Norton High School - Tendrils Yearbook (Norton, VA)

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BLACK DIAMONDS Not only the people of Wise County but people scattered all over the world enjoy some of the necessities and luxuries of life made possible by coal. During recent years research chemists have discovered that coal will yield an unlimited number of useful by-products. Because of this fact, it has been prophesied that in ten years coal will be too valuable to burn. ln Wise County, coal is such a common commodity that perhaps many of its people no longer realize their extreme good fortune in having a supply of the King of Resources which will, at the present rate of consumption, last at least lUUU years. Coal has a truly fascinating and romantic story centered about its mag- ical formation which began about 350 million years ago. At one time Wise County was a mere swamp. lts damp, sweltering cli- mate stimulated -the growth of luxuriant vegetation to such an extent that it sprang up even in the short period of one day. The plants were so matted and impenetrable that they would discourage even our most modern explor- ers. Violent storms occurred quite frequently. These storms were so de- structive that plants and giant trees were blown into the water. Rivers raged on the mountain sides. These swift torrents carried ton after ton of loose rock and dirt down upon the bountiful vegetation. This process continued until the plants were covered, not by one, but by several layers of dirt and rocks alternated with layers of vegetation. Thus we can see that the layers of vegetation had a great deal of pressure upon them. Because of this tre- mendous pressure, a chemical change resulted in the slowly decaying lay- ers of vegetation which produced the midnight black substance we today call coal. This period of coal formation continued forabout one hundred million years. Then a period of chaos possessed the earth. During this epoch the val- leys and mountains were formed but were shifted from one location to an- other until they came to their final resting places. The earth shrank in size because of a decided decrease in its temperature. The coal beds of some sections were raised, while others were lowered. Some of the precious beds were crushed and lost by the onslaught of the more highly developed rock formations. Fortunately, for the citizens of Wise County and the surround- Page 2