The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-10-04

lent III qu1lty dHu pFuluSe III quautIly'
are found throughout. The Big Ka.
nawha, the finest river in the State, is
navigablo for 100 miles; several steam:
boats ply daily up as fur as Charleston,
GO miles from its mouth. while smaller
steamers run weekly to Cauuelton, and
occasionally up to the falls 40 miles
above. The navigation is being rapid.
ly improved by dredging the shoals, so
that in two years hence all the obstruc.
tions hitherto go detrimental to its car.
rying trade will be removed. Kanawha
is chiefly celebrated for its extensive salt
works, which are umongst'thc largest in
the United States When NIL tho works
arc in full operation they arc capable Of
producing from 100000 to 100000
bushels Of the best quality salt an nually.
Coal and Camel mines arc found all
along the river. Oil works, for the pro.
duction of Camel oil, are carried on to
some considerable extent, and prepara'
tons are making for their extension
Charleston, the county scat of Kan awha,
is town of 300Ginhabitants it carries
on a brisk trndc-boat building and
cooperage, which are adjunctI of the
suit manufacture, with some wool card
ing, saw and -four mills, are tho chief
businesses of tho town. The merchants
are all prosperous, as an index Of which
it has been affirmed there has not been
more than three cases of positive bank
ruptcy during the past nine years. Irou.
works and machine shops, ship. yards,
agricultural implements, wood working,
and other factories, are very much want.
ed here, au immense trade could be
pro6tably y carried on if such were once
permanently established. There is a
splendid opening also fora large trans
portatiou company, there not being one
worthy of the namo at present on the
river; should oue be established, with
an efficient aotilla, they could be insured
at this timo 1000 tons a,day freight
Charleston must become the great trade
centre, and should be the capital Of the
new State. The Gauloy River is 4 trib-
utary of the KnnaWha it traverscs
thinly settled mountainous country
The timber of this section is very fine
and abundant; its head branches are in
Groenbriar county, place celebrated
for it's mineral waters hero is situated
that place of fashionable resort, White
Sulphur Springs, the medicinal virtues
of which are proverbiul throughout the
country. Coal River is also = conauent
of the Kanawha;' it runs in = south.
eas.erly,direction for 130 milos, is rapid
stream, subject to droushts 10 summer
and inundatiug foods 10 winter it con-
taius the most productive Cauuel, mines
iu the State; those Of Peytons have
hitherto supplied New Orleans and other
southern cities with their gas Goals. The
great Briarport Mines (sevcp years tho
residence of the suthor) are on this river;
they are noted for the variety. quality
aud quantity of their Goals. These lands
yield 5000 tons to the acre above water
level, aud, as far ~ yet knoxn by bor-
,ings in the adjoining valley, 80, tons
below. A railroad is DOW in coutempla.
ton to connect the Kanawha Valley
With the heart of this coal field; when
completed, 100000 tons of coal, coke
and camel may annually be exported to
the south and western markets. The
Guyap 10 = long river; it enters the
Ohio near the extreme western corner Of
the State; it contains heavy beds ofiron
ore, aud some coal. The finest ship.
building ,imber-whits osk-ever found
in thi. country remains yet uudisturbed
10 its back forests. .. -.
We have recently returned from an
exploring expedition on i: upper
branches, and can give = very favorable
account of tho coil prospects," having
met with numerous gas and oil springs
during our journey. The most inter.
estiug feature Of tho country, however,
was the stately timber of its deep valleys.
The tulip poplar, = wood in great request
bore, is found of colossal size !; We have
seen trees from to 6 It. diameter At
the butt, nearly 100 #. high to the 6rst
limb, and a. straight as ., line. At one
place, 10 Big Ugly Creet, = branch Of
Mud River, ws estimated there might be
cut 5000 cubic feet Of marketable tim.
Der to the aero. The soil Of the bottom
land is exceedingly rich, add as tho eli.
mate is so very mild every kind Of agri.
cultural produce may be raised u advan.
t.ge. The Big Sandy River forus the
dividing line between the two States Of
Virgiui. and Kentucky; it abouod, in
coal, iron, c.uuel, salt, timber, and cattle.
No great developments have 70. been
usde in its minerals several mines,
however, have been opened, aud they are
found rich and productive. The three
l,st-named rivers, have all bsen made
na,ig,ble, BY locks and dams, fot 80 or
40 mile. into the interior but they are
Of very uncertain utility, 10 consequence
Of the iupetuo,ity and irregularity Of
their currents no works, therefore, can
be ,per@sueu.ly carried on at & profit
whose produce depend. for its e1porta
ton on the water Of these rivers.
Wh..lins, tho present capital of the
State, is s city Of considerable import
.nce +: it is the terminus Of tho Baltimo0