Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-07-05
fsf the Kanawha Valley Star. y
The Coal ana Camel Mines 81
IH a,aawha, w. II
h n c.I =. aTrH ARpseS
!. = Il
coAL RIVER ooNrrsDED.
Sc.

via, the river contains 4 loeks. three Of
thsse ate considered the best Structures
On the navigation. The eblipe rise in the
34miles to Peytoaa u 100 FEET, granting
toFthe 8 locks, an average lift of 10 fees
Il la inches THE country on both sides
ii the river below No. 5 ldck has been
pretty extensively cleared Hit presents
Rothing or pstaliar interest except at the
lower fals.where the river passes oyer q
ledge ofcaIcafious sandstoneroeks /; dur
ing freshefs this fall has . grand appear
anee, resembling in miniature the rapids
below the suspension bridgeat tEe5falls
cf Niagara this bed of rock e worthy
an examination by theIstudent If Geolo-
~. he will End some beautiful fossil
markings. several layers Are full Of those
bowl shaped. water worn holes, that look
& like a series Of mortars sceopsd out by the
. tool of al mason, ihesea are caused By the
dfsintegrations Of nodular c5Reretions Of
farruginous and sulphtTious matter en-
bedea in the strata, which becoming ex.
posed by the constant attriton of sand
and pebbles moving over ths surface Of
shsrocks c,utuble away when exposed to
sir and moving water. WeIknow of no
minerals being found in workable quaint
ties In this part Of ihs river abore water
leyel The camel and coal will ALL BE
found below at A depthfof about 100 feet
from surface !; tie generalsstiatum. how
ever, give striking indications of the near
presence of limestone, and we think if a
dll!ikent search. was made, nIargillacious
stone. ofNa blueishgree would be found,
that would make , line suitable for hyr
dranlic cement !; a good quarry opened
here would BID Of immense value TO tlie
navigation ast well as profitable to lis
prppFietors.
MSny interesting "Reminiscences are as
sociated with the history Of Coal river
1 The struggles and exertions Of various
Individuals to3 render it a navigable
stream, the unavoidable delays. the Sc
vefe losses, gmiscalculalions land disap-
poin.tnents that has attended lis progress,
would make up a.calalogue Of ills suffi-
cient 70 daunt the aTdSr7of the present
generaion; and it IS only from an ur-.
GENT desire tot4obtain. the vast mineral
wealth D this district, that i'd has moi Az
together been abandoned; il has, how /
ever, withstpod and resisted all its yisi-
tades. and when it shall be. finally COM
pletedl may be1pointed oat byIits promo
ters ss a patferntof perseverance, IfI
we aye correctly informed. the FIRST at
tsmptiso improve the.riysr3wefeby sIuic-
Ing. that is, BY narrowing the channel
over the shoals and shallow parts. So as
10 obtain d deeper water way ins the cent
ire; this was effected BY brush dams.
but itsproved a3failufe; next one or two
l6cks and DAMS were built, which proved
their adaptibility 70 the Putposes3of d.
slack-water navigation q charter was
now obtained for 4 general lhayi CATION
running np3for above so miles, and an
appropEiationi made blythe Stale to assist
iii itssoastrucfion. The navigation was
now completed as far as Peytoua, 54
miles from the mouth Of the river. and
Opened u general traffic. everything ap
peared to work satisfactorily; but 1t had
rot ye( experienced all il, troubles, for ip.
tie lDseember pit 1857, q few months az
Ter its completion a powerful food,
! greater in force and volume than had
been seen FIR many years, innuntdi dated the
whole foaftryi damaging, oil swseping'
away much Of the newly erected works,
beside doing ether mischief tol the.
amount Iofmsuy thousands. This was in Il
deeds Sad calamity !; notEonly rs q direct.
loss foRth6 navigation Compahy and the
four injning Companies who were then
just cdmmene3pg the steady shipment Of
coal; Itiut the throwing out Of employ
ment numerous miners, mechanics and
laboroas; onStfls eve of,a seserefwinter .--
The navigation works now iay ID their
af4ias until July.or August ofikiast year,
whom tie Peytona and Bgfarpoft Gompa-
HES faiBed subscription oil $3.50 ,OU0,
and with this small amount Of money the
works were re-instated and tbe naviga-
ton ONCE more opened for trade \; con
siderab BIZ quantity Of camel epal is now
being sljipped. down, WHICH will annually
increase as the several mines are opened
UP. and The general coal consuming pub
lie have learned how 10 Appreciate the
value ofIthe minerals Of this district. TO
render ;he present$extent Of naSigation
permanent, about s30,000 nSrs IS re-
CURED, which amount. we baliebe, win
be forthcoming when the Goa! Afade Will
Justify Tie advance. A.I
+ The stranger who first visits Goal river
especially lift il onf a fhe May DAY Morn.
ING. inI IaEtfip1 on board that liatty trine
httle steamer CLIFTON, who among many
others we were edurtsouslY invited to do
By hef worthy commandAr, Capt. Aug
burn-kuifl feeI highly delighted as she.
gli9ss smoothly over lis placid waters.
and OH Lib return no doubt will prove to
be. very fSvish iii his eucosiuhs on the
beauty of the stteafn,s for at this season
Of the year, it nnore resemb BIDS 4 mill.
pond, or long Lake, than d rapid river !;
but could DE ssesslit during frkshct. tie
contrast would Somewhat astonish him.
he might probsbly have heard Of the diff
feuities The navigation COMPANY have
had 10 eAcoattes among these periodical
risiiations but no verbal or tylpgraphic.
II description can convey essen. an ap.
proxialats idea 81 its unruly csnduct at
these times: 20 be apprec atdd il mnst
be- seen.
AS the Wi sF'sFo bject, in The publiga.
lion Iof these papers, is ioleoas ey useful
ana instructive informalioa4onlali scien4