The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1872-06-08
From the n. Y. Daily Bulletin.l
The Coal and Iron Re.ourees os
Virginia.

N"N "'o9'ssPti NahcN anO the Atlantic
coast, and following the confguration of
our continent almost due north aud south.
IL comprises an area OF $4,000 spare miles,
equal TO the enure territorial extent OF the
states of New York and New Jersey. It
extends along the Allegheny mountains,
through the States OF Pennsylvani, Ohio,
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ken.
tneky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama
Ihe coal seams ARE ofvsrying richness and
extent in these States, but these included in
Virginia aud West Virginia, though only
one thiri of the whole snrpass all the
others in value aud Importance Scienti6c
research shows that the coal supply OF
England is limited, and that vt the ratio OF
consumption OF the last finv Years, they
must oc exhausted within n couple of hun
dred wears But It il calculated that the
coal and iron fields of the Virgini,s alone
can supply all the demands of our eotire
continent, aud with population Increased
hundred fold, through all generations
The supply is apparently limited to the ca.
pacity Of man to develop aud realize the
incalcuahle wealth that nature has stored
up tor his comfort aud endowment.
To add the value and importance OF this
nexhaurtibe supply Of commodities that
conductive to civilization and progress. the
richest and most valuable portion oft is
situated Ne to Ice tie most, accessible in the
world, The solid mountain OF coal is cleit
from its summit To ts base, and all the rich
seams varying from two to fourteen feet in
extent are disclosed and opened to human
industry Nor is this all The bases of
these seams are washed 10y nayigable
/ ~ which ufi.rl A patr.rul g.
the transportation of the mineral treasures
that stand revealed in the strata, which
are above the snriace level Of the earth IN
place of being miles below il as in Eng
land. On very modest estimate il is cal.
culated that 10 the comparatively small
belt washed by the Great Kanawha river
and its lrihuiaries-ihe Gauley, New Riv-
er, Xix and Coal riyers--there is a supply
Of thirty-iour thousand millions Of tons
above the water level This magniiicnet
coalt belt, undoubtedly the richest ia the
world, is divided diagoBally and alnset in
/ two equal parts 30 A. to be equally open to
/ the markets OF the Mississippi valley and
the Atlantic seahord.
! The coal Of the Kanawha Valley con.
sists OF three kinds known to commerce.
/ Camel, Splnt and Bituminous. Oi these
| the Camel is equal To the best Scotch
! Camel, and is &C rich in mineral oils that
I It yields sixty gallons to the ton and il
I only costs $3.50 per ton to mine the coal
and extract the oil, which at say. lO cents
[ per gallon would yield a profit OF s.. 80 Tor
an outlay OF only 500 These figures
show that the business Of extracting oil
| Is destined to become an important branch
/ Of industry IN the Kanawha district. The
| bitumiuous coal is equal to the best found
/ in Pennsylvania aud the splnt coal is es-
/ pecially valuable for iron smelling on ac-
count Of its freedom from sulphur and
other impuriilef What il Of especial i'm
portance il the TACT that THE coal ia situated
centrally to the great natural highways OF
commerce in our country, and is almost
equally accessible TO all the great places Of
consumption The coal supply in the Kan
awha divisions OF the great Alleghany coal
bed is ten times larger than the entire coal
fields Of Great Britain.
But il Virginia has the best. richest.
aud most easily accessible coal fields in
the world It has al-o in immediate prox.
unity the richest iron beds on the continent
On the eastern edge OF the great Allc.ha
ny coal range there Is an inexhaustibie
supply Of iron ore lying like the conl
NfA't"f WfthNu AiAt hIfk VI nNAtT AFhNHIinf
iatiou. These ores are continuation OF
the formation that constitute the chici
! iron. Producing regions ia Pennsylyania
/ New York Lake Superior, Iron Noun.
. tain, Pilot Knob in Missouri and extend
along the Blue Ridge from Hsrpers Ferry
to Bristol The oxides are unsurpassed IN
richness and quality, and are singulariy
free from impurities The New River
which constitutes the chiei source Of ihe
Great ksnawha cuts through successive
ranges Of these minera, deposits and rcn
dcrs them o. accessible NJ the coal range.
10 human industry or course the scam.
are OF variable quality aud quantity. but it
b. an important fact that Tue richest oi
heu-yifIdrng Gu per cent 0f metal in tie
! furnace e-are on the surface For fu
J miles the New River runs through a lime
stoue country. abouuding in iron and lead
/ DO line Tor richness. variety aud economy
oi production aud transportation, ths Goa
and iron bo.is OF Virgins aud West Virgin
F ia must he resarled a. thc most valuable
. 90 The world
10 Will 0e seen ihat tle proximity Of Che
coal aui iron fields and their ueriect &c.
ce-sibility by ueRns oi raj road and water
f communication constitute advantages
which must u dee time render Virginia
aud We-t Virginia the centre of a vast
manufacturing Industry The future great
iron iufuaces ufour continent will br 10.
ened lu ihe hanagba valley. Their e.
u".isnmett must exercise an important in-
hrcnce ou iAr future oi the STATE. Here
'1'orc, ucse treasure. have been virtually
-cniri hotn io Virginia aud tne world ~
bnt ule completion of the the.apotke aud
/ oi io Railroad o. few munihs hence. will
open them 90 the millions OF consumer.