Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-26
Coal, Coke and lron---A 6rsai
Reservoir Of Undsyslorsd
Wealth.
Marvellous Timber Growth d
Vest Virginia Waiting tor
Market.
Riches OF a Gigantic Character
Unfoidsd.-- Most Eaten
sive Article on the
States Resources.

or rather DfOuRn Nest NhSin
il, Eastern Kentucky and East TENNESSEE
is beginning to attract deserved attention
and inquiries are coming in which call fol
more specific information. In order tc
meet this demand and to further elucidats
the Of the great undeveloped ter
ritory lying between the Appalachian
range and the valley OF the Ohio, the fol
lowing interview with Mr.. George 7,
Stearns has been secursd:
"In q previous interview you referred in
general to the coal deposits OF the great
section of country which you have e1
plored. Will you be kind enough to elab
crate your statements on that point, and
give me something more Of the particu
lars?"
ut is a popularity OF this section that
as we 60 south
The Veins Of Coal
increase in number and richness"
How do they present themselves
The Goals Of West Virginia are divided
by q peculiar formation or bench OF sill
ca, above which are four seams, including
tie famous Pittsburgh seam. As we r
south the seams increase in umbe and
quality, for in the southern section OF the
State seams are seen above the water level,
which, in the north, disappear in passing
under the Ohie valley"
How many seams have been discov'
eyed?"
NProf. Ansiesd stated from personal OBJ
seryations and explorations that in the
eastern part OF the coal district there are
fourteen seams, all OF them workable.
Some of these veins run seven and eight
feet in thickness, and are reported upon
by Mai. Campbell, who is agent for the
Board Of Public Works, and who was the
engineer in charge OF the State surveys,
who says they are
Even Create In Thickness
than the above figures. He reports that at
Camp creek, on the Elk river, so miles
from Charleston, the twin splint vein is
IL feet thick, and that on the opposite side
of The river il is u feet thick, while the
M measurements are similar at Pisgah creek
and at Clay Court House. All OF those are
above grade
Then you consider the coal deposits
there as something remarkable !"
"a deposit which N in the
neighborhood of Clay Court House and in
creases in quantity as we work south
through the Coal river valley and eastern
Kentucky can fairly be termed wonderful
in its characteristics. | allude to the can.
mel coal, which is unbounded in its guam.
tity and is described by Prof. Ansied as
.peing the most valuable OF Goals for the
making OF gas. 1t has q very high gas pro-
ducing power, and its power OF illumina.
ton is remarkably great. 1t is quite equal
TO our best English coal for gas, and
/ should think the better quail
tiles Of it are superior to
Our Qualities of Coal.
say the Wigna camel, which has always
been regarded as the most useful and vala-
able of the camel Goals which have been
exported. There is one coal, which 10
hardly a coal, either, found in Scotland,
called the bog head, a sort Of shale, con-
tanning an enormous quantity Of gas, which
yields. perhaps, l,OO9 cubic feet of gas more
a ton than any ether camel known. That
is the only exception. This would, |
think, compete with the Wigan coal, which
has been used generally in New York and
in the large cities on the coast. This coal
could be transported TO any place on the
eastern coast on terms much more fayOra.
bic than any English coal at the present
time. There is no doubt about that. This
is a most valuable opinion
What is the extent of this camel de.
posi- ."
This camel deposit, which is first found
in seams of about TWO feet in thickness,
increases as it progresses south along the
line of this proposed road 80 that in South
ern West Virginia and in Kentucky the
seams are found four, five, six feet in thick.
ness, and are reported by the geological
survey OF Kentucky, made under the d.
rection Of Prof. Proctor,
As Being SIN Thicker"
What will be the commercial results
flowing from this deposit?"
LAS this coal can successfully compete
with English and Scotch c%annels, and, by
reason Of its great value in increasing the
richpess Of gas, and, as il will stand trans
portstiou by water to the inland cities, and
by rail TO the eastern cities and towns Of
the Atlantic coast, with a plentiful sup
ply, the demand for consumption must
vastly increase"
This coal will then be used differently
from what it has been In the past, will il
not?'
The cannels OF England and Scotland,
having a restricted supply by reason Of
their small deposits, have been used here
tofore as merely a fancy CRATE fuel. The
famous vsin OF the Duke Of Hamilton is
only l3 inches thick"
You believe that a quick and heavy de-
msnd for this coal is probable"
Open 10 the market OF the country 1t
would seem that the demand for this com
modify must reach very large figures, and a
abroad through this section will present
the singular anomaly Of a coal tonnage go.
ing in both directions; south TO reach the
waters of the Kanawha for distribution
throughout the valleys OF the Ohio and
Mississippi; and north, seeking the mar
kets Of the eastern States and the lakes"
"Mr. Stearns, you seem to rely q great
deal upon the testimony Of Prof. Ansted
Why 90 you quote him so confidently
For these reasons: The statement
quoted from him were sworn testimony,
gwen before the Window congressiona
OF which Senators Window.
CopkIipe. Sherman and other distinguish
ed legislators were members. Prof. Anster
is recognized as one OF the first mineral
oeists OF the word, who gave his testi
mony after a persistent inspection and
study OF most Of the coal and iron deposits
OF the world. He is an entirely disinter
ested suthority, aud this Is the more
marked in view of the fact that he is ar
Eli glishman, and he gives testimony as TO
the greet wealth OF the American field,
whose productions necessarily
Antagonixe Those Of His Own COun.
cry"
Are there 0 American authorities TO
substAntiate these statements of Professor
Anstedy"
ooh, yes. There are those OF Professor
Rogers, whose testimony was cited IN your
former article. There 10 also the corrobo
rstive evidence of Professor Lesley, OF
Pennsylvania. Professor Daddow, who
claims that, on the dividing ridge between
the waters OF the great and little Kama
whs, there are fourteea veins developed.
and In all probability these are all below
the Pittsburgh SEAM Then there Is the
testimony OF Dr.. David Dale Owen in tbs
same direction, Professor Andrews, OF the
geological survey OF Ohio, the more recent
investigations OF Professor Shaler, OF Har.
ward College, who vas formerly chief OF
the geological survey Of Kentucky. and oil
Professor John X Proctor, Tho now holds
that position. These and q host OF othees
can be cited, which are authorities on These
points" .
"whst has been written concerning thii
regionr"
Fin addition to the documents referred
to in the previous article, there was 90
eIsborsie. - sy on this subject which ap
ptared in Harper's Magazine for June, 1881
written BY Edward Atkinson