The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-06-19

laoout AZ gallons per tom, and commands in the
cincinnati markets high price. Next above is a
seam OF "Splint COAL feet in thickness, feet of
Which is a solid mass, and an excellent coal for
smelling purposes.
Mr.. Howell Fisher, of Pennsylvania, in
1873, wrote as follows of the New River Sec
ton:
I'm respect to conditions most essential to
cheap and profitable working, this region stands
unrivaled. 1t has been stated before that the
chasm of the river renders it most peculiar SER
vice in its relation to the coal. Cutting all the
coal strata for nearly its whole length entirely
through, and getting down anon the shales I'M
der the coal, the river has caused the numerous
streams which pierce this whole coal region to
cut down through most of the coal bearing strata
on their courses, leaving the coal entirely above
water level, accessible at hundreds of points by
simply scraping off the surface soil SO that so far
as the mere getting of coal is concerned two
thousand dollars win open a mine ready to ship
one thousand tons per week. There is no region
in the world where less physical labor will pre-
pare mine for the delivery of coal at the drifts
mouth
This will be made clearer by a comparison of
the position of coal here and in Great Britain in
this respect. In Great Britain and in fact in most
all OF the European coal-ields the coal is deep
below the water level. To reach the seams re-
quires the expenditure OF years OF labor and vast
sums of money in sinking shafts or pits, and in
erecting pumping and hosting machinery, to be
maintained and renewed at heavy annual expense
1t is authoritaivey stated. that the cost of sink
ing shafts III the Newcastle region of England to
the depth of one thousand feet, has been in many
instances, one thousand dollars per yard. In the
great Northern fiaI If Rrifa
ducing twenty millions tons per annum there are
two hundred pits shafts, costing, in first out
lay. for sinking and machinery, fifty millions
dollars, to which must be added the necessary
eXpenses.of constructing and maintaining proper
air-courses and their accessories requisite to the
safety of the employees.
There is now invested simply in pits, and ma
chinery for pumping and hosting the 'one hun
dred million tons produced in Great Britain, two
hundred million dollars; and this vast sum is des-
tined to utter destruction in serving the purpo-
ses for which it was used.
"These pits and machinery being constructed,
they involve certain amount of labor for every
ton OF coal got, in addition to their cost and re-
ne wal.
''Now, in this great coal-neld crossed by the
Chesapeake g. Ohio Railroad, Nature has already
sunk all the necessary pits and shafts, which
them. The laws of gravity have provided the
most perfect, permanent, and costless pumping
machinery; and the most perfect ventilation of
the mine and safety of the employees, instead of
requiring scientific knowledge and anxious
thought, is simply matter Of the most ordinary
care, the almost perfect freedom from noXious
gases being the natural result of the position of
the coal strata"
We could multiply the evidences Of the
wonderful richness of the coal districts of
West Virginia and the iron districts of Vir-
ginia-which must be operated together to
produce the greatest attainable results-but
our limits will not allow.
We will only refer to one other fact very
briefly, and that the comparative merits of
the coke manufactured from the New River
coal, and that manufactured in other cox
ing districts.
TheINew River Coke contains of carbon,
1885 per cent. ash, 5.s5; sulphur, O.39-
Connellsville, Pa, the most favorably
known in this country, SAG of carbon;
l1.3G ash; 0.G9 sulphur and O.49 water
Durham, England coke, the greatest coking
section Of the world, $3.50 carbon; $50
ash; or sulphur, &c., showing that the
coke manufactured from the New River
Coal is superior to that even of the Dur
ham coke, and also of the Connelsville,
The character of the coke, taken in
connection with the rich iron ores of Vir-
ginia in close proximity to the coking sec
ton, must attract attention sooner OF later,
as presenting the most advantageous point
for the manufacture of cheap iron and
steel. The attractions cannot be over-stated
They are unequalled on this continent,
and all that is wanting is for others to know
the facts as they exist. This will come in
time. The increasing demand for iron and
steel products will necessarily force the
minerals Of the Virginias into notice and
invite investments, for it is here where pig
iron can be manufactured the cheapest, and
it is here, as the consequence. where bust
ness enterprise and capital will seek en-
ployment.