The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-28

Many people with large families have remov-
| ed from the eaiteru parts of MaIachufeus,
Rhode Hand, and Connecticut, into the north
ern parts or the fate of New-YorkS, alrnoH en-.
tirely on account Of the fcarcity Of woodland !;
the farmers, IN general, are anxious to get into
their pofelion whatever woodland thev can.
Offering altnoft any price to obtain 1t having an
idea that IN few years thefe counties bordering
onthe Atlantic Ocean, the Come iicut, Thames,
and many other iinall rivers, will be Obliged 10
have recQurfc to other parts for timber and
| WOOD. and 1t mutt appear evident TO every c-
tzen and farmer, that, in the courie of few
years, thofe counties above mentioned, will be
entirely deititste oftimber and woodland. Il
therefore becomes neceiiary that the citizens Of
thofe fates ihoull take the matter into ferrous
confederation. If there is not mines of coal to
be found IN thefe itstes, which am apprehen-
live there rs, they ought to efabllh regular
trade from Virginia.
! But let us enquire If there are not mines Of
coal TO be found in thefe ftates has any perfon
attempted to dilcover any ? not to nv know
ledge do not at prefent rccollett of hearing
OF any pcrfon finding any thing Emilar to that
OF coal, excepting one inRance, which was about
two years iince the late DIR. Ifaac Andrews of
Berlin (Connccticut), informed me, that rs he
was going up Connecticut river in a fchooner,
that luft below Middleton, the fchooner was o.
biiged, on account of a head wind, to come to
| an anchor, where they had location to tic near
~ two days. On the fecond day the captain of
the ichooner and himfelfwent on fhore on the
eaitern hide ofthe river, where, having walked
| about half mile, they difcovcred kind of coal,
which appeared to be fomething Gnilar to the
Liverpool pit coal. The DR.. being defirous OF
finding whether it was really coal, reiolved to
carry fome pieces back with him, in order TO
lee whether it would burn on putting fome
pieces of IT OH fire of wood he found il to
burn pretty well it being burnt with wood.
ne could not determine how much heat It pro-
duced. The DIR. informed me, that he was We
ry deiirous of returning to fee what quantity of
this coal there appeared 70 be, but the wind
having fhifted to the fouth, they were under the
necefiity ofproceedng up the river. He ex-
Preiled much regret that he had not time to
obferve more particularly this fpot of ground,
as In bis opinion there appeared TO be mine of
this coal.
From this we may conclude, that there is
mine of coal to be found at or about this place,
and perhaps In the various parts of the New
England itates but if this be the cafe, why
have they not been difcovered Why have
not the learned men of thcte ftates paid more
particular attention to this important bulinefs,
which would not only DC 4 benefit to themielves,
but the public in general? to account for the
"eSieS' Vi ioiTnportant dlicovery is beyond
our comprehension, but we are fill in hopes that
there are fone perfons who mill attend mere
particularly to this important bufinefs.
From the iituation of thefc ftates, it appears
necefiary that fome mode of procuring coal, or
fome other fubftances for the consumption of
fire, infead ofwood, ought immediately to be
purified. For this purpoie, fubmit to your
confederation the neceflity of eftsbliihing a re-
gular coal trade from Virginia to the eaftern
ftates which from circumstances, we coniider
highly necefary but from our not being well
acquainted with the fituation of Virginia with
refpeet to coal, whether it abounds with it, or
not, we lhall not determine but leave it for
Tome one better acquainted with the fubie0
We fhall conclude with obferving to you,
that in our opinion, it is of great importance to
the public, particularly TO the eaftern ftates,
that iome necenary means ihould be adopted
In order to carry it into execution. A.
TIE great nersQJe Of population of tbe
/fate Of NezO-1ork Gvit5ia tbeLf ten years baR
may IN truth be aeri6ed TO this eanje the emf
lgrAfi0n from Rhode JRaad and Connecticut has
bee" H'ifo'amonLy great eVitbin that period, and
qve bare reajon to exbea that more than one
third Of The Population as emigrated the .RateJ.