Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-12-15
THE WORK IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Colonel SHUTS Researches in the Least
known SecIS0ns OF This state.

Colonel Shuts work in West Virginia
has teen to enable the surrey in addi-
tion to other maps Of forests Of the
State and TO MAKE reports as to the
distribution, classification and value OF
timber forests IS we'll rs the mediums OF
transportation 10 market, both national
and artificial. Before q geological survey
csn be made the topography of the country
nus. be known, the height OF The hills,
trend of the valleys, etc, aud the prelimin-
ary maps Of counties gathered by Colonei
Shut in connection with his reports are
$keIv to be of considerable value in aiding
the luE ographers 20 complete .hIs work.
In rrrfecting these, Colonel Shut put in
five months of travel through the widest
and least known sections OF West Virginia
ami hsd the benefit OF the cooperation o!
men peculiarly fitted TO aid his work
such as Col. Ben Byrne, Of Kanswha, {. N
Dorr, of Webster, Major George II. Motett
of Pccahontss and many others. AS
illustrating the isolated character OF many
of the sections through which he passed he
saws that at a cabin on Flat Top noun
tain, where he stopped to bait his horses; :
the boy who was helping him TO feed, told
him he was the second man he had ever
seen. the other one being his pap.
From this trip Col. Shut returned with
a very ercoursging account of the material
wealth and possibilities Of the State.
semi Won a day or two since his estimate
OF the value OF the timber forest, and his
idea of the easy accessibility OF many sec
tions OF the State, hitherto considered an
accessible, by the use OF the river courses,
which, heading within limited radei, tur,
nish eutlets in all directions. | had hoped
before this to send you the figures on
which his estimates are based, but have
not vet been able to perfect them. 10 the
way of seneralities, his investigations show
that there are about twelve thousand
square miles Of timber forest IN West Nlr-
sinis north of the kanaTha river. About
five hundred square miles OF this IS olacs
spruce, perhaps as dense forest as any IN
Ams rica, the trees ranging from one 1907 10
four in dismeter with sn average elevation
OF ninety feet to the first limb. In this Tor
est besides the yew, there is cherry and
marle. the latter largely curlsd, and beecn
ali of great size. The cherry and maple
are of great commercial value and are so
situsted that they would produce from
;, 600 to $500 feet per acre. Cherry ana
maple extend over 8 much greater area
than black spruce and perhaps occur IN
greater quantities on lower levels emorac-
Ing az lesst 1000 square miles of territory:
over all the balance Of tbe area north oi
the Kanawha white oak is perhaps the
most abundant, but in addition 20 this
there is commercial ash, lynn and other
varieties of birch. beech, sugar and white
maple, hickory and walnut of the finest
Qualities extending throughout the entire
forest. Limestone crops out at the heads
of sil the streams north Of the ksnawha
valley. and with the sandstone above II
furnishes over 2,oCl square miles OF the
finest grazing country in the world. As II
is cattle are now herded in the woods at
furnishing su iuexhausisbie supply 70
herters.