The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-09-13
i From tho Wheeling Iuislliseneor. 3~'
Elk River----Its Minerals, etc.

This river cmpties into the Great Ka.
nawha at Charleston, and next to thai
river is the largest in.;West Virginia =.
To Clay Court House from its, mouth Is
6fty miles. The fall 10 the river to that
place is two feet per mile. The railroad
chartered to connect With the Baltimore
and Ohio road by wayIof Elk river at or
near Grafton, will be sf grade of some
three and one.halfs fed per milo, from
Bra.ton Court House To- Charleston, a
distance of some ninety miles. and con.
Meeting with tho odio ,at. Big Sandy,
brings Baltimore nearer 10 Cincinnati
by perhaps one hundrcd miles than any
other route. -! -
Bituminous, spliut, camel coal and
camel coal shale Of incxhasstiblo quuu.
titles and superior quality abound ia the
county of Clay and the upper part Of
Kauawha county, Immediately in the
river bluffs. The camel coal vein, how.
ever, here as elsewhere, presents the
same eccentricity Of deposit. Seven
miles from Charleston, on Mill creek
two coal oil factories are in operation
The ono owned by the Messrs. Stanton
and now operated with fifty retorts
yields, as am credibly Informed, a net
profit Of 500, 900 per aunum for the crude
oil, these gentlemen selling the oil in
crude state. They arc now putting uE
fifty additional retorts. The other fac
tory, on a more extended scale, is work.
ed by Boston company at a large pro
fit. The next we'll defined camel, or oil
bearing coal, is on Falling Rock creek,
sixteen miles above Charleston. Here
was erected, and in operation up to 1861,
the most extensive oil factory in the
West, at q cost of some $4,000. This
proper has recently changed hands
and the manufacture Of oil is about to
be resumed on o large scale. The oil
from these Goals, and particularly the
latter, is Of very superior quality The
next camel is twenty-five miles from
Charleston, uenr Quccusholc, known al
the Roo. vein. < company has been
formed for the manufacture of OF! her.
INC next wvII uunueu rapueI, vi Vr uear'
ing coal, is at Clay Court House. This
vein yields a very superior oil, and is ex
tcpsive in deposit, being opened for 8!
miles at intervals on both sides of the
river, and above and below Clay Court
House. The yield Of oil per bushel if
about that Of the Falling Rock coal
which it also resembles in qua lity' Bu'
it has this advantage overall other Goa
oils known to tho writer, to,Wit: Ter
per cent. less of tar and twenty per cent
less than some coal oils. The oil is also
fluid and stands at 90 at temperature
of 600. In addition to these canine! coal
veins, others doubtless exist, and will be
defined, and are said to crop out at other
places. s. -. 4 - 49,,
seen and examined. Several superior
bituminous and splint veins. have beer
opened in various places on aud near tht
river in the upperspart of Kanawha nn'
throughout the county Of Clay-saJ
from Qucenshole to the Braxton count!
line, some 40 miles. Among them
foot vein, known as the Piersou ve'n,
miles below Clay Court House o foo
vein, known as the Salisbury velo' three
miles below, and an 9 foot Veiu-the sum
mers vein-I milo below, and mile
above Clay Court House. These thre
veins, known to exist from 2 miles aoov'
! to Is miles below Clay Court House, III
in regular strata, one above the o'nef
4 separated by from 40 to 60 feet SAM
stone. Besides these, many other supe
. rior veins aud perhaps the snme' nav.
), been opened OF various places on 1nt
1 near the river from Queenshole to Ola!
Court House. ssHs ~ II 80. y
The oil or petroleum indications frol
,, Sandy Greek, 30 miles below. to some 8
miles above Clay Court House: arc nq y
merous and distinct. Among others 10
river bubbles with gas 10 sundry place
to such an extent ns to attract the, mos
casual observer. The gas on the river
!, miles below and also some miles aDov
Clay Court House,; has, been known
take fire from fshermen's Torches
Other surface indications are numerou!
Iron orc can be seen along the river BLUM
in many places. Tho river affords nm
navigation. for, ALL purposes eonneete
with the manufacture and shipment g
oil in boats, &c:,ffor 100 miles, but to
commercial uses needs improvement
which could be had at small costs. -
/ sitssf& rs "a %,YIAToR., !,
:. Porkersburg, Aug. Il, 1855, :,
p. S.-The Falling RockiOil Work
, have been recently purchased ,by /. = Ne !!
/ S-.. IA IL ~. al AL