
al seven uuuEcN u tilty
In another place we estimated the value OF this
mineral deposit at only twenty eight hundred million
bushels of salt, without reference to the plaster or the
land and improvements. But the present one VS.
make se a boast against any thing that the world can
produce, and of course have not allowed any "oon-
tiupencies' in our calculations. The one square mile
alluded TO above contains about all the salt, but not
a tenth part of the plaster. The estate contains
about 5000 acres.
We might aiso choose a square mile on the iron
mountains of Allegheny county. which, when proper
" developed, would BIZ worth more than all the farms
in Virginia; or We might choose q square mile OF the
lead property at the old Wytbe lead mines, and, only
estimating it according to The yield up to the present
time, at a moderate profit in the ground, aud our
figures would run into millions.
VIRGINIA GYPSUM-SULPHATE OF LIME.
Gypsum is a rock composed of %sulphuric acid, lime
and water. 1t is usually of a white or whitish-yellow
color, with a texture resembling that of white sugar,
but it Is also found purely white, az at Saltville,
though sometimes shaded with q dark or olacklsh
osst-gray, blue, red, yellow, &C. 1t is found nihree
geological positions in the crust of the earth among
transition or carboniferous rocks and often combined
with and 10 coal formations, aud even Immediate
above or below beds of coal; In the red mari, Or red
sandstone formation, in connection with the salt rock,
above and below which it is frequently found; and
above the chalk, in the tertiary beds, in which for
nation is found tho plaster Of Paris. But we do not
think a geological exposition of the character and po
sition of Gypsum desirable in this connection, how
ever valuable it might be to the scientific; neither are
We, or indeed, any one else, able TO define Its origin
aud position correctly. We propose to say u lew
words 10 relation to our own deposits Of Gypseous
rock, and may surprise some Of our readers, whtn
We tell them that this article, 80 much desired and 80
much wanted on the exhausted soils of many partaof
our State, is found in at least three localities in va
| rious parts of Virginia at SaltviIle 10 the South.
wsst, in the Valley of Virginia, near the head waters
OF the James River. and in the Western part Of the
State. 1t is only generally known, however, to e1-
lot In one place. and that is at Saltville, where i, is
found in the greatest abundance. But %Sulphuric acid
10 also found In connection with Baryta in other 10.
cslities, almost pure aud in great quantities. Our
scisnti6o friends will comprehend that, in this form,
| or as pure ~eulphuric acid, it can be used with as much
advantage as in the form of ground plaster. We
can refer TO DR.. Wood, of Farmyille, and other prac-
tiosl men. for experiments with the ''oil OF vitriol"
(sulphurio acid, and their favorable results.
Ii is difficult 10 determine to which formation lbe
gypsum deposits OF the Holston belongs. 1t is, how.
ever, on or 10 the red sandstone formation, and lmne'
distely below the 'great limestone Of the Valley. Ii
exists in connection with the salt rock, above and
below which il il found. II lice near the eurface OF
The hills 10 some places, above the water level, and
three or four hundred feet above the salt and is also
found fifteen hundred feet below the surface, or over
900 feet below the deepest salt which has yet been
found. The tertiary formation overiies il, aud is mix
ed with the upper salt rock, to a certain extent, in
which are found fossils pertaining to animate life OF q
modern date, but in the gypsum the fossiliterous re
mains. which are numerous, pertain TO those OF a re-
mote period, now totally extinct. The earboplferons
formation also exists in close proximity, though It 's
wanting 10 the true coal measures. Yet, though both
salt and plaster are frequently found near, and with
the coal, we cannot imagine them to have been the
result Of each other, since We find salt and gypsum in
every position above and below the coal, yet not he
low the old red sandstone, in geological age, since
about that period we may suppose them to have been
6rst formed. Butitis probable aud possible tina both
salt aud plaster may even now be III the course OF Tor
nation in various parts Of the world.
u kJEcu" VI ~ S"''NJ
limestone, ne we before stated, and appears to pertain
to the old red sandstone formation. but whether it ls
deposited in on excavation or 6ssure Of The formation,
or stratifed with il, or on it, is hard to cay. ltrnns,
however, some 10 or Is miles parallel with the lower
out crops Of the limastones, on or in the red sandstones,
and between the sandsiones and the limesiones, where
in other parts of the great limestone formations OF
the State, exist our beds of iron, lead, &c. But IN
other parts of the State We find the gypseous rock
strstihed with the limea.Oues, but generally near the
ssndsiones and near the bottom of the limestone
series. But such gypseous rock contains more carbo-
nate Of lime aud Iess ~eulphuric acid, than the pure
gypsum, which consists of lime ~. ~sulphurio acid ID
and water 10. which are lite prime equivalent parts.
The pure plaster will not edsrvesce in acids wbile
the limestone gypsuns will. There is one of those
formations Of limestone gypsuns, in Botetourt coun.
~, which we have examined. 1t seems to be along
the north foot of Tinker's mountain, commencing
near the Cstswba, and extending towards the Blue
Ridge, on the opposite side Of the valley, but does not
extend far IN that direction. Barytes, in connection
with Galena, also exist pesr the came locality. In
Rock bridge county, also, ore several local formations
Of lime, mari, chalk and gypseous liinestones, but
their extent and character are at present unknown -
We have no doubt that fertilizers of great value
and extent may yet be developed in various parte OF
the valley, as well as west Of the mountains.
TINKER'S MOUNTAIN.
We propose to say q few words in relation 10 Tin
ker's Mountain and vicinity, in order rather to draw
attention than to give a description. A few facis,
however, we possess, which in turn, throw out some