Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/394

 374 VIRGINIA The following streams flow into Chesapeake bay : the Potomac, the largest tributary of which is the Shenandoah, and its chief smaller ones Potomac creek, Occoquan river, Broad run, Goose, Kittoctin, and Opequan creeks; the Rappahannock, with its Rapidan and nu- merous other branches ; the Pianketank ; the York, with its Pamunkey and Mattapony branches and many other tributaries ; and the James, with its vast system of tributary riv- ers and streams, including the Chickahominy, Elizabeth, Nansemond, Appomattox, Rivanna, Willis's, Slate, Rockfish, Tye, Pedlar, South, Oowpasture, Jackson's, &c. The S. E. part of the state is drained by the Roanoke and its numerous affluents, of which the Dan and Staunton are the most important, and by the Blackwater, Nottoway, and Meherrin branches of the Chowan, a river of North Carolina. Both the Roanoke and Chowan discharge their waters into Albemarle sound. The sources of the Yadkin are in the Blue Ridge. The Great Kanawha or New river rises in North Caro- lina and flows N. E. through Virginia (where it receives numerous tributaries) and N. W. through West Virginia to the Ohio. The S. W. part of the state ia drained by the forks of Holston and Clinch rivers and nu- merous tributary streams, which reach the Ohio through the Tennessee. In the moun- tain region in this part of the state rise the Louisa, Russell's, and Tug forks of the Big Sandy river, which empties into the Ohio. A geological survey of Virginia was made in 1835-'40 by William B. Rogers, state geologist. The eastern portion of the state ia composed wholly of tertiary sands, clays, and marls, the newer pliocene and deposits belonging to the present epoch being found along the borders of the Chesapeake and the Atlantic ocean ; while further inland strata of the miocene group emerge from beneath these and abut against the highest platform of granite, gneiss, and other metamorphic rocks, the eastern mar- gin of which is defined by a line connecting the lowest falls upon the principal rivers. These falls, which also limit the navigation of the streams in ascending from the sea, mark the sites of the principal cities, aa Fredericks- burg, Richmond, and Petersburg. From Pe- tersburg the dividing line between the two for- mations extends S. S. W., leaving the state in the S. corner of Greenville co. The miocene strata abound in fossil shells, little altered in appearance from those of living beds along the coast, and furnish most valuable material for fertilizing the soil of this region. The meta- morphic belt stretches westward over the sum- mit of the Blue Ridge, and widens rapidly to- ward the south, reaching as far as Grayson and Carroll cos., on the line of North Carolina. This is the metalliferous belt of the state. The formation is similar to that traced through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, and Maryland. One part of this cross- es the James river a few miles above Rich- mond, and terminates a little S. of the Appo- mattox river on the eastern border of Amelia co. In it lie the coal mines of the James riv- er, which are referred to the triassic and Ju- rassic period. The great valley of Virginia, W. of the Blue Ridge, extending through the western counties of Frederick, Shenandoah, Rockinghara, Augusta, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, Smyth, and Washington, to the Tennessee line, con- sists chiefly of lower Silurian rocks, among which the limestones prevail, insuring a fertile soil. On the western borders of this valley the upper members of the Appalachian system of rocks are met with, sometimes, through the effect of great faults, abutting against the lower members of the group. In the North mountains on the W. side of the valley are fragments of the sub-carboniferous rocks, con- taining in places semi-anthracite coal, gypsum, and rock salt. Near these lines of fault are many mineral springs, some of which are cele- brated for their medicinal effects. Among the most noted are the Buffalo Lithia in Mecklen- burg co. ; Orkney in Shenandoah ; Rawley in Rockingham ; Stribling and Variety in Augus- ta ; Rockbridge Alum, Jordan Alum, Cold Sul- phur, and Baths in Rockbridge; Bath Alum, Wallawatoola, Warm, Hot, and Healing in Bath ; Sweet Chalybeate in Alleghany; Blue Ridge, Coyners, and Daggers in Botetourt ; Alleghany, Montgomery White Sulphur, and Yellow Sul- phur in Montgomery; and New River White Sulphur in Giles. Virginia is rich in minerals, which are as yet mostly undeveloped. They comprise gold, iron, copper, lead, zinc, semi- bituminous and bituminous coal, granite, lime- stone, marble, freestone, greenstone, brown stone, brick and fire clays, glass sand, plum- bago, manganese, gypsum, salt, &c. Gold is found in a belt from 15 to 25 m. wide and 200 m. long, extending from Washington to Halifax Court House. Numerous mines have been opened, especially inJTauquier, Culpeper, Spottsylvania, Orange, Fluvanna, and Buck- ingham cos. The value of gold from Virginia deposited at the mints and assay offices of the United States to June 80, 1875, was $1,685,- 279. Silver is associated with some of the gold-bearing rocks of this region, especially the chloritic slate. A variety of iron ores abounds in every natural division of Virginia excepting the tidewater. The great iron belt, in which are found vast quantities of red and brown iron ores, is included in the Appalachian country. On the slopes of the Kittatinny mountains are found solid masses of brown hematite iron ore, extending to unknown depths and presenting the appearance of a thick stratum between the sandstone and limestone rocks that form the mountains. Among the foot hills at the W. base of the Blue Ridge are remarkable deposits of brown hematite or hy- drated peroxide of iron, which extends nearly 300 m. The ore is of the best quality, and is found in beds which often extend unbroken