Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-11-16

49, i''N Hoaiity SS the oy.,
but mineral Of the first quality is fon0SS gave
bed ofred clay, under the sand roct a
pieces from ten to five hundred pon Dor, a
weight, on the outside Of " hich is vh ,a'
gold or silver coloured spar or fossil. os 's
bright, eiitterlng appearance, as solid ;.
the mineral itself, and in weight as,hrr. .
two this being taken off, the mineral ):
solid, disconnected with any other spl
stance; Of & broad grain, and what ~;
neralogists call potters ore. When i !"
smtlted in a common smeltirg iufDace ;.
produces sixty per .cerx. and when ae.;a :
snselted III slsg furnace, produces e. o."
per cent. making Clearly smcIted. sew 'a
five per cenr. The gravel mineral !, >;'y
clustated with adead grey substance ~ ~
eighth ot al inchi 10 thckness..-has .n @e
veins OF sulphur through it, and Will ' LAY
produce nnoresthan sixty per cents, vhss
cleaniy smelted, '"sA
When first knew the Mine Barton :.
Il Il year 1897, the French smeIted ,b.;
mineral in stone furnaces, some what s;n
lar to lime.ki!ns. st the bottom thew W.,
floor Of the largest logs to Be found 81 rI
tag smaller on@s round the sides oftbe Gr
mace. In a furnace thus arranged. is ~.
from three TO five thousand pounds weipb,
OF mineral; and FIRE being lighted unGss
the bottom Of the furnace, is kcp, Tn mil
the mineral is entirely snelted, burnt 90
lost IN The ashes. IN this way, each NINE
smelted his own mineral, extracting abou,
three hundred and fifty pounds Of lead from
each thousand pound weight of mineral
But since my works have been established
they have found 1t more advantageous to
sell their mineral than to smell il them.
selves.
In the year t79S, there were twenty
French furnaces but in 1902, one oay
was in use.
The time for working the mines, is from
Augustto December. After harvest the
inhabitants of St. Genevieve and n. Bur.
bon, resort to the mines the rich send
their negroes, and the poor class depend
on the mines 20 furnish them with lead 70
purchase all imported articles. From the
middle of August to the 18th or 10Th Of
december. there are from 40 to. so men
employed in digging mineral: the remain
der Of the year, little mineral is drawn
from the mines, and but few hands employ.
ed. From the year 1898 to 1903 the ave.
rage quantity Of mineral may be stateda
iveShundred and fifty or six hundred rhou.
sand pounds French weight each year;
procured mostly in four months, by not
more than fifty men. The same number
of hands employed the year round, would
produce al least htteen,or sixteen hundred
thousand pounds, making proper allowance
for spring rains. From the extent of the
mines one thousand men might be en-
ployed to equal advantage.
Q. Mine Robuna, two miles east south
sast Of the Mine Button, was discovered
about the same time. This mine has not
been wrought for many years, Until the
last SEASON, few experiments were made
and a small quantity Of mineral raised
The old digglngs are not extensive, altho'
i is said large quantities of mineral were
0flWn irCtn TIE mine O0 It's ilrt discovery
1t is public property, and there is every
reason to believe will be come advantage
Gus when the population ofthe country shah
afford workmea TO open aad work the
mines.
5. Old Mines, SO called, from being dis
covered many years before the Mine
Burton. 1t is said the Old mines were O.
Pened and wrought by Mr.. Ranault about
the year 1926 at the time he explored this
country for the famous Law and COMPANY.
II Is situated fire miles north east Of the
Mine Burton, on the discovery otwhch
twas abandoned; mineral being found "a
abundance at the new mines. The old
mines remained IN this situation until Re-
bruary, 1902 when fifteen French families