Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-09-10

VII, 'orsake MIN. A VIRGINIAN.
August 25, $780,
and M pt" has :sd that the old Federal
new converts to Federal doctrines. s " " - "'s
THE GOLD REGIONS.
knowing no man in Virginia. who il so capabl. q,
giving the information which desired upon the Gu.
tious Problem OF the Gold Mines OF Virginia than AR
John Lewis of Spousyvsna, we addressed ourssIvss
to that gentleman--and have received from him the
following interesting Descr ton We hasten TO Law il
before our readers-Mr. Lewis is the author Of those
admirable chronological Tables, which shed srch a
Hood OF light upon the Theory of Languages and az
ford such tine facilities in their acquisition These
an,es nave been recommended in The highest terms
oy the Professors in the University of Virgnis-We
mention these circumstances for the purpose of show
ing 10 gentlemen at distance, that the foowip Expo
stion ls from the pen OF scoIist but of man
'aieh's are eminently entitled 10 the public attention
TO TIE EDITOR OF TIE ENQUIRER
LLANGoLLEN, Aug. 2Otb, 1890
DEAR SIR Your enquiries in relation 10 The Cold
Mnes IN spousyvania, reached me jus, as my School
had come together, and was engaged in arranging
and organizing the little corps for the performance of
their duties, aud the prose cuon of their studies Th,
WI, know, be deemed by you sufficient apology for
Of this answer. f"
Gold in pieces from specks barely percepbe TO the
eye' through the intermediate gradaons up to such az
weigh 30 and 40 pennyweght is exten,iyelv
over strip oil land, passing through this county and
ehers on the surface, and within four feet of The
face in stratum Of disntes and r gusrly .bsp
he me al
being not nnirequeny Incorporated with pieces of the
quartz. The earth through which The stratum of
quartz generally passes, luminous variousy
ny e prevailing mineral and The degree If color de-
pendng on that OF the oxydation Of the mineral On
the bills and steps, the earth beneath the mere vegeta
Die decomrosed matter, 10 dark red or yellowisb
IN me streams and rvulets suval sand and earth of
all colors, from the heghborng hills mingled with
vegetable mould, covers tho stratum of ousTtz which
10 there generally found in blue clay, and in decom
posed state The richest strata found resting upop
he oata and
From such places much Gold is obtained. Although
Gold oil this character is extensively diused and is
'ounu therefore, on many farms. over large surfaces
yet incline TO think II is so hiniy sprinkled that We
ny lew places will he found, at which will he worth
The iaborr and expense Of separ alton from The coil by
any practice be process To separae cent. wor h Of
Sold (snd this might be done ten or dozen
farms near me from FIVE six bushels of sand ou,rz
ana clay, would be like the process described in an
old book, written by Mr.. Gabrie, Plates, in l73s.
Which begins thus: Wherein il showed how true and
man; thus | wrought, &C." But Esc places have
been found and other t,c no doubt will be whsre the
Gold sufficiently abundant in lie proportion to Other
matter with which il IL mir ged 20 Justify IN, ecn,ra
uon IN some instances with fair profit on the capt.
lSi invested in very few others. with very great
profit. or these "surfdee Mines (of others shaI
gay 'oms'hing before st go your button. you have
lsr'y given me hold on it,) in actual operation there
are 'nree only, OF which Know any thing. Many
o'her mere experiments and reconnaissance are get
ng IN me 'cGy ard ont Of the ,ody Of operation in this
.
W mites, Taylor's, and Richards of New York and
'oohwin's-In Louiss, Boxley's ard Burru.s The
present method OF working IL the same al all of them
ne EARN IL dug m and carried the stream
anu htowh on seive OF wire, perforated wheel
toh' placed IN one end of sami. cylindrical trough
canoe about eight or ten feet long fixed IN pivots
the ENDS, 80 as TO rock like cradle ette Of water
s on The earth in the seive, and passes through the
Whoe length oil the washer carving of all substsnce
nght enough TO swim, held in solution hy the water
the heavier substances LETT the larger on the seine
ana u any Gold, il is and taken up-when the
ssve becomes inl OF pebbles IL il taken off 10 be ex-
ahmed and en- pied The smaller heavy substances
pass through The seye with the water 10 the bottom of
vac canoe or washer, where il subsidies, and any Gold
detained and forms an amalgam with quicksilver, de
posted IN The bottom OF the washer, and kept from
gong out at the farther end, with the muddy water by
'ran'v@tse lodges fastened in the bottom of the wash
err The Gold thus found is then either pie.
ces in their native state taken of the seiye
or finer or rather smaller PARTICLES caught bv
me mercury-and, therefore, in the form Of ANAL
(which is easily separated by heat evaporang and
RECOMMENDING Tor use again the mercury. About three
iourths o. the Gold Obtained ia in the amagsm At
a. the last month. the quantities and proper
IONS were-nstvs Gold from the selves 1872 dwt and
oI dssiccated or distilled amalgam, 1881 dwt.-otal
believe that the labor employed expense; incurred,
&C. at these surface Minis, nearly alike and m
he nearly apptoxmaied from one datum the number
OF washers employed ] am acquainted with the de-
tais at Johnsons, and will give them "Er ,tno disco
Omnes"
Fixtures, Dams, Log Houses, Cart
horse Tools, $500 90
Labourers, three men, two BOYS, one
woman, superintendent, food sc. 1853 90