Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-07-10

to the very top, would seem to be
themselves sufficient to tempt tn
cupidity of capitalists. The Who'll
region, in every direction, is intersecte
with seams of camel and splint Goa
varying in thickness from 6 inche
to Z feet. These Goals are bltumln
Gus in their character, and are of ex
traordiusry value-the splint coal be
ing used extensively in the manufac
ture of iron. On Gauley rive
thousands of acres of wild cherr.
trees are fouud-measuring, we art
Informed, two or three feet in diane
ter. The region abounds in deer aDt
bear, as well as small game of al
kinds.
A few nights ago gentleman IL
the neighborhood Of the Falls was
riding along the road, when his horse
stopped, evidently alarmed at some
object in the way, which proved to be
huge black bear, that, after taking
coed look at the horse and its rider,
trotted off into the mount ntains.
The water power of these mountain
streams is bounGlsss, and Is sufficient
to turn all the mills in the world.
Still following the Kanawha, we
arrived about 3 D. m, on the 10th at
CHARLESTON.
This ia the capital of West Vir-
ginis, and situated os it is immediate
" on the banks Of the Kanawbo, in
the heart Of region whose supplies of
coal and iron are incxhaustibIe, it
only needs capital and the enterprise
to use il to make the city one Of the
greatest manufacturing places in the
world.
Upon our arrival we we're greeted
By IN eloquent speech of welcome
from Hon. c. Philip Snider, the
mayor of the city. The excursionists
we're then taken in charge by the
rpprescntativ Of the press and other
citizens, and conveyed to see the
various objects of interest in the
neightorhood.
Charleston is a city of about 6,000
inhabitants, and since the opening Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad has
awakened to new life and yigor, aud
bids fair to he the centre Of q vast
manufacturing district.
THE KANAwHA SALT WoRNS.
These are situated about three
miles above Charleston, on the river
banks. and are the largest, perhaps
in the country. The salt water is
pumped up by steam engines through
tubes Of several inches in diameter,
from an average depth Of 1000 feet
below the bed of The river and is con-
veyed into watts on the shore, where
it is evaporatcd by heating-the heat
being supplied by copper pipes fill
ed with steam-thc salt water beiog
raised to a temperature of about 225
degrees. The Eae table salt is made
by heating he salt water to high
degree Of temperature, and the cOnr
ser kinds by lower degree-tho salt
crystals varying in size, according 10
the degree of heat used. The works
VIC visited are owned by Or. j. ?
Hale, one Of the vo.rhjost and most
rnterprising citizens Of Charleston.
The sal, water from which the faesl
quality Of salt is made is obtained
uuder the bed of the river, for dis
tanee of perhaps half mile along
the river shore. About 20 wells are
bow in operation, each Of which raises
up about25 gallons Of water per min
ute, the quantity ofsalt ootnnei he
ing one gallon to every five gallons Of
water; The daily production is about
240 barrels ofsalt per day, which sells
at the works at 81 so per barrel. The
salt is principally shipped to Cincin-
natl and other points west, where the
coarser kinds are used in pork pack
ing, for which tits said to be better
adapted than any other salt known.
DOWN IN \ COAL NINE.
After visiting the salt works, we
were taken ipiO one of The mines of
the Campbell Coal Company. Pro
fcssor NJ. f, Maury, jr a son Of the
distinguished Lieutenant NJ. +.
Muury, deceased, accompanied the
party. The Professor is located in
Charleston, aud is engaged in his
profession as mineralogist and min-
lug engineer He is gentleman of
pleasant manners, enthusiastically
devoted to his business, aud will one
dav, if We mistake not, occupy as
high q place in the annals Of fame as
his lamented father. The ascent to
the outh of the shaft was made in
open coal ears, the distance from
the river being about 3 J miles. The
road was necessarily very rough, but
not particularly dangerous, the grade
not being very steep. The mouth Of
the shaft was sufficiently wide to ad-
nit of double tracks being laid into
the mine Upon entering We found
it to be very damp and the air rem
dered somewhat unpleasant from the
smoke of the miners lImps. The roof
Of the mine IS a layer Of smooth,
solid slate, forTing the best possible
ceiling. The height Of this ceiling
was In most places six or seven feet.
After proceeding some distance,
guided by the lamps Of the miners,
further progress was checked By va
ter, which had By some means gotten
Into the mioe. The miners were not
at work, but upon entering side
shaft we saw where they had been
working. The coal is in a seam OF
about SIX feet in thickness layer oi
slate running through the whole of 1t
Tho uppar Gtratnrp oT opal IL o,Ottar