WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



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to 1897. According to Mr. B, F. Armstrong, of Ripley, steam 

 saw mills were brought to the interior of the county about the 

 year 1870. At least 1 steam saw mill was in operation in the 

 river valley in 1847. Between 1870 and the completion of the 

 Ripley branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in 1888 the 

 steam saw milling consisted largely in the cutting of cross-ties. 

 These were floated on the creeks and caught in the booms at 

 their mouths. After the extension of the branch railroads up 

 Mill creek to Ripley, at the date given above, and up Sandy 

 creek 4 years later, many portable saw mills were put in opera- 

 tion and the lumber manufactured by them shipped from Rip- 

 ley, Evans, and other stations. The several saw mills now in 

 operation saw cross-ties and a little lumber in the winter and 

 thresh grain in the summer and fall. No band mills have 

 operated at any time in the county. 



The cross-tie industry has been extensive for 20 years, and 

 many were cut before that time. About 75,000 ties were cut in 

 the county in 1909. In 1908, 150,000 were cut, and not fewer 

 than half a million went out during some single years preceding 

 this. 



Much of the good white oak was manufactured into split, 

 bucked a,nd sawed staves. The staves were floated or hauled to 

 the Ohio river and there were sold to the coopers of Parkers- 

 burg and other cities. It is stated that as many as 75 teams 

 could often be seen in a day hauling staves on the Ravenswood 

 road. The staves were hauled from far in the interior and fre- 

 quently 2 or 3 days were required to make the trip. Merchants 

 frequently bought staves and shingles, paying for them with 

 goods or cash. 



Boatbuilding has been the leading industry at Murrayville 

 since the year 1837. An historical sketch which appeared in 

 the Jackson Herald of February 4, 1910, is interesting not only 

 in outlining the progress of this early enterprise, but also in 

 throwing light on the primitive methods of lumber manufacture 

 in that locality 70 years ago: 



''In the fall of 1837, Elijah Murray and Capt. Wm. Hicks 

 bought the land now occupied as the boat yard, and comprising 

 the upper part of the town, for the purpose of carrying on the 

 business of boat building, and in the spring of 1838 commenced 



