The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-02-22
NO. 46.


, most available PORTIONS OF the c3al fields Of
the American continent, lie in West Virgins
a, and the greater portion Of this vast area
nature has rendered of easy development.
, through the agency of the numerous streams
which traverse it. and by the marvellous con-.
vcnience Of the manner in which she has To-
Gated and distributed the choice varieties of
bituminous, camel and splint coal with which
t abonnds
| The work above quoted says of the Kama
wha coal fields:
The Goals ofthis region. generally, are better,
purer, and more available for all the requirements
Of trade and manufacture than the Goals of any
other portion of the Allegheny ceal field The
seams of 20 Il arc m Gus, and their thick
ness greater than in any other portion of this coal
field 1t can be mined cheaper and with more
economy generally. under the same rates of labor,
than in any other region in this country without
exception. The markets of the West, or the great
Ohio and Mississippi valleys, ARE open beyond any
controlling competition to the trade OF The Kan
awha in coal, oil, sail, iron and lumber.
Referring to the ncighboring iron regions,
! the same authority says:
This region Of iron ores will perhaps rival any
locality in our country-Iron Mountains Pilot
| Knob, or Lake Superior not excepted either i'm
quality or quantity. There is no limit to the re-
sources of brown hematite in this section. 1t ex-
| lists IN massive beds OF great extent, and ranges
through vast area Of country. We have seen
beds Ct ore in this region equal to the celebrated
Cornwall deposits, and can state, from practicaS
experience, that there is no richer or purer iron
ore of this description to be found. The mina-
ture map illustrating the text in the work from
| which we quote), shows the coal Of the Kanawh,
| to be in close proximity to this great region of
| iron and connected with it by large river.
which levels, it were, the mountains, and
grades uniform path through the huge Ale
ghanies. &1
1t viii thus appear that the great Kanawha Val
ley is not only greatnatural mining and manu-
featuring region, but that may enjoy the
greatest trade that ever flowed from the mountains
or the inland plains aad valleys to the sea. The
coal iron, oil and salt OF this region are inexhaust
ible and may be produced with the minimum of
labor and expense, and consequently, the maxi
mum ofspro6ts. 9
We have long bcheld the vast mineral resources
of this part Of the Great Allegheny field with
professional admiration and have frequently call
ed attention to their value If we seem par
tial to West Virginia, prove that our af-
fectioas have always turned towards her unlinit-
ed stores Of coal and iron, with IN ardent desire
to be able to pronounce the open sesame which
should expose her treasures TO the world
I The foregoing is disinterested testimony
given in 1866 before the present plans for
opening and developing the regions referred
to had been organized The magic words
which the author longed for the power to
treasures Of the great Kanawha Vallev-werc
spoken when Mr.. G. P. Huntington and his
associates, Messrs A A Low, W. Fl Aspin-
wall, Jonas G. Clarke and other far-seeing
capitalists, assumed the control of the Chesa-
peakc and Ohio Railroad and began to make
real the vision of the Chesapeake Bay and the
Ohio River united together by bands of iron,
and the riches OF the Kanawha, released from
the confinement Of centuries, flowing, out
East and West in streams of solid wealth.
Besides the opening and development of
the region above described, the completion
Of the Chesapeake aud Ohio Railroad as
great East and West trunk line, linking to.
gether the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and
Ohio River, has another important bearing.
1t will stimulate the production ofwheat, to-
bacco and other agricultural products of Viz
ginla aud West Virginia, as it passes through
some Of the finest agricultural portions Of
those States.
Il will also, with its connections form the
much needed short and economical route to
the Atlantic potts, for the cotton of Tonnes
T sec, Arkansas and Mississippi the tobacco,
hemp and cattle, of Kentucky, Chic and H.
diana, and the provisions and breadstuffs of
the Western and Northwestern States.
Mr.. Huntington and his associates, dis
corning the extraordinary demand for trans
portation between the Mississippi Valley and
III L. i I, L. l
rich and strengthen Immensely each success
sive East and West trunk line, ard discern
ing also the great superiority of the Chcsa-
peake and Ohio route in distance. grades and
fuel. determined to extend the iuc to the
Ohio, according to the original design, as
soon as possible.
The value and Importance OF this routs
are we'll understood aud appreciated through
out the West, and important lines are now
being constructed and projected, through
Ohio and Kentucky, in various directions,
to connect it with Louisville, Nashville, Mem
phls, New Orleans, St. Louis, Chicago, Gin
cinnati, Dayton, and all important centers OF
consumption and shipment West Of the Allie
ghanies.
About 322 miles of the railroad are now
finished, Or nearly SORT miles on the cast
ern end, from Richmond to White Sulphur
Springs, and about So miles on the western
and, from the City Of Huntington on the
Ohio River to the vicinity of the Falls of
Kanawha-and the whole will be con- pleted
during the summer or fall of the present
year. It IS said to be one of the best rail-
roads, in its construction, in the United
States, being brought up in every partctslar
to the requirements of the large traffic which
is expected to flow over it ISIS eI&.4t
The cost OF the road and equipment, when
completed WI be about $50 900 600. and it is
estimated chat the value OF its property aud
franchises, within five years, cannot be less
than $4,000, 600. Its affairs have been
conducted with conspicuous energy and abi-
ity, and a comprehensive, wise and successful
policy is evident, throughout, in its manage
ment.
The credit of the company is unsurpassed
by that CT any Railroad Corporation in the
country. shown in the rapid negotiations
Of its $4,000, 900 first mortgage loan, Of
which we learn that less than 100000
now remain uusold.
H., c,,oor,or r,s.+.. o., n otE.