Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-08-06

lnterSperSed with other less valuable
timbers. The party found specimen
wild cherry trees which measured
each over twelve feet around and
fully sixty feet to the first limb,
as straight as an arrow and beauti-
full as picture. And in addition to
this wealth of soil and timber, un-
derneath it all are to lie found from
five to eight veins of ceal aggregat-
ing an average ct thirty feet in
thickness; while down to the ex-
IRENE end of the cual field, where it
crops out overlookifa he lower land
of Canaan, there a three veins open
ed of the thickness of eight feet, six
feet and four aud half feet, respect
lively. One Of these veins has the
exact appearance of the Connells-
coking coal, and thus has been pro-
nounced by experts to be equal to it.
The grade of the road from the coal
bed to the Il. q @. road is a continu-
ously descending one, which will
make the cost Of transporting coal to
market very small.
The accommodating party, under
lead Of Chief Engineer Sickles and
President Davis, followed UP Dry
Rock and its Candy tributary to the
summit, where the east fork of the
Greenbrier River finds its source
near the Pocahontas line. Thence
we travelled first down and then upa
succession of beautiful valleys, via
Travellers Repose, Green Bank and
Dunmore, through Pocahontas eoun-
ty, over the Greenbrier and down to
the White Sulphur Springs, dis
lance Of $50 miles.
All along the line, except towards
the lower end, rich land, magnificent
timber and easy grades were found.
The distance from Piedmont to
Stony River is twenty.three miles;
Fairfax Stone to Upper Canaan,
twenty-five miles; from Upper Ca
naan to the mouth of Red Creek,
nine miles; from Red Creek to the
Summit, twenty-eight miles-total,
10 miles. From the Summit, be-
tween the waters of Cheat and those
of Greenbrier, two routes southwark
will be examined; one leading to a
connection with the Richmond and
Allegheny railway at Clifton Forge,
and the other leading to connec-
ton with the Chesapeake and Ohio
at the White Sulphur Springs. 1t
was this latter route which our party
passed over, and if routes for rail-
roads are ever indicated by nature
through mountainous country sure
ly this is one. From the summit of
the Allegheny, at an elevation of
3,740 feet above tidewater, to the
White Sulphur Springs, a distance
of seventy miles, there is success
sion of valleys extending in the same
general direction, but with inter-
vening SUBMITS, which, however, do
not present any obstacles to the con-
struction of low grade railroad at
moderate cost. Starting at the
summit, the valleys of East Green
brier, Deer Creek, Knapp's Greek,
Douthara's, Anthony's and How
ards Greeks and the valley s of two
smaller streams unnamed we passed
successfully through-all combining
to present route of most favorable
character for low grade and direct
ness.
The extent of the iron ore deposits
along the line of the road is UNI
known, but from the numerous out
groupings that have been disco wen ed
no doubt is entertained of an album
dant supply of a high grade OF ore
sufficient 10 satisfy al The demands
of the iron masters OF both Wheel
ing and Pittsburgh.
SUMMARY.
slxxe ha O.
miles of the West Virginia Central
and Pittsburgh road will run through
a coal bed of superior depth and
richness. This sixty miles is mostly
covered with timber of extraordin-
airy value, and the soil is mainly fer
tile and lies we'll for profitable cult
walton. Its altitude is high, being
from two thousand to three thousand
feet above the sea, but grass, oats,
potatoes and buckwheat thrive well,
and all the cereals common to the
country grow in moderation. Springs
and streams of the purest water
cool and even exhilerating-abound.
AS grass land it is only excelled by
the limestone region of the lands
further on. The next twenty to
thirty miles is almost a level plateau,
covered with heavy timber, and the
soil is said to be fertile and splen-
didly productive after it has been
exposed to the sun for few years.
In the woods it has the appearance
of being cold and sordid. Going on
to the south we now encounter
heavy deposits of limestone. Here
we come into the cattle region.
Farms of one thousand to five thou
sand acres are being cleared up, and
as the sun breaks through the forests
the blue grass springs spontaneously
at the touch of his genial rays. On
the top of mountain 1900 feet
high the party found hundreds of