Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-05-31
KanaSvha, Va.
III &. G. sicH1Rpson.
coAL RIVER.

b n A ~ Isl ~
About 4 mile below hick Greek ;is. No
i Iock. with waterway over the dam
~ Tag feet iii width and one mile and 4
half lower, is Bull Greek. This Is iines
yalIey seyeral miles in extent, very level.
straight and !; the land i e4lFemelF
fertile, and contains some of the finest
timber in this country; itrans through
4 magnificent estate known as /" Colpr3
aine, situate on thelright bank Of river;
the house stands Oh an eniinence, and
when viewed from the opposite hills PAS,
4 most noble appearance, il holds no pre-
tensions to grandeur, yet its commanding "
position and picturesque facade gives y
from distance the appearance Of man
sion surrounded by sloping perks there
is certainly nothing IN the nayigabie por3f
ton of the river that can all compare
with it IN point Of scenic beauty the fs-
tate Is nnderlaid with seams of rich Cam
mel and Bitumiuous coal we haveArea-
sons 10 believe that Ii will shortly change
ownership, as party Of New York eaPl-
.talists are having an examination made Of
its mineral resources with q view OF MINI
inc operations, WHICH II proved TO their
satisfaction, some extensive works Il i'll
be laid out here; this will add materially
to tie traffic on the river !. Coleraine !"
lis 90 miles from the Kanawba although
the lands abound in coal on both sides Of
Tie river. there IS at present nothing
worthy Of notice, until We arrive at Nj
Z. u a ID. n IN n H.
Is lock, which is located few hundfed
yards above Briar Greek n-passaht,
however, We may take cegnizaiaee Of the
splendid "blue sulphur springs Z at
Emsies: this Is certainly fine mineral
water, and considered by many 70 equal
any In Virginia! We can speak very fa
vorablyof its medical properties !; as this i
valuable blood purifier " is 50 near
Briarport, we may anticipate the time
when thousands Of persons will visit this
district for the purpose Of asailing them
selves Of its Misunderstanding virsnes ]; 4
scheme has been prajected, for erecting q
suitable building. with a fountain and
pump-room over the spring, with stita-
bic convenience for bath:ng, which il car
riel out, must attrsct5the attention Of TIE
it,yalid far andnaar at present itis over
flowed BY the4river when the water iss1p.
but = small outlay will remedy this de-
feet ]; we think It should not be los. sight
Of by the navigation company themselves.
for il It should become ! place Of favofa-
bic resort, it must add materially 70 their
reverence; no. 9 lock. hasa wide, water
way over its dam, being more than 200
feet with VI fall OF about rs feet. about
half the dam was destroyed BY the flood
sof December, 1857. ISL ID
:" Briar Creek estate. 20 miles from
Coalsmouth, is another extensive mineral
property, abonnding in coal Of the very
richest description, especially SpliAt,
which for quality. il scarcely 10 be sur.
passed, even equaled inIthe United Ssatss.
It's Ganfel is snperb for The Manufacture
Of Beilzole and other light volatile oils f.
Mining operations on a limited scale have
been conducted here for the past liz
years, and which are now about to Be
prosecuted on an extensive scale. Ia
new town called "Bfiarport z has been
planned, elersction ofwhich the public
are reliably informed will becommencel
during tile present year the village 1t
present consists Of q Saw and Grist Mitl,
School House Clinical Laboratory, some
20 dwellings and Store; il Is the most
centrally situated property on the river
and commands many Advantages, which,
we shall speak Of fully II onr description
Of the several mines: d
Adjoining Briarport IS a fine tract pl
Coal land belonging 70 some gentleman pi
Charleston, who arsinow having survey
made, and some experimental mining OBJ
citations are going on, they have III view,
we hear the formation Of mining com
pany II the celebrated Kanawha Twin
Seam. underies nearly the whole estate,
while. the upper possess Camel coal 81
4 very 6ne description for oil making
the facilities Tor shipment are upequalad
on the river; should this mine 70 On
simultaneously with The Briarport mineral
to the extent Of its capitalists, there will
De an amount Of traffic on this lower sec.
Ton % the navigation that will over reach
the most sanguine of its promoters
Three miles below this we pass
through No. s lock, where supplement.
airy dam to aid the passage of lie wata,
during freshets has been recently erected,
| It differs 70 construction from the old ono
L tHof. =, - r -