The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-27


urIryH AND RESOURCES OF WEST VIRGINIA
SOMETHING ABOUT THE CAPITAL-THE PLACE
WHERE GENERAL EEMPER STUDIED LAW-THE
LEGISLATURE, &C.
correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.]
CHARLESTON, w. Va, October "a, 1873.
Though West Virginia Is Il truant child OF
the Old Dominion her tender-hearted OLD
mother cannot have lost all sympathy for
this Der Benjamin, and Will no douot take
a lively and sympathetic interest in the little
runaway-an interest and sympathy which
is more than reciprocated by the new State,
which regards, and will ever continue to re-
gard, Old Virginia with the profoundest af-
lection. Indeed, those Of her citizens who
were in "DXie" at the time feel that they
were more "snned against than SHINING,
and look upon the severance in the light OF
kidnapping rather than voluntary separa-
tion. Therefore with due reverence we
protest against you shaking your hoary
locks at ,ls, but refer you to the authors of
all ou- .ills-the rabid Radicals of Washing
ton and the political adventures OF TINS
State-as "the head and front of our Offend
ing" But so long as the SAME blood courses
through our veins, and AS long as We can re-
call the glorious history OF the past, which
is mutually ours, the lines OF Co"per,
that
"Mountains interposcd
Make enemies of nations who had tlse' .
Like kindled drops, been mingled into one,
will fail TO describe the Virginias; for
where both int crest and affection had formed
20 binding tic even the lofty AlleghanieS
failed to present i lasting obstacle to social
and material union. The iron rail pierced
through their gorges and flinty bosoms. and
drew us closer together than ever we were
under the old political boundaries. BY that
stupendous work the Chesapeake and ONO
railroad we have overcome Natures impede
ments, and are indeed very near Reighbors.
Nav mutual sympathy, close business con-
nections, and An identity OF political and III
dustrial interests, long continue this friendly
alliance.
To those Of your readers who have had
an opportunity of examining the mineral
wealth and the abundant resources of this
promising little Commonwealth, and particu.
larly that great mineral region the kanawha
Valley, the short reference to them which
will be given in this too general letter will
fail to convey any very satisfactory idea OF
what is meant by the Kanawha coai-held
but to those who are unacqlminted with
our capabilities slight mention of
these deposits may give an inkling
of the foundatio for the belief of the san. !
ruine West Virginian that bis State is des- |
tined in the no distant future TO become q |
great manufacturing Commonwealth. With |
il a range of seventy-tive to hundred |
miles there are extensive and rich deposits /
of coal, consisting mainly of camel, splint,
and bituminous, and found in very large |
quantities, and with iron ore in easy
reach. 1t is not an unreasonable antici-
patton that the whole of this beautiful
valley will some day be ablaZe with fur
naces from one end TO the other. AS an evil
dence that these hopes are not chimerical,
it will be sufficient to state en- pasSant that
upon examination by capitalists who have
made their fortunes in this business in the
mineral sections Of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
other manufacturing States they were will
ing to invest their money in these lands for
this purpose. Some large sales with this
object in view have been effected; others
were on the point of being closed, but We're
nipped in the bud by the frost which
semiDated from Wall street and which
blasted the prospects and fortunes of
so many schemes and undertakings.
There is conviction, however, that
rs soonas the sun breaks through these dark
financial clouds new life will he given to
their development, which had just begun;
and that many, anxious TO avoid the calami-
ties which have ensued by speculation in
bonded securities, will seek investment in
the minerals of this and other States. Whilst
upon this subject Of the mineral wealth of
this country, which West Virginian can no
more refrain from writing about than Ken-
tuckian can help "talkin' hoss," it may be as
well to make mere mention Of another source
of wealth which is rapidly assuming prorni-
nence.
The large deposits Of salt-brine extending,
on both sides of the Kanawha, some nine or |
ten miles above Charleston has hem IN the
past, and is likely to become again, great
staple Of this place. Enough salt can De
manufactured here to supply the whole
West and good portion Of the East wih
this Indispensable article. The hanawha
salt is of the best quality for enring meas Is,
and takes precedence OF any other praco 10
the Cincinnati market. 1t Is our purpose at
some future time to give more extended
account of this important industry and OF
the interesting process of Its manufacture
Charleston. The capital of the State, is
situated in the midst Of this mineral section
and il we are to read Its future by the i'm
mediate ,ast. has q brilliant prospect beforeJ
il. II has population Of some five or six
thousand Inhabitants, tWo-thirds of which
has accrued to IL since the war. Many new
Industries have been started, and there are
cutie substantial evidences of its becoming
archer Pittsburgh in commercial point Of
view. There have been many efforts made
ever since it was made the capital to pluck
from # this honor and to transfer 1t to T.
Parkersburg, OF some other
point in the northern part Of the State.
These attempts have oil proved futile, and
there IL every prospect of its becoming /,
as Its enemies, In derision, call 1.-THE
" permanent seat.' The great opposition to
it as the capital bias arisen from the difficulty
OF access, but by the completion OF the
Chesapeake and OHIO RAILROAD this has been