1884.1 ^^^ [Stevenson, 



Lower Carboniferous or CambroSilurian, while the former are either Silu- 

 rian or Devonian. The Poor valley is that which follows the southerly foot 

 of Clinch mountain from far beyond the Tennessee line north-eastward into 

 Bland county. T/ie Rich valley is that which lies along the northerly foot 

 of Walker mountain, rudely following the Saltville fault to just beyond 

 Saltville. 



The region between Clinch mountain and Clinch river shows many 

 broad "bottoms," and much handsomely rolling land. The immediately 

 underlying rocks are Trenton and Knox in most of the region, but toward 

 the eastern end strips of Hudson and Medina are held in narrow syncli- 

 nals, and form short ridges which are striking features of the scenery. 



Two limestone ridges, Copper and Moccasin, are persistent. 



The whole area is fairly well watered, though in those parts directly 

 underlaid by limestone springs are apt to be uncertain, a.s the waters fre- 

 quently disappear through newly made crevices in roofs of caverns, where 

 they join underground streams, which occasionally break forth with 

 enormous volume. The principal water ways are the Clinch and the two 

 forks of the Holston. The Clinch, rising in eastern Tazewell, drains 

 nearly the whole of that county and Russell with much of Wise. Its 

 important tributaries from the south are the Maiden Spring fork in Taze- 

 well and Copper creek, which, rising in Russell, enters the river in Scott 

 county. The tributaries from the north are numerous, but, with the 

 exception of Guest's river in Wise county, they are very short. Bluestone 

 river and Wolf creek, draining the eastern part of Tazewell, flow to the 

 New river. The Nortii fork of the Holston river rises in Bland county not 

 far east from the Smyth county line and drains the space between Walker 

 and Clinch mountains, with a narrow strip north from Clinch mountain 

 in Scott and Russell counties. The South fork of Holston drains the 

 Great Valley. The Clinch and Holston unite in Tennessee to form the 

 Tennessee river. 



Only the southern part of the area under consideration has railroad 

 facilities. The Norfolk and Western Railway follows the valley ; its New 

 River branch, passing through Pulaski and Giles counties of Virginia and 

 Mercer county of West Virginia, reaches the extreme north-east corner of 

 Tazewell county at the Pocahontas mines ; its Saltville branch extends 

 from Glade Spring to Saltville. A railroad to extend (rom Bristol to the 

 Big Stone gap in AVise county has been graded from Bristol to Mendota, 

 about sixteen miles, but no work has been done on it for some time. 

 Clinch mountain makes very difficult access from the valley to the region 

 beyond, for, in its whole length of more than 100 miles from the Tennessee 

 line to the eastern edge of Bland county, there is but one water gap, and 

 only one wind gap which aftbrds easy grades for a wagon road. The 

 former. Big Moccasin, has been taken for the Bristol and Stone Gap road, 

 and the other. Little Moccasin, has been occupied by a survey for the 

 Norfolk and Cincinnati Railway Company. This is a difficult pass for 

 railway operations, but Mr. Oramel Barrett, Jr., has succeeded in locating 



