The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-06-19
A Northern Man in Virginia.-No. Z.

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A Northern Man in Virginia.-No. Z.
THE ALT OONA COAL MINES-NARRoW
GAUGE RAILROAD-GEOLOGY OF ROBIN
SONS TRACT AND THE GREAT VALLEY
THE WYTHE COAL BEDS.
special correspondence of the V1RGINIAN.
During the war Capt. William I. Hart,
a Georgian who had graduated at the Troy
Polytechnic Institute, and then on the staff
of General Loring, was sent into Southwest
Virginia to examine into the operations OF the
nitre bureau, which Loring thought required
the services of remarkably large number OF
men who ought to have been in his ranks in
the field. The fact was, that all sorts OF de-
tails in the workshops, in salt and powder
making, in various branches OF the quarter
masters, commissary and ordnance depart
ments, were used to protect great many
men who had no love for the stirring hazards
of actual warfare, and perhaps not much fol-
the Southern Confederacy; and Captain Hart
wisely reported to the general that large as
the number was, his army was stronger with
out them. AT Wytheville he met Oswald j.
Heinrich, Ger man chemist OF the nitre bu-
reau, who mentioned one day in conversation,
that the best indications of coal he had seen
IN that cou ntry were in the Robinson tract;
but the act was then OF no interest to Hart.
It happened, however, that when the war
was over, Captain Hart married and settled
down on rich, blue grass farm in this iden-
tical Robinson tract, and the casualgremark
of Heinrich came back TO his mind to disturb
the even tenor and quiet peacefulness OF his
life as Virginia farmer. He explored the
mountains and rayines, prospectel and
searched, drove gangways and sunk shafts,
until lie expended his available means and
his friends and neighbors considered him
quite crazy on the subject of coal. At last
just as he was about to give up his efforts in
dispalr, somewhat like 3 ret Harris Dow, he
struck ''pay gravel'' in making what he had
determined should be his last attempt.
Having driven his gangway sufficiently to
well expose the coal beds, Captain Fart went
north to seek the necessary capital to develop
and work them. 1t was in the midst of the
political campaign preceding the election OF
State officers and legislature in the fall of
1877. The 'sreadjusters'' were active and
clamo rous for the Reputation Of part of the
State debt, and even brought out a candidate
for Ii eutenant-governor against General Wal
ker OF Pulaski, who had branded forcble read
jus tment or reputation, as dishonorable
and or imina. Northern capitalists naturally
declined to place their money where such
ideas of financial honor seemed to prevail,
and Hart at length returned to Virginia, dis
appointed and disheartened. But other cir
cumstances determined the result. The At
lantic, Mississippi and Ohio r. r. consumed
large quantities of coal from the Kanawha
valley of Yves Virginia, and from Caryville
and Coal Creek in Tennessee. The Holston
Salt and Plaster Company at Saltvile, paid
high prices for wood hauled a long distance,
and Liverpoo salt was selling at their doors.
Both needed good, cheap coal, near at hand,
saving heavy expense of transportation.
Major Fink, one OF the receivers Of the rail.
70 ad, early saw the great Importance OF this
road did not deem it proper to become per-
| sonall interested in the coal mine. But,
after sending an expert from the North who
| happene curiously enough to be Prof. Os-
valid J. Heinrich, to examine and report up
on the pr orerty, Mr.. George w. Palmer Of
| Saltvil lie, with some northern gentlemen, be.
came its principal owners, charter was OBJ
| tanned, and the Altoona Coal and Iron Com
pany was organi zed with George w. Palmer
as President, Chas. F. Palmer treasurer, r.
M. Patterson as secretary and William t. Hart
as gen eral superintendent. Its Office was es
tablishe d at Martins the nearest station or
the A. NJ. 6 O. r. R., and steps were at once
taken to locate and construct narrow gauge
railway up the Tract OF Peek Creek to the
mines eight and quarter miles distant. This
70 ad which will soon be fully completed ani
in operation,h as three feet gauge, with rails
weighing tive nty- five pounds per yard, ant
|
try, no very sharp curvatures. The railroad
track at Martini IS, where the breakers, screen!
and shops are to be placed, is 1850 fee
above the sea, and the entrance to the mine
2,3l6 feet, leaving 366 feet to be overcome
The DAD descends 220 feet in the first mile
from the mine, but aside from this, there il
| think, no grade OIL the road exceeding q
feet per mile, and all the grades are in favo
OF the trade. Tn devious course and rock.
banks of the stream necessitated the constru
ton of twenty bridges, and in one case ca
nal was dug and the bed Of the stream turn
ed to avoid double crossing. Despite tn
or eat difficulties to be encountered in build
Jag railroad in such coun try, the contrac
price was ut $43, 900, or 1922 per mile
The road is operated by very pretty it'll
six-wheel connected engine from the Bald
win works, of Philadelphia, which burn
the Company's own coal, and will pull fort.
tons up the 220 feet grade.
It was severe weather when l visited tn
Altoona mine; for last winter was not onl.
the coldest but the cold was OF longer con
tinuance than the South (and perhaps tn
whole country has experienced for fort!
years or more. The banks OF the stream
were strewn, and sometimes piled up will
cakes OF ice. and the mountain gorges an
slopes up which our horses toiled so painful
ly, were so slippery as to be ii little. perilous
Leaving the limestone valley Of Peek Creek
we struck over the end OF the sandstone anc
shale ridge called Tract mountain, which
projects from Little Walkers mountain lik'
the right arm OF a V, and from an elevate'
projection crowned by a church, looked dow
upon the rich and lovely mountain cove
known as the Robinson Tract. Here, wher
the Company's railroad enters the Tract,
turned sharply to the westward, and 10
| r,nra Than four o,ilac climbed steep shall