Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1861-03-19

sIiS houaSC15 CeaHuOG sec the emu OF
their work before they commence
iOne Of the most lamentable instances
we know of is the Mount Caribou
Company. Here was a splendid es-
tate, rich in minerals below, and
abounding in fine timber on the sur
face; the latter of sufficient value to
more than pay for the entire proper
ty. Yet this estate has been recently
tsold by public anction, to meet q
tsmall debt, for the nominal sum of
$1.5O or 6s ID per acre English
Had it been retained in the hands of
the company. under proper manage
ment, up to this time, the camel and
timber alone would have rendered it
property OF immense value.
In the various Typographical and
geological surveys executed by the
writer during the past three years in
this county, it has become part Of his
duty to carefully examine and value
the timber and other surface products
OF the several estates. Now, many
OF these have been purchased by New
York capitalists, more for speculation
than any desire for permanent hold
ing. Io meet the object in view it
became necessary, in the event of coal
not being found Immediately availa-
BILE, without the expenditure of con-
siderable additional capital, to turn
the surface produce into account. 80
as to reimburse the purchasers the
amount first given for the land. The
result OF this enquiry has been that
IN many instances it is shown CROUCH
surplus timber may be cut and sold
to pay for the land, and leave sufi-
cent !; ;eennt standing, at the same time, to
meet every requirement for mining
and agricultural purposes. To. util-
Use the surplus timber Of these lands
it should bs classified; and to render
its conversion protitsble, the necessa-
ry appliances, such as g2od roads,
teams, ,timbercarriages,s saw mills. &c.
be provided and got into good work
ing order in the onset. A small cap
ital will effect this ard in most in
stnaces returns can be made during
the first year. There are three class
es of timber i. Ship-timber, con-
sisting of plank, ribs, knees, keel and
kelson pieces. carved deck beams and
square straight baulk.-2. Slaves
and small cooper's stuff; both of
these kinds are all of white oak,
most durable timber, except live oak,
the country produccs.-3. Common
saw logs (var:ous); yellow poplar,
large, long, soft, fine grained wood,
locally used in greater quantity than
all others hickory and locust, for
coach and wheelrights; black walnut,
curled and bird'5-eye maple, for the
cabinet trade: birch, beach, syca.
more, and magnolia, for turner's: and
the tops, shaky butts, and small stuff,
for firewood and charcoal.
1t is not consonant with the object
these articles to enter into the full of
details Of any subject; they are pen
ned for general information in out
line only, but parties requiring full
particulars of any property in Amer
lea can obtain it through the proprie-
tors of the Mining Journal. We
will, therefore, throw ont the minor
portions ofthe surface produce, and Sc
lect for valuation the most prominent,
which is the ship-timber The un-
improved land near the creeks and
other tributaries of the kanawha riY-
er range from So to S13 per acre
Where the timber has not been thin
ned out there will found. on an aver
age, 40 marketable timber trees to
the acre, producing 2000 cubic feet !;
ten of these will measure 80 f., ten
Sc IT,, and twenty about 80 cubic feet
each this is quite the minimum for
the primative forests. We know OF
some bottom lands where 5000 cubic
\ feet may be cut, and then enough left
standing for all useful purposes
This timber realises at New Orleans,
on an average, 25c, per foot, free OF
all commission. The value Of the
land may be taken at 50 per acre; in
fact, just at this time it may be OBJ
tanned for 20 per cent. less than this
| figure. The value and cost of conver.
sion Of the surplus white oak is about
as follows =
Market Value.--2ooo cubic feet Of ship,tiGl-
} Returning Cost.--Cutting and heR-
1000 #. at Sc 100 90
u Hauling down the creeks, at 4c. 80 O0
Rafting to the Kanawha, at &c. 40 0C
Freight TO n. O., per ton, 80 so, 1T5 0C
Agency and miscellaneous expenses, 65 oC
Value OF the land per acre, 8 0C
458 &C
Gross profit. S32 co
From this estimate it would ap-
, pear that one acre of best timber will
about meet the cost of five acres Of
ordinary land in fact, in practice il
must be made to do so, for there are
} on all estates many acres of land
where the timber is so very difficult