The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-26
Wealth Of Western virginia.

| AHe ioilo" wing letter Is from gentleman Oi
sagacity and observation, to member Of ths
Virginia Convention:
| Dedr Sir Il returned a few days ago from
| trip TO western Virginia, and from nv
| last as well as previous observations am upr
| Iectly delighted with that section of the conn
| try, and regret that its in ntrinsic value has
oeen SO macn overlooked in the past legisla-
| tioh OF our State. From 4 careful and min q te
| examination, l am satisfied that we have there
| an lnexhaustible mine of wealth
| Leaving the timber out of the question n
| large quantity of which is now being sbipped
| to Europe, its mineral resources are uniimit
| ed, ana are naturally located under the most
| ia'oraoie auspices. All that is requisite for
tneir development is energy and enterprise.
| were you to give them yor personal al ttention
| the question would immediately present it,
| cealed >O
| In Wood, Richie, Harrison, Taylor, Pres,
| ton and other counties that might be enn
merated, there are mex haustible bodies of
IRON ore and coal laying almost contiguous
but for the want of the necessary means of
transportation they are comparatively use
| less.
Iron could be manufactured as cheap. if not
cheaper, in many of our western coun ties
IMAM In any other sec ion of the United States
Sueh, at present, is the want of facilities for
bringing it into market that it is imnossihIa
TO compete with establishments more ia vora-
ply located in this particular. The deyeIop-
inent OF this alone would contribute to the
L
give EN- ployment to labor and greatly enhance
the value of property.
The Oil, which has recently been discovered
mas already contributed its share, and much
more may De anticipated. Lands which two
years ago would scarcely command two dol
lars per acre, nave since been sold for that
many thousands.
The manu- featuring OF oil from camel coal ia
at present eliciting much attention in some oT
the counties OF Western Virginia This branch
VI VI lhuustTy must prove a source of profit TO
those engaged in il, and will be ms strumen tai
IL bringing into our State a large amount of
capital, and in retaining here much that has
heretofore been sent to foreign markets for the
purchase OF Illuminating II uids In some sac
alohs ol Lne otate we have extensive fields of
cannel coal, which, for quality, cannot be sur
passed in the world. 1t is only eoualled nv
the Dog mead coal of Scotland, which has al
ways been considered the best known, Ihaye
recehtiy examined the two ana am satisfied
tnat we have coal rieher in Illuminating prom
critics, and which will produce a lighter and
better Oil than any heretofore brought into
use. ~
In my recent trip l visited small estab
llshment lately erected at a cost not exceeding
Ten thousand dollars, at which they are nro-
ducing from fifteen hundred to two thousand
gallons OF Oil per week One ton Of their coal
@ Teaas from thirty to thirty ave gallons of oil
Their coal cost but "a cents per ton deliy
ered at the facfory. After extracting the oil.
tneY use the residuum or coke for fuel SO that
thetr coal answers two purposes. The oil.
lOOSeS frr>,,
ten TO fifteen per cent. in refining. while rnnnh
OF the oil from other camel coal Iooses from
torty 10 sixty per cent. This is alwsvs tba
bituminous. "Fe'iafN' "'s' inc
By an eAtepsien If machinery at the point
IeIerrea .os iAx thousand gallons eou Id be pro
HGcfd PER week with as much facility AS two
shonsand. The present proprie tors are work
70 ee satisfied with their present prospect and
pfonts. AT this point sixty thousand dollars
might be Judiciously and advantaeeousIv rr-
pended. nave visited several eoal-o es Ia h.
Ishnents In this and other States but hava
seen none SO Iavorabiy locate as the one lust
referred TO. The coal is abundant. ounlitv
good, easily mined, and the market easy OF ao-
cess. LABOR Is cheap, and hiring very eheap.
IL Is supposed by some that the discovery @:
tne petroIum or rock coal will cause a Susryen1
sion OF the manufac turing of oil ..om Goal This
fact that the two OTIS are cCnside cred I'd anticat
Such e sc. me facs-they differ materially In |
.aetf constituent elements. The oil pun ,sS N N
can never be so refined as to make q poo.i iiIm |
m,nafns mud, but is destined "a become the |
iaorscatins oil OF The esIAtrY. lis application |
W uAaca'AafI MA take the place of other oils |
iasI Tor generating steam, ins stead .o Of eoaI as
we TWO OILS can never be brought into compe- |
alloa, For Illuminating purposes we must |
1otend on that produced from The camel coal |
-which Is now being generally in troduced. /
ana ~ certainly destined to supercede eli ,
- I'm" burning nalds. on account Of w light
However, as you mcY not be ar oAsl in tar /
ested particularly IN coal sor Coal oil. enonsh
Tor tss pscteht on tsat subject Wishing Won a |
|. pasoy. vale ana happy return kome, ! re-. |
naf.i, very truly yoUrs, 80 q. Al. ii. |
Adrtinadure. Aprl 10Th. lsal. |