The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-12

Setu'' <'Alo sue NOW Ill successful opera
tlon-one near Independence, on the
6altlmore and Ohio railroad, with hot
plast, producing some twenty tons per
week the other on Muddy creek, near
Cheat river, cold blast, capable of pro-
ducing some seventy tons per week.
these are moderate sized half-StackS,
supplied with inexhaustible beds of rich
ores, and all the elements for the manu-
tacture Of iron, in close proximity
Though on small scale, these two fur
naces proves the richness of our ores, as
the ore at Muddy creek produces one ton
of good foundry iron from two tons of
roasted ore, and Ibelieve the other yields
nearly the same. Such establishments,
and more extensive ones, might be null
tiplied indefinitely through the county.
[ have no doubt that there are some To-
cations in other parts of our great country
more favored with means Of transporta-
ton or proximity to ready market than
is this, but such fortunate places are gem
orally occupied, ehave abundance
of the best elements of iron vet inviting
the hand of industry and enterprise.
"Of timber we have all the varieties
common toOur latitude and altitude, but
the different kinds of oak, of the finest
quality, predominant. Pines are rare,
"AiS plA ONS StIfO uCllIIOCh dIc Se1SlOlu IIIcC
with, except near the "Glades,n or on
the borders of our small mountain
streams. No country can furnish supe-
rior wild cherry, and walnut and butter
nut abound on our alluvial and richer
soils. The magnificent Towering poplar
is found in great abundance on our better
class OF soils, SURPRISING all our forest
trees in magnitude, and isin greatrequest
for lumber. We have, also, hickory.
ash, sugar maple, and the minor species
of timber in ordinary and sufficient sup
ply.
"Our soils run through every grade of
fertility, from the agrillaceous to the sill
lcious, but a generous loan, with SUBJ
stratum of clay, slate or sandstone, pre-
dominates. A light stratum of lime
stone is found near the surface in most
sections OF the county, varying in thick
ness from one and a half to four feet but
the great vein before spoken of ranges
from forty to sixty feet in thickness, and
lsof superiorquality. Ourriver bottoms,
though limited in extent, are very fer
tile, which, with much of our higher
lands, especially in the central and south
ern portions of the county, are well adapt
ed to the growth of Indian corn, while
every part at all susceptible of cultiva-
ton would produce abundantly all the
cereals and lighter grains, if treated with
fair and liberal cultivation. Even with
our present wretched system of culture
our soils yield remunerative crops. Our
agriculture has been slightly improved
within the past few years, but it is still
miserable and exhaustive. But ours is
pre-emlnently a grazing country, and
already much success has rewarded those
who have engaged in it. Diaries are
springing up and yielding large returns.
Sheep husbandry has already enlisted
theattention of very many of our citizens,
and, although in its infancy, it is proba-
bly, the most remunerative pursuit of our
people. This element of our wealth will
undoubtedly, at no distant day, stand
prominently above all others, ourmin-
erals excepted"
THE PANHANDLE
The little point upon the northwestern
boundary, entering as wedge between
the Keystone and Buckeye States, is re-
garded with careless wonder by casual
map observers, who cannot account for
so strange a freak in surveying, yet it is
easilyaccOunted for when it is recollected
that Virginia once owned the territory
west of Pennsylvania, and north of the
Ohio river, and that that river became
tne line between virginia ana OnlO,
leaving the four small counties, Marshall,
Ohio, Brooke, and Hancock, between
Pennsylvania and Ohio. They comprise
little more than the area of an average
county, and contain 1863, 626 acres of inn
proved land, and III ,513 unimproved,
or 2sl, 139 in farm lands, valued at 49,,
OSS, 077, or $32 IA per acre. Marshall, the
largest, averages $40 As; Ohio, $44 II;
Brooke. $44 II and Hancock, $34 II.
From these figures it may be seen that
this region, SO broken and irregular in
surface by the upheaval which the forces
of nature have wrought in the lapse of
ages, may become, through the agency
of intelligent and persistent labor, a
blooming and fruitful garden.
Marshal county, named i'll honor of
Chief Justice Marshall, has river front
of thirty miles, and an eastern border of
twenty miles on the Pennsylvania line.
While the Ohio bottoms, and those upon
small localt tributaries, Fishingand Grave
creeks, the county has a fair share of al
luvial soil, much of which is very pro-
ductive, yielding 80 to 100 bushelsof corn
under judicious and careful culture. 1t
was here that William Alexander, a few
-