The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-11-16

SlslteS are fOunQ thin seams OF very rlch
hematlte, many stones OF which | have
found that will assay up to 60 per cent.
In metallic iron; but the prevailing ore
Is the carbonate of iron found i'll the kid
ney OR nodular form, in uneven segre-
gated beds in a strong terruginous sand
stone. At DaViS's creek, about midway
between Coal and Kanawha rivers, are
two seams of coal, one OF camel, two Of
iron, and two of limestone, all within
three hundred feet above water level
The general contour of the country pre-
sents Il series Of narrow mountain ridges
and ravines, varying from 800 to 500
feet in height; in these, and all above
| the water levels, are five workable seams
of coal, one Il very rich bituminous,
somewhat friable, two of compact splint,
and two Of camel, the latter being the
uppermost, of the series. The bitumin-
Gus, or square jointed seam, is 3 feet 6
inches thick, Of rich quality. One splint
seam, called the twin seam is divided
into two parts. by parting of argillace-
Gus sandstone Is inches thick the entire
qualification, or bed, is from II to 10
feet; it gives feet of working coal. In
some places both these beds are merged
to 6 feet thick. The next splint seam is
1 feet, and in working gives about three
feet of merchantable coal. The upper
camel seam is feet, and contains about
: feet inches of pure camel; it is of a
slaty, or partially Illuminated structure;
it is not very good for domestic fuel, but
excellent for gas and oil-making purpo-
ses, as also for steamboat uses, as it burns
entirely away in flame. The second
camel seam varies in thickness from
to feet, and gives from two to four feet
of fine camel; it is not always found
uniform in character, but where perfect
it is a hard coal, conchoidal in fracture,
very dense, black and clean, burns with
bright white fame, is very rich in oil,
makes an excellent domestic fuel, partic-
ularly that part of it called the sbirdseye
camel When this coal is used no 9th
er light in the room is needed, as candles
or Oil lamps look dim in the glare given
off in its combustion. This seam is,
however, a very unreliable one; in some
estates it is found changed entirely, or
nearly SO, into bituminOuS coal; in 9TH
ers half camel and half bituminous. 1t
appears best, or more regular, when inn
bedded in shales or Illuminated argillace-
ons sandstone, and is much easier
wrought. In some mines it is between
two hard rocks, witt out any vein Of
clay or shale for a bearing in which
makes it difficult to mine; in this case
it is excessively hard, and breaks before
the pick like a piece of black flint; but
the coal is very fine, and sells at a high
price. / believe it is undergoing state
of transition, and eventually would bear
the same relation to common camel as
anthracite does to splintcoal. five take
an average yield of the camel seams, we
may compute them safely at 1000 tons
to the acre; but in some places they are
giving over 5000 tons, i'll others less than
5000. The bituminous coal will average
$1,000 tons to the acre over about two
thirds of the surface base of the noun
tain lands. Camel coal is now selling
on the Ohio at 81 SO per ton, and the best
bituminous at s. so per ton. The min
ing cost may be put down at 81 so per
ton, average; but that would be materi
ally reduced if the mining companies
could be persuaded to adopt modern i'm
provements in the mode of working the
mines. The time, however, has not ar
rived when such can be done, although
we are in great hopes another year will
not pass without some example being
set, which when once done efficiently,
others will speedily follow. Coal and
camel selling at the above prices, good
estate, properly wrought, will realize
sos, goo per acre, one-half nearly being
profit"
This description was prepared several
years ago for the Mining Journal in Lon
don. The camel coal is now worth $12
in Ohio, and the bituminous from IS to
81. The cost of mining is also largely
increased.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The state Of Virginia has undertaken
many enterprises, and expended much
money, obtained by general taxation, for
the construction of roads and the i'm
provement Of rivers; but that portion OF
the State now constituting West Virgin
ia has shared little in those benefits
Her interests have been ignored, her
mineral treasures left inaccessible, her
farm products isolated from market
Some State improvements in this quar-
ter were, at times, teebly essayed, to 81
lence the rising murmurs Of populardis-
content, and partially completed or
wholly abandoned at the caprice of the
state olgarehy. Sc
I.UADS.
The neighborhood roads, i'll a sparsely
settled and hilly country, cannot, of
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