The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1872-06-08
Huntington, w. Va:

Dear Sir:-Caplain cambridge, (engin
er in charge ofSymmes Creek survey and
myself returned last night from a five DAYS
horseback ride After crossing over the lines
toy Cross Roads station on the Portsmouth
branch, and by jackson to the point Of in
JerSection on the old grade, seven and one
half miles west Of jackson, aud fifteen
miles east OF Piketon, we Joined Mr. john
Campbell, OF lronton, and Colonel Bowles.
II Portsmouth, at Monroe Furnace. and
with them examined the country between
,hat pont and the Scioto river The IN
restigation resulted in the conviction that
neither distance nor money can be saved
by such route
1t demonstrated, however to Capt. Dam
iridse and myself two important facts in
relation TO the coal and iron formations in
their relation to the Southern Ohio road
Mr. Campbell and Col Bowlez pronounced
the coal from worked mines one half mile
west Of Monroe Furnnce, and north of
and near California, in Pike county, the
jackson Shat seam. understand that
Mr. Smith, OF Jackson Furnace. entertains
the same vie" II these gentlemen are
correct, and believe they are, we have a
field OF this superior coal, OF from seven to
ten miles 10y twenty extent, instead Of the
limited supply supposed to exist only in
The valley Of Salt Creek, at the town Of
Jackson, and in some of the hills five or
six miles north ofthst point It is known
70 be seven miles wide between Monroe
Furnace aud California, and If the cyaI in
The hills east Of north from Beayertown. in
fIke county, is the same, as its app,arapce
HE position Of the conglomerate, and the
range o the coal formation wouJ in.I;
oatef it would be near ten miles wide Al
tis point As the lower seam Of hill
coaI, five or six miles north of jackson has
been pronounced the Shaft seam. and Jccid-
ed after fair te'' Ia smelling to be quite
equal io the shaft coal for iron mnkin,
and Tar superior as parlor coal and as
TIE dip from north 10 south IL --lrrbt ill., p,
siti"n iu the bills where We crossed would
carry it Tar enough south 10 make the
twenty miles or more Indeed. we aIresd,
know 70 is mined vt Jackson FY,
ntce iureen miles south OF th, town
Of Jacs-ou, and has been tested success
fully iu irou.makiug by the jackson Fur
mace Company
The Southern Ohio line VIII cross t,;s
O0aI belt either at jackson or five miles
south a- may be hereafter determined ar.l
vii command tIts coal Iv the main line
anI uy branche Tor which tbccount-, af
f".s inviting opportunities by favorable
tributary -treum- This coal seam d. from,
i0' feet sIH inches 20 tour fet iLick. with
l.orN aud kidney ores in The same hills
south-nest of Jack-on. and Fl. on tb,. bor
der "f r.e rel limestone ors bet
The other point alluded 10 was h,at tb.
lnr heretofore surveyed tor Che Southern
Ohio with trial the line now beng r1p
from Waterloo 10y Symmes and the B.acE
Fork OF Symmes passes a longer d.-.
d'-"nce through the iron ore belt than any
other possible line. % ig within tbc..ir.r-
entore formations from a point on Brok
s'e Forb ofSa tcreek on rhc westerly l,,r
der of jackson county, where ore &. nov
h'nt "ors't, 70" o.e instance developing
seam OF block ore 'our feet thick) to lie
hhio river distance af fny miles
The ore UsIt BOO ibis part Of S ,utl ern