The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-22
Tho Geology of West Virginia.
Editors IMtelIigencer:

ASNtsO'O 4HtetttyeUCeTs
was much gratified by reading an
article in your paper of last week from
a citizen of Morgantown relative to a
geological survey of this State, and pre-
pairing n geological chart to be placed in
the cabinet room of our Agricultural
College, and being so faV0rably im.
pressed with the movement, 1 will
hopefully put in my mite to its further
ance and completion. AS there has
been some action taken by the Legisla.
tnre to make an appropriation for the
completion OF the work, and as only
$4,000 Is asked to perfect this survey,
this amount 1 would think almost
useless TO commence with, was it not
that am aware that the State of West
virginia is the most completely geOlo-
glZed already of any State in the Union.
L am led to this conclusion from u geo.
logical sketch shown me by gentle
man from MOrgantOwn, which gave me
really all the correct practical knowl-
edge have obtained of this State. This
movement for the development of our
mineral resources has created consid-
erahI interest among the enterprIsing
portion of our citizens, and the prevail
ing desire seems to be that the LegIsla.
ture will take Immediate action, and
cause the work to commence at once,
believing that Il proper development of
the mineral resources of our State
interests of the same and enable us to
meet our greater financial demands,
This Is an age of development and Inn
prOvement and we must keep pace with
other States.
We see in institutions of learning in
other States, every efficient attraction
that can be obtained is furnished them,
and asking for additions of mineral
specimens, from any source, as sub.
stantial donations. The State of Indi-
ana, after making a survey OF the State,
as is usually made, and collecting their
specimen 8, in order to get in advance,
they placed large circular table in
the centre oftheir cabinet room, placing
their specimens in circle, near the
verge of the table, designating the
county from which each specimen was
received; this was was an effort, but
not an advance. But, as ] understand
the design of the chart of our College
and the collection of specimens, it Will
certainly be one of the grandest exhi-
billions OF practical geology that has
ever been placed in any Institution OF
learning in this or, perhaps, any other
country. From the information re-
ceived from the gentleman of Morgan
town, who was pleased to show me his
geological chart, l believe the geology
of West Virginia to be of most inter
esting character. From his sketch, we
see that all the oil bearing stratas that
have been worked in the entire coal
basin, although some fifteen hundred
feet apart, are all cropping out in West
Virginia, and that we have at the cen /.
tire of this great geological basin some
thousand or fifteen hundred feet of top
or higher stratas, geologically, than
has yet been discovered in any State in
the Union, except Ohio, and perhaps
five hundred feet higher than Ohio. The
gentleman alluded to, also informs me
that the upper, or RathbOne oil stratas,
are all embraced in those upper lay
ers, as also the Asphaltum vein, and
other strange formations that are not
found In the upper layers of the State;
and he gives as his opinion that the
richest and strongest seams of iron ore
are undeveloped in this State, pRrtiou-
larly one seam of magnetic iron ore
that is partially known near the
Southern line of the State. This, he
says, can be traced and developed at
points easy of access, and be made ex-
tremely valuable; also great deal of
other valuable Information on the sub
teCt he communicates to me that can
not recOllect particularly. One other
do recOllect, because it appeared so
strange to me, that he would take the
points-say $50 miles apart-and COM
pare them as bearing substantially the
same, but by turning his chart around
and with little explanation he made
It perfectly familiar to me. That is,
that the Oil City strata, which is the
lower oil layers, would crop out in
Greenbrier county of this State, ana
would likely furnish some fine terri
tory for boring that would be valuable.
Now, calculating the extremely small
fraction the 50, 600 would be to each tax
paper to accomplish such grand uu-
dertaking.I feel assured that the Legis
lature will not hesitate.
CITIZEN OF HARRISON COUNTY,
WeSk RirQinid.