The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-08-17

I've 500 bNNfN6'ANt A@N eNsA hAAlHe
4 trip up Elk River, taking notes d
tho mineral interests Of that region,
In very interesting letter written al
Sutton, to The Charleston Courier, he
says: Knowing the lively intores.
that CharlesIonians feel in the subject
Of Iron Furnaces on the Kanawha aud
its main tributaries and of how many
are interested in Elk river, l forward
you some notes ola recent visit to the
works Of the Elk river Iron and Coal
Company, at the mouth Of Strange
creek IN this county, close to the Clay
line and about rs miles from Charles
ton About year ago Mr.. j. Savage
for many years connected with iron
in Jackson county, Ohio, in tray-
elling through this country noticed
What he considered very promising aud
heavy Indications Of good iron ore and
on his return home raised a company
to work them. He returned here with
his brother and several other gentlemen.
With q great deal Of eucrgy, in the
face Of many difficulties. they proceed.
ed to take out mineral leases on lands
along the river and more thoroughly
to know tho value Of their ores, Of
which they have four seams above The
river level, though one (thc highcst is
not workable. | have seen tho out
Groupings ofall. in the bill behind the
furnace. They are not opened at this
place so that Icould judge Of the thick
ness, but the company have SO we'll
and extensively opened them OF other
places, lower down the River, that they
are content With simply getting the
ort-crops at their home place. The
only one | have yet visited is tho 2nd
seam, on Hamricks land at the mouth
Of Standing Rock creek, and by baro-
metric reading GAG degrees above the
river. AT tits place there are two
cuts close to each other: ono about GO
fsot long by is vida and on Inc aver.
40. s lat bi,b IN the breasl, Thu
other about "a bv 90 feat and {, feot
high in the breast, The seam avera-
ges about 4 degrees as far as could be
seen and Mr. Savage tells US that Che
botween {, and i feel. The ora 4 a
nodular brown oxide with sometimes
oebre Iyerv rioh in iron0 and some.
times mud in The interior Of lbc lump.
These rounded masses ara embeded In
a soft gray clay, so That in mining Al
this mace no povdcr viii be necessay
The ora will yiold about as or 10 per
cent. Of iron and being soft and some.
what cellular viii WORK easy in Tho fur.
mace. The pl,ee il we'll opcuod and
proven and L a pattern 10 West Viz.
ripia Landowners who wish to prove
he mineral on tLeir lands. Mr. Saw
age tells ma tb,tsbv roipr along tbo
side Of ths mountain and strikin1 bis
pick in eyorv SO or 100 Yards. till bc
rolled out a podulo Of tho Same ore, he
has traced this ,sam continuouslv for Al
mills. and bayipg onoued Il Al mapy
other noints Il neri.etlv satisfied that
| Il runs many miles t,p and down Elk.
| / visited M same doposit an the uays
placo on The North sids Of Elk between
l,ic Otter and Two RIMS cresk and
where again Il promise, yery fine, Az
strange oreek saw 4 a third time
hut. a. / before said. moi opopod. On
Friends land about half vay between
Standing Rlck and Waters Defeat.
Mr.. savage informs mo are Tho 6pest
onepinrs be b,s made. and which /
viii visit il going down Tho river,
Beside, tho seam / have been dO,crib.
Inc thev opopOd one above: ri feet
thick. made up Of shells Of browpIoxido
with a large ip,ldo core Of oehro and
no oxide ftbe samples / saw vore very
fiusl and ono below. 81 feat thick 81
The same clss, Of orc oniy in regular
block instead Of podulcs. The fourth
The highest seam Is in tho rod bands.
The ora il extremolv rich but too much
scattered To bs worked. Manv samnles