The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-06-27
me i S G ELAN ou
MARYLAND EDITORS EXCURSION.

HUNTINGTON, WEST VA, June 18th, 1878
The excursion of Maryland editors lief,
the White Sulphur Springs, on the morn
ing OF the 10th, for Charleston, the capital
OF West Virginia. The ride down the
western slope of the mountains was one
OF unalloyed pleasure and delight. Gil.
ding through narrow gorges and over
huge ravincs, from whose lofty heights the
mountain streams at their bases looked al
most like lines of light-we speed onward
along the banks of the Greenbrier small,
but beautiful stream, which empties into
New river about 35 miles from the Springs.
The scenery from this point to the Kan
awha Falls is not excelled in grandeur
and sublimity by any other in this country
except perhaps that upon the line of the
Union Pacific railroad.
Following the course of New river, as it
winds in and out through the deep georges,
the mountains, which surrounded us on
every side rose higher into the blue ether
and presented, through the clear bracing air,
most lovely picture, as the morning mist
is seen slowly rising above their leafy sum-
mits. New river is a clear, pure stream,
resembling very much our own beautiful
Susquehanna, as it glides unsteady down
ward towards the Kanawha into whose
bosom it pours its limpid flood, at the
Hawks Nest; the Gauley and the New riv-
er together forming the Kanawha at this
point.
HANGING ROCK.
At one point on the road the train was
halted for few moments in narrow detile,
and looking upward we saw, at the height
of perhaps 100 feet on immense triangular
shaped rock suspended over the track,
which, although not likely to fall, neverthe-
less was sufficiently dangerous in appear
ance to cause n sensation Of relief when the
train again started. Further on at the head
of the Kanawha, we obtained fine view
of the celebrated
HAWKS NEST.
The scene was one which cannot easily
be forgotten. The mountain looks as if il
had been cleaved by some mighty power
leaving surface almost entirely bare OF
trees, and rising, almost perpendicularly
from the banks of the stream to the height
of several hundred feet. At this dizzy
height numbers of hawks make their nests
and rear their young secure from molesta
ton, and thus the prccipice derives its
name.
THE KANAWHA FALLS.
New river is crossed and we enter the
valley of the Kanawha. Huge boulders
weighing thousands of tons each, are seer
scattered along the banks of the river look
ing as if, in ages far remote, they had beer
toppled by some mighty CONFUSION of ma
ture, from the beetling crags above. Near
the head of the river we are shown the
Falls of Kanawha. The river being low
the sight was not so imposing as it is sale
to be during a treslet, when the watel
dashes down from height of2 feet over
the whole width of the river. Near thu
Falls the railroad track passes the base o
Cotton Hill, a mountain famous in the las
war.
THE KANAwHA VALLEY.
No conception can be formed, by mer
description of the immense wealth which
lies concealed in the mountains bordering
the Kanawha Valley, in the shape of Goa
and iron, while the virgin forests of whit
oak and poplar which cover their sides t,
| the very top, would seem to be of them
selves sufficient to tempt the cupidity O
capitalists. The whole region, in ever
direction, is intersected with seams of can
nal and splint coal, varying in thickness
from inches to feet. These Goals ar
bituminous in their character, and are O
extraordinary value-the splint coal bein,
used extensively in the manufacture of iron
On Gauley river thousands of acres of viii,
cherry trees are embarrassing, we ar
| =. IL, f.a&
The region abounds in deer and bear a
we'll as small game of all kinds.
A few nights ago a gentleman in til
neighborhood of the Falls was riding alon
the road, when his horse stopped, evident
ly alarmed at some object in the way, whic
proved to be huge black bear, that, afte
taking good look at the horse and il
rider, trotted off into the mountains,
The water power of these mountains
boundless and is sufficient to turn all til
mills in the world.
Still following the KaLawha, we arrive
about p. NJ, on the 10th, at
CHARLESTON.
This is the capital of West Virginia, an
situated as it is Immediately on the banks
of the Kanawha, in the heart of u regio
whose supplies of coal and iron are ine1
haustable, it only needs capital and I'll
. enterprise to use it to make the city one
the greatest manufacturing places in IL
world.
Upon our arrival we were greeted by O
eloquent speech of welcome from Hon. (
Philip Snyder, the mayor of the city. II
cxcursionists were then taken in charge
the representatives of the press and 9th
citizens, and conveyed to see the vario,
objects of interest in the neighborhood.
Charleston is "a city of about 5000 inha
itants, and since the opening of the Ches
peake and Ohio railroad has awakened
new life and vigor, and bids fair to be IL
centre OF a vast manufacturing district.
THE KANAwHA SALT WORKS.
Iheae nrn nitnnInl 0lO..L d. - n