WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



255 



all points along the river and in many sections in the interior. 

 Staves that were bought in the hilly sections were often floated 

 down the creeks and runs and were loaded with those from the 

 valley in barges at the river. Most of the staves were sold to 

 Poston Stave Company. Stewart, Morrison and Company, and 

 other coopers, made a large number of salt barrels at Winfield, 

 Poca and other places, during the days when the Kanawha river 

 salt furnaces were flourishing. 



An extensive sawed stave industry was carried on by D. G. 

 Courtney of Charleston, approximately from 1885 to 1900, with 

 mills at Eaymond City. Large quantities of oak growing on 

 Pocatalico river and its tributaries were manufactured by him 

 into oil barrel, firkin, tub and beer keg staves and shipped to 

 Holland, Austria and other European countries. He also manu- 

 factured lumber and cross-ties during the same period. 



The cutting of cross-ties and hoop-poles began early and 

 continued for many years. Merchants bought cross-ties, just 

 as they did staves, and shipped them in barges or by rail. This 

 practice is stiU kept up t© some extent. 



Much oak and poplar VN-as cut and taken out in the log for 

 ship timber between 1870 and 1900. Hanley Brothers were the 

 chief purchasers of logs for this purpose. 



The rafting of logs to Huntington, Ironton, Cincinnati and 

 other points was an important feature of the lumber industry 

 for many years. Black walnut was taken out, principally in the 

 log, on the river and by rail. 



Portable saw mills have been operating in the county for 

 40 years or more and have had a large share in the reduction of 

 the timber stand in all sections. Much of the oak was sawed 

 into export and car stock, the latter going principally to the 

 car works at Huntington. 



Merchants bought and shipped considerable tan bark 25 

 years ago and some was bought by other purchasers. A quantity 

 of bark was sold also to a company which loaded it on a boat 

 provided with machinery for grinding and pressing it into 

 cakes of a convenient size and shape for shipment. 



A few portable mills are still operating irregularly, some of 

 which manufacture cross-ties and others lumber. 



