1908 - Onyx Found in West Virginia

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Roanoke Times - April 1, 1908

Onyx Found in West Virginia

   It is known to but few that the finest quality of onyx is amount 
the treasures buried in the soil of West Virginia. But such is the 
truth and a company was organized more than a year ago to dig this 
valuable product out of the ground and market it. By means of options 
and out right purchases, a company, composed principally of Columbus 
(O.) men, has managed to secure control of about 12,000 acres of land 
in McDowell, Logan and Mingo counties along the Norfolk and Western 
railway, and is already preparing to install machinery on its 
holdings. Engineers made a quiet investigation of the territory and 
the promoters, equally as quietly, got control of every acre of land 
which it is believed will produce onyx before any announcement was 
made of the discovery. But now, having nothing to lose by publicity 
and having sold every share of its stock, it has no further desire to 
keep the find a secret.
   The onyx is found embedded in solid sandstone, and its coloring is 
said to be remarkable. Samples have been taken to the large dealers 
in New York and Boston and all of them pronounced it better than the 
Mexican product.
   Contracts have already been made to dispose of the entire product 
of the mines. The company is congratulating itself on its coup in 
securing control of what it believes to be all the "onyx land" in 
this section of the country.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link