The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-08-08

ton 70 overcome tnao . Upo 0c<oSS tne
summit OF tho Alleghauics. Tho writer
Examined this line 10 1958-a9, EMtd, :bS
barometsical observation, found TINT tho
elevation 70 ba overcome. vass nearly
100 feet less than tho most favorable
present route from cast to west or the
greatest elevation is less than 400 feel
where the donpdiug ridge or watershed
may be pierced byt1nnel.
5. This route cfofs tu Eastern and West
orr YirsiAia.naturak advantages which
no q:bet route from east to west can
possess. lt'presents . line whose max.
3mum grades shall not exceed 90 feet por
1uile, ADD whose distance from, Richmond
or City Point to uavigable water ou tho
KanaWhs 10 only about $50 miles.
These natural advantages aro 70 I'M
portant and desirable not only for the
Development tho region ID quc't'on,
but oil the groat West, that they must
and will force themselves on the atten.
ton of tho entcrpr;siny and far'seeing.
Tho coasammation Of such desirable
object would lift Virginia from her
present ruin and dissolution, and place
3:er fairly and advantngtously in emula:
ton with the.p-osress!,e Northern and
Western States. It wou.d'bo more effect
ivo in Graduating sectional prcjudicss
and strife than provost marshals or bay
onets, lecture or Sermon it would teach
our ,".orring. sisters" tho&way to wealth,
power, and prosperity, and show Thorn
that oil thcy sought by war and separa'
ton exists in peace and union.
Under such circumstances, tho ercas
Kanawha Valley assumes an in'porta nee
not hitherto noticed or discussed since
the days,of Washington, who first called
attention to .hiu subject, and projected
opd predicted what tho present writer
now only rciterates. 49,
, In order to obtain approximately the
coal productions Of the Western bitumin.
Gus coul. Gclds, $40 Shall be forced 20 esti.
mate roughly tho amount Of coal riced
in each State. It will be impossible to
obtuiu; at this writing, tho correct figures;
put we shall not b. fur wrong If we
place the amount Of coal produced at o
half. million tons annually 10 West Vir.
giniu, on tho liuo Of the Ohio, AID inthe
kauawha Valley. by fur the greatest
quantity Of coal used by tho Western
steamers, and in tho citios on the Ohio,
is mined 10 Pennsylvania, though the
Goals Of Wos. Virginia arc more accessible
and may DO supplied with more economy
COAL OIL.
The manufacture Of coal oil from tho
rich camel coal of tho Kanawha was
extensively carried on in that region
before the war, aud practical men who
know the cost and havo calculated the
profits by experience state that, a, a
general rule, moro money may DO mado
in manufacturing this oil from tho coal
than by boring for it and obtaining it in
o natural state. The one il certain and
coutipu nous, while tho other is uncertain
and precarious. The frSt depends on
skill and capital tho second, on for.
tunato strike, (which, unfortunately,
Is not tho rule, but tho exception {: fur
moro blanks than prizes are drawn from
oil.wells. d.
But whom tho manufacturing Of oil
from coafiis conducted with the proper
skill and judgment, tho sesults are Ger.
tain. And'ia no place can this DO done
with moro srcccss than IN the Great
Kanavha Valley, because in no other
locality arc there richer GOALS or more
abundanssupply, while timber for bar
rels and other accessory means are abun-
dant and available. - ~ Z"
, The bcst canhol coal, whom properly
treated on tho largo scale, will yield SO
gallons Of crude oil 10 tho. ton aud the
cost Of sbe mining and manipulation
ought not to exceed $3.50 per tom
which, at cvon 10 cents per gallon in tho
tanks, would leave large profit on tho
oil produced. ,,,. .0.'
".TetoiS great improvement to be made
in the manufacture Of coar'oil from the
coal, and tho coat Of producing it may
be reduced nearly one half from the
present estimates, which IL from Is to 80
cents per gallon for refining: oil. We
have noticed; particularly, several large
items Of expenses in tho production Of
the crude article which may be abatod,
but which in this connection nc shall
not discuss It belongs properly to the
department Of Petroleum, which will be
found in another part of this work.
: It will thus appear that tic Great
Kauawha Valley is not only great cat'
ural mining and manufacturing region,
but ono tina. may enjoy the greatest trade
that ever flowed from tho mountains or
tho inhu1 plain, and valleys to the sea.
Tho coal, iron; oil, and salt Of this 70.
eion are iucxhau,titlc, and may DO pro-.
ducsd With the minimum Of labor and
expense; and consequently, the maxi.
mum of profits. So. -"
We have long behold the east mineral
resources ofthis part Of the Great ALE.
gbany coal.dcld with professional admit
ration, and have frequently called at.
tention to their veluo. If now seem
partial TO West Virginia, ue eau prove
that our affections have always turned
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