West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-05-25

taDces from It's present outcrOps,
and the steep sides it gives TO the
hills, make farming impracticabIe.
1t forms the top OF Chestnut Ridge,
Laurel Hill, the main axis Of Back.
bone Mountain, and continues
southwark, thlckening as it goes.
From aoout 200 feet on Cheat River
it increases its thickness to about
1,400 feet, on New River. 1t
makes all the principal waterfalls
in our State, notably the falls on
Decker's Creek, Tygarts Valley
Falls, the Great Falls of Black.
water, and the Falls OF the Great
kanawha. 1t extends through the
counties of Monongalia Preston.
Tucker, Randolph, Webster, Nicho-
las, Fayette, Raleigh. 1t makes
lines of bold cliffs along Cheat
River, Tygart's Valley, and New
River. the Hawks Nest, on the last
named river, being famous. The
Great Conglomerate furnishes the
purest water in the world, and all
towns that are i'm reach of 1T should
be supplied with water from it.
The remainder of West Virginia.
comprising the western two thirds
of 1T, is formed of the coal measures
whose structure is made up of
alternating layers Of shalrs, sand
stones, fire clays and coal seams.
These strata are almost horizontal.
but usually with y small dip to the
west, and as the streams have worn
deep channels in every direction,
tins is known as the chilly region. 4"
AS the strata are almost horizontal.
each sandstone forms bench
around the hills and each inner
vlous layer, az fire clay, has a line
OF springs coming out from it, so
that there are springs almost to the
tops OF the hills. These soft shales
and sandstones weather into deep.
rich soil on the tops of the hills.
but the hillsidcs are often so steep
that the wash after u few plowings
robs them OF almost all their soil.
and landslides often occur, CARRYING
down many acres at once. Pru-
dcnce would indicate that these
should be left covered with vcgeta-
ton, or if cleared, then kept as
pasture lands.
In the northern part of the State
the limestones OF the coal measur,
are numerous and in the vicinity of
Wheeling, of great thickness, being
IN the aggregate 100 feet in thick
ness, and OF sufficient purity for
agricultural purposes. But upon
going southwark it is noticed that
the limestone beds grow thinner
until on crossing the Little Ka-
nawha River they have almost dis
appeared, or are only represented
by marty shalcs, while the sand
stones have corrcspondlngly thick
ened and have grown massive.
This fact makes the country to
the southwark have sharp, ongu-
lar topography, with higher hills,
but lilly suited to farming, such rs
may be seen IN the southern half of
iloane and in Kanawha counties.
But these high hills are covered
with excellent timber, and arc well
adapted for grazing purposes.
For more detailed information in
regard to the coal measures, see
Bulletin Number Go, of the United
States Geological Survey, by Prof.
/. O. White, of the West Virginia
University, in which sections Of the
structure from most Of The counties
arc shown.
1t will be seen from this very
hasty review that we have in this
State four great limestones of the
highest value The Trenton and
Ilelderberg in the eastern part Of
the State, the Mountain Limestone
through tho central and southern
part, and Great Limestone of the
Coal Measures in the northwestern
counties, 50 that materials are at
hand for the repair Of land in every
district.
We have three great saudstones !:
The Medina, The Oriskany and the
Milestone Grit. all forming q rugged
topography and making bold cliffs
and mountains and furnishing o.
cause for the name Of Little Noun.