The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-10-16
West Vicginia.

lhe IafKerSourg Gazette, of the 18th
OF August, has the following account o
the natural resources and attractions Of
the new State of West Virginia:
ihe largest portion of West Virginia
is diversified with hills, and mnch of i,
Is mountainous; but nearly all is adapt.
ed to some species of profitable agricul
tire. Yet the main value of this large
lract OF country will ultimately be found
IN Its extraordinary mine. al wealth and
Its capacity for manufacturing.
In proportion 10 its territory it is su.
perlor, as an agricultural field, to Massa
chusetts or Western Pennsylvania-for
all purposes Of manufacture, we far sur.
pass either. With all the water power
either OF them possess, our climate gives
us better use of the power, aud it has,
beside It's streams, the most abundant
supplies of coal for steam power, and
ron in immense quantity.
But the great wealth of this State is
III lis minerals, which are abundant be.
yond conception. The product of pc.
troleum oil as a source of wealth is
scarcely yet-in infancy. Wells are often
bored, yielding from one to two hundred
barrels a day, and the oil is daily sold
upon our wharveS at So barrels, the
cost OF which, with the present low wa.
ter, is not over 81. A well is now equal
to mint that makes its own GOLD
There is in the Eastern markets de-
mand still greater than the supply A
question arises in some minds whether
the supply of this oil will continue. 1t
is iueXhauSlible, and all the evidences
bear us out in the hypothesis that it is
neither an animal nor coal product, but
formed Of interior gases, as cval is form.
ed, constantly being upheaved to the
surface by the action Of those gases, and
slowly discharged through the rock tis.
sure, and there lying until the pump
comes for it. 1t is in the power of the
pump to raise faster than the supply
bat our whole earth for hundred miles
around us is filled with the seams of oil
and Will one is being exhausted anotb,
er will be filled.
Undoubtedly, oil is among our rich.
est sources OF mineral wealth. but there
are Others of no small magnitude. In
the vicinity of the oil wells lead has been
discovered, EVIDENTLY in sufficient guam.
titles for prof able mining. The or
has been anaIyzed by competent men,
aud yields 50 per cent. of pure lead. -
This Is equal to the Galena mines, and
we have no doubt they will be proftabIy
worked.
There are thousands of acres of iron
ore within forty miles of here, that is as
rich as can we be worked, yet there is
not furnace in the whole territory. 1t
would have forever remained so had we
not been relieved from the oppression Of
Eastern Virginia. Prof. Rogers was
employed eight years in a geological
survey of the State, and what is now
West Virginia proVedSo rich in minerals
that the contemplate politicians of the
East refused to publish this report be-.
cause the West worldthus become known
and populous, taking the power from the
East. .aIa ya E',u, ll '-3 I'D
The duty now devolveS upon our Leg
islature to appoint atonoe a State Geol-
ogist, one perfectly competent, who can
stand the seVereSttests of the highest au.
thorites, and secure from him annual
reports to. spread broadcast over the
country. Every dollar judiciously ex.
pended in hat way, would yield the
State a hundred fold annually in taxa.
tiOn. aa..F. .tf