The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-02
THEKANAWHA VALLEY.
CITY AND VICINITY.
III. Iua.... Coal Field. la pu,u.n ceu..y-rA,
Present oatyut Of the AIs.,-A nile and
Qsarter from DaylIsht-What was
sssn H our Correspondent
Sperial C0rr..Dordenst otth< Inltlliotnetr,

seen H our Correspondent
Speriai Garrapondenss q ne LnielI1neT.
RAYMOND CIrr, W. Va, April 2z-Thil
is one Of the many towns oiyour State tha
you cannot reach in q hurry. But for
tunately for the traveller, Charleston with
its hospitality is good resting place
There, on my arrival Wednesday, l mel
with nothing but the greatest kindness
from Mr.. Willard, Of the Congressional
Committee, Judge Brown, Major Patton
and others.
The Congressional fyht in this district Is
waxing warm and from adyices received by
the committee, the chances for q glorious
Republican victory are good. Outside OF
politics found social circles .astir over the
event Of the season, the presentation by
home talent, Of ''The Danichefis." Taking
into consideration the youth and mex;
perience OF the actors, IL was most enjoy.
able and above the average Of travelling
troupes. But the romance Of all was sadly
strained when the awakening came ut 4 A.
NJ. to take the boat for this place. With
my old friend, Mr.. G. w. Donnally, now
clerk Of the Telephone, l managed TO find
some consolation and reached here bright
and early ready for work.
RAYMOND CITY
Entirely mining town, l found nothing
but the "store" and few houses on the
river, the rest Of the town being three
miles up among the hills. The "store," "
however, makes up in quality OF its mana.
gers what 1t lacks in quantity. Mr.. George
W. Cauley, superintendent Of the mines,
Mr.. W. N. Adams, manager OF the Office,
and Mr.. John W. Good, mine boss,
found to be active, pushing men, and as
kind and courteous as they were energetic
The mines not being in operation l spent
the day looking around and becoming
acquainted. Thirty years ago Andrew Fal.
len, q Scotchman, made small opening
in The front hills, and mined q small vein
OF coal, hauling 1t out on rude sled, the
frat mining at this point. Last month
2s4 00O bushels of lump coal alone was
shipped TO Cincinnati, slight evidence Of
the change that has taken place in this
valley during the past quarter OF century.
The coal field at this point seems 10 be 0
continuation, yet is distinct from the
upper valley. From here towards the west
1t dips at an average OF 80 feet to the mile
till IL is lost at the Ohio river, and on the
north it is lost in the Pennsylvania system.
The Raymond Coal Company own tract
OF 4,500 acres Of land, about 3,400 acres
being assessed as coal land, Of which 5000
acres is Of inferior quality and will never
be worked. OF the remaining 400 acres, in
fifteen years time, but seventy.fve have
been used.
THE RAYMOND WORKS.
These mines are the only ones in this
county, Putnam, at present. but lam in.
formed that New York company has the
option Of 1000 acres Of the same field just
below. here, and purpose commencing
operations next spring. The owners OF
the Raymond, by the way, are New York
men TOO, Frank and William Riggs, though
the operators, Messrs. Florence and 0tto
Marmet, are ol Cincinnati. Under their
pushing management the mines have OBJ.
tained their present enviable reputation.
AS an illustration OF the amount OF work
done here, find that at the last pay day,
alter the rents and store bills had been
taken out, the pay roll amounted to over
$1,000 But we are not at the mines yet
however. Casper Luh and his little engine
took us up among the hills bright and
early Friday morning; around sharp bend
here, over trestle there, now up grade
then down, and always through wild and
beautiful country. Mr.. Good was waiting,
and armed with miners lamp, and i
good lunch, We proceeded TO fight the dark.
ness and commence seven hours tramp.
IN THE MINES.
The ventilation OF this mine I found to
be the same in use along the valley. Two
parallel entries, one leading in from day
light, the other to q furnace near the open.
ing. Up the one empty cars go; down the
other the loaded; and the loaded ones 20
fast down those grades. hung on behind
one for time This special car had more
small coal than anything else, and looking
out for my head, occupied all my attention
and little mora. Not bit sorry was l
when Mr.. Good remarked, 1--WE step off
here" stepped off in hurry. The vein
varying from 81 to 8! feet in thickness
makes walking pleasant in most places
Once and while We found some water and
mud, but not often.
AMLE AND A QUARTER FROM DAYLIGHT.
The miners are big hearted generous
class Of men, and the little picnic we had
at dinner time, mile and quarter from
daylight, and whole mountain above US
will not be forgotten soon. The seam here
is OF semi.cannal coal and the roofing is
bad, q great deal OF timbering being neces-
sary. After leaving the mine the coal Ia
weighed, run over large screens into 4
nearly wedge.shaped basket which, when
filed to certain point, opens by self
regulator and deposits the coal in the car.
The screen separates the coal into its several
kinds, lump, nut, pea and slack Nothing
Is done at the river but dumping into
barges.
THE MARKET.
The market, as before stated, is found in
Cincinnati chiefly for CRATE use, the coal
not being adapted to smelling and other
manufacturing purposes.
While down here l had to live in a small
village called Poca, not named, as might be
supposed, from certain elegant leisure"
but from stream that flows close by, the
Pocatallco. Another wayfarer and myself
found evidences Of thrift in the fact that
the town is inclosed by fence. We got
the run Of the stakes, &C., at last, and right
sorry was ! when bade the good folks Of
Raymond City and Poca good bye.
THEAUGUsrINIANs SOCIETY.