22 EXPEDITION TO THE 



private houses. This will probably ever prevent their be- 

 ing applied to metallurgical purposes. The pyrites not 

 only penetrate the coal and its accompanying slate, but 

 they extend even into the sandstone, to which they in 

 many cases impart a tendency to decomposition, so great 

 as to render it unfit for use as a building stone. To the 

 universal diffusion of this mineral we must attribute the 

 circumstance that the country about Wheeling abounds in 

 mineral springs, strongly charged with sulphates of iron and 

 alumine. Indeed it is a matter of considerable surprise, that 

 with such an abundance of vitriolic matter at hand, and with 

 an inexhaustible store of coal in immediate contact with 

 it, no attempt has as yet been made to derive advantage 

 from it, by converting it into green vitriol, alum, and 

 sulphate of alumine. No doubt can be entertained of 

 the facility with which this might be effected, and of the 

 great advantage which would attend it. There is no place 

 we think, where chemical manufactures of every kind 

 could thrive to such advantage as at Wheeling. With coal 

 mines even in the very heart of the town, with a constant 

 and never-failing navigation, by means of which the pro- 

 ducts of its industry may be sent to a certain market, back- 

 ed by a rich agricultural district to support the excess of 

 its population. Wheeling seems destined to rise to great 

 affluence, becoming in a manner the emporium through 

 which all the commerce between the east and west must 

 pass. 



We were much disappointed at not finding in the rocks 

 as many organic impressions as we had expected ; we could 

 discover no shells in the rocks, though we have reason to 

 believe that the limestone must in some places abound in 

 them. 



In the sandstone there are many vegetable impressions. 



