FARMERS' REGISTER— MINERAL RESOURCES OF VIRGINIA. 



691 



was largely worked prior to the revolution, and 

 the impression prevails that a valuable per centage 

 of gold is contained in thi'. ore. Snch is the fact 

 in regard to a cojiper ore which is now wrought in 

 New Jersey, and analysis might be uscfnlly di- 

 rected to this point with reference to the Virginia 

 ore. Tlie particulars here stated are only a few 

 of what miglit be gleaned from the personal ob- 

 serv^alions oi' intelligent farmers or scientific tou- 

 rists, who have paid attention to the geology of 

 this region, but they are abundantly sutficient, in 

 the mind of your commhtee, to evince the advan- 

 tages which this section of the state would derive 

 from svstcmatic geological and chemical inquirj-. 

 5. Tlie valley of Virginia would oiler a multi- 

 tude of valualjle discoveries, and among them ex- 

 tensive beds of coal would certainly be numbered. 

 Tlie anthracite recently discovered in the counties 

 of Berkeley, Augusta and Morgan, and the ex- 

 tensive mines of bituminous coal of Hampshire, 

 indicate what may be anticipated from minute and 

 judicious research. If we look to the inexhausti- 

 ble deposites of this precious mineral, which the 

 enterprise of Pennsylvania has brought to light, 

 and with which, perhaps, more than any other of! sand f()ld. 

 her vast mineral resources, she is now building j 8. Keeping permanently in view the peculiar 

 up the permanent fiibric of her wealth and power, i practical bearings by which such a survey should 



dences of coal: metallic ores, among which may 

 be enumerated lead and iron, are also (bund in 

 this western region. Here, too, are poured out 

 many of those healing waters to which crowds of 

 invalids now annually resort. In a word, thia 

 portion of the state teems with matters ol' inter- 

 esting inquiry. Yet it is only at a ibw points that 

 its treasures liave been opened up, and but little 

 certain is yet known of their relative arrangement, 

 of their extent, or their c(#nparative value. This 

 vast territory is destined by its mineral riches 

 alone to become at some future day, one of the 

 most prosperous and wealthy districts of the state, 

 and no part of Virginia is more deeply interested 

 in procuring a geological survey. 



7. Besides the numerous points of inquiry al- 

 luded to in the above brief review of our territory, 

 there is one investigation which would be applica- 

 ble to all sections of the state, and which would 

 undoubtedly contribute to the general benefit of 

 our arfriculturc. We refer to a systematic anal- 

 ysis of all the important varieties of soil within 

 the state. This would be a work of great labor, 

 but would unquestionably repay the state one thou- 



with what satisiiiction should we welcome a dis- 

 covery which properly improved, may lead to an 

 equally enviable condition of prosperity in one of 

 the loveliest and richest sections of our state. In 

 this region, the noble ranges of the North and 

 Warm Spring Mountains, with their numerous 

 subsidiaries, would furnish an almost unexplored 

 field to the geologist. Valuable metallic ores, in 

 addition to those already discovered, and new 

 medicinal springs, would here reward his labors. 

 The sandstones, limestones, slates and marbles, 

 yet reposing unbroken in the hills, would all be 

 subjects of interesting observation. He would ex- 

 amine also the rich saline deposite of the caves, 

 and gypsum with which it is sometimes abundantly 

 associated. The beautiful and copious fountains 

 in the Warm Spring Valley, including the Warm, 

 Hot, Sweet, Alum, and other springs, would 



be directed, a proper attention should also be paid 

 to those general and scientific relations, which the 

 progress of the investigation would disclose. In 

 many instances, the generalizations of science 

 would be found of great utility m guiding obser- 

 vation; and the determination of many interesting 

 questions of a purely scientific nature, would be 

 incidental to the practical researches of the geolo- 

 gical and chemical inquirer. The relative ages of 

 all the great formations of the state, might even- 

 tually be made out; the periods at which disturbing 

 causes, at many points, broke up and contorted 

 the stratification, and the relations of the various 

 agencies which have formerly been in operation 

 in our tcrrhory to those now in action, both as to 

 quantity and kind, would all be elucidated in the 

 progress of the survey. The geologists of Europe, 

 are so well aware of the interest that attaches to 



claim his scientific scrutiny. The other waters, ! this portion of the United States, on account of 



such as those of Bath iti Morgfm county, and 

 Augusta, would also be examined. These and a 

 variety of other objects to which geological and 

 chemical inquiry might be profitably directed in 

 this region, have an importance which must give 

 peculiar interest to the prosecution of such re- 

 searches in the great valley of Virginia 



the divershy and extent of its formations, that they 

 are, at this moment, looking with impatient anxi- 

 ety lor som.e sj'stematic effort to unfold its true 

 physical character, and to bring fully, to light the 

 treasures that lie hidden beneath its surface. 



In the execution of the pro))osed geological 

 and chemical survey, your committee would ob- 



6. Beyond the Alleghany we behold a region serve, in conclusion, that the most advisable plan 

 of almost unparallelled natural riches. Here we ' would seem to be, to divide it into two ]iarts: 

 have the vast bituminous coal formation of the ; namely, 1st. A geological reconnoissance of the 

 west, a.s extensively displayed as in Pennsylvania; I slate, with a view to the general geological fea- 

 and in addition, salines and a gypseous formation \ tares of our teri'itory, and to the chemical compo- 

 with which even New York cannot compete. The ! sition of its soils, minerals and mineral waters: 

 immense strata of this region, sweeping with a [ and, 2d. A detailed geological survey of the va- 

 gentle inclination from the 'mountains, extend far 1 rious sections of the state. The first part of the 

 west, until they reach the r>lissis3ippi in nearly plan would possess of itself a separate and inde- 

 horizontal planes. The ocean that once rested on pendent value, would be attended with but little 

 this vast tract, besides the legible impressions of expense, and would furnish to a succeeding legis- 

 his former sway, visible in almost every rock, has lature. the most sal isfacfoiy means of estimating 



left deep in the earth, and in some places extend 

 ing to its surfi^ce. the rice treasures of salt with 

 which his waves were once freighted. In some 

 places, as at Abingdon, this saline matter would 

 appear to exist beneath in massive form. Amid 

 the spurs of the Alleghanies are abundant evi- 



tlie value of a detailed survey, and of deciding or 

 pausing at the point to which we should then have 

 attained, or of ])roceeding directly to the execution 

 of the entire scheme. 



In conformity to these views, and with the ob- 

 ject of advanciaig directly to the accomplishment 



