West Virginia: Its Farms and Forests, Mines and Oil-Wells

by J. R. Dodge, Kenneth R. Bailey (Introduction)

Overview

West Virginia: Its Farms and Forests, Mines and Oil-Wells celebrates the state of West Virginia. Originally published in 1865 as a series of studies on mineral resources, observations on agriculture, and interviews with businessmen, West Virginia details the industrial statistics, terrain, and population of a state during its infancy. With no record of natural wealth or reported transactions of agriculture or geography prior to this overview, West Virginia sparked the curiosity of non-residents, enticing investment and settlement through descriptions of abundant natural resources and an agreeable industrial condition. With an introduction by Kenneth R. Bailey, this new edition reminds us of the state’s alluring beginning and rich, yet often exploited development.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935978114
Publisher:	West Virginia University Press
Publication date:	10/01/2011
Series:	West Virginia Classics , #1
Edition description:	1st Edition
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jacob Richards Dodge (1823-1902) was born in New Boston, New Hampshire. He was the first statistician for the U. S. Department of Agriculture. When he began his work he had one clerk and when he retired in 1893, there were sixty. He became known for his ability in gathering and presenting statistics. The government sent him on two trips to Europe to observe how other countries gathered data and to share his knowledge. He was given responsibility for compiling agricultural statistics for the Tenth Census in 1880 and in 1889 he was recognized by the international community of statisticians when he received a gold medal at the Paris Exposition for his illustrations of agricultural statistics. After retiring, Dodge became an editor of the Country Gentleman and wrote numerous articles and books. He died at age eighty at Nashua, New Hampshire.

Kenneth R. Bailey is Professor Emeritus at West Virginia University Institute of Technology, where he served as Dean of the College of Business, Humanities and Sciences.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

preface 1

Chapter I West Virginia

Cradled In Convulsion

A Sturdy Race

Old Jealousies

Reorganization

New Laws

Finances

Her Boys In Blue 3

Chapter II Original Settlement

Where Virginians Emigrate

Tobacco And The Blue Laws

Lands

The "Tomahawk Right."

How The Pioneers Lived

Getting Married

Progress

Population 16

Chapter III Location

Value Of Lands

Stock Growing

Fertility

No Waste Areas.

Comparison With Maryland, Minnesota, And New Hampshire 31

Chapter IV Climate

Altitude Temperature.

Rain-Fall

Salubrity

Scenery 44.

Chapter V Topography And Statistics Of Counties

The Valley Group 57

Chapter VI Survey Of Counties Continued

The Mountain Group 66

Chapter VII Survey Of Counties Continued

The "Panhandle." 73

Chapter VIII Survey Of Counties Continued

The River District. 84

Chapter IX Survey Of Counties Continued

The Kanawha Valley. 93

Chapter X Survey Of Counties Continued

The Southern Group. 103

Chapter XI Survey Of Counties Continued

The Central Group 107.

Chapter XII Statistics Of Production. 119

Chapter XIII Internal Improvement

Roads And Turnpikes

Slackwater Navigation

Ohio And Chesapeake Canal

Baltimore And Ohio Railroad

Other Railroads. 127

Chapter XIV Mineral Wealth

Coal. 136

Chapter Xv Iron

Salt.Limestone

Other Minerals. 143

Chapter XVI Petroleum.Its Wide Distribution

Discovery In West Virginia. 149

Chapter Xvii How Originated

Popular And Unpopular Theories. 156

Chapter XVIII Where Found

How To Find It. 161

Chapter XIX Uses.Quantity Used. 173

Chapter XX Well Boring

Oil Distillation.Refining. 178

Chapter XXI The Era Of Oil Wells

The Burning Springs District

The Little Kanawha. 185

Chapter XXII The Hughes' River Region

Oil Run Of Goose Creek

Horseneck And Cow Creek. 192

Chapter XXIII The Central And Northern Oil Region. 199

Chapter XXIV The Great Kanawha Oil Basin.

The Valleys Of The Guyandotte And Big Sandy.

Chapter XXV Petroleum Companies Of West Virginia.

Chapter XXVI Petroleum Prospects.