Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-06-26
Trip To the Coal Mines.
NO. n.
Nip-LorHIAN Coal PIrs, CuI,rARriKIp oouxry

and' shall now descend aud talk Of the lowlands Tn
view am about to describe is the fret ever had of tn
Goal Mines around Richmond. have never been, how
ever stranger TO their actual existence and location an
the value they the commercial mechanical and Gen
Graz business OF the city; had that personal know
ledge OF the operation OF cosLmnng necessary To form
correct opinion, until made thus visit. may speak Incl
dsn'aily OF other mines 90 along but shall eon6n
my-elI more particularly to the midlothian.
Alter having taken ,nnoT with the President of IN,
company dressed IN style TO perfectly original an,
descended into tho Pits distance over seven hundres
rect NO one has any conception Of the apparently peril
Gus attempt IN going down these shafts until he has expc
eeeed It, The distance and the descending are tru
irishuul But the operations day occurrence
"l'hoGt accident, and feel perfectly safe in
where others CO. on whom you rely NV abon
had very often partially prepared FOR the safe of thing,
Ia 'oal mhes which saw here but real and an magi.
nary state ct things totally different La PASSING nn
the various channel and routes BY the aid OF lamps YOU
experience natural restraint your FEELINGS and sn
cete awe ct mind that is altogether pleasant m.
goominc's ut the place and ke dread silence of the
mske one sometimes feel truly his hsplcssncss Bu ,bc
Is no danger and no terror IN tho place IL the feeling
OF the novice. unniaej in such scenes and soon
| away, TO give room to more pleasant rcfe lions.
Along all the channels lanps are hung ma, ,h.
walls to afford the necessary light work aud travel bv
The cars drawn by mules always rapidly passing and
rcpEssing and from the place where the Coz. - ~ Ls
shafts RaI> are laid down upon all the main routes. and
the cars drawn by from above where il Is necessary
aud mules underneath, except down inclined planes and
there they choose TO 20 themselves, without any bojy
help. The mules iaen while in the Pits; they are The
healtheSt, plumpes and best Looking ANNA of The md
ever saw ne operatives all look well
WELL which very good evidence that the place instead
ct being uniavorable health Just the reverse The
Pits are perhaps tue bestNentised IN world The diff
cfcnt channels through which the
passes out OF the shafts embrace circumference of abpt
eight miles IL at the one hundred foe, ,v
seconds which a traction over eight rnn,.s ~ ,b
mile IL Is Kept IN rarited by sx foot furnace
which consumes ity bushels OF coal every - hours
Tho Pit Is unusually dry Tor deep and extensive
The superinendence Of the mines - under tb, Dire
ton OF Mr. Thomas Marshall whom they coll ssme,,n,,
the Judge" lie takes great delight this avoeation
and is every way competen, TO discharge duties He
mas oeen IN THIS business since he eleven years
age-having served his time IN the Pearcey Main Mines
near New Castle, upon Tyne, the County of Nortbum
berland, IN England, with the celebrated John BudSIs
Either his aiGs himrclf make daily visits 70 every p,
and OF the mines with the Davy Safety Lsmp 10 So.
whether tao Pit Is free from passed myself in the
two Gays was down with NJ NJ. and his aids 10 every
department OF the mnes without experiencing the least
Inconvenience. The greatest 10 prevent the ps
from becoming foul and taking fire Is exercised Cne Thing
i reduced dead cerainty-all persons here are
OF the coOr-the GumbOs look lust ~ white "a the
pale faces Hound when had nseended the top and had
fair view OF myself that ringsucaked and .peck-
led ana those varieties made OF many shades and
many colors.
At many Of the excavations made for coal slate
rock has becn found which exhibit impressions of fish
iern bark and knobs OF wood in abundance. There
strong evidence TO believe that the circumference in which
TINS coal IS located was once lake. This subject how
am not here disposed discuss. They were bo.,
ing IN various parts OF the Pits while was down Tbs
eSp.ositoas sometimes grand and terrific aud SHOOK
the earth with power, while the er
mines. The aborers have each their proper duty 10 Ds
orm-somc employed TO dig eoasome to blast roek
and others 70 attend upon the shafts h and manage the
cars, &c There about hundred in a-mn,tc a,
OF Americana English, Scotch, blacks and slaves
Though politically and naturally there is 4 difference in
these operatives tub here on ts own hot
tom-but when they OF the Pits they assume 10
each other their proper attitude. The blacks in these
pits az respectable, and make money for
and children. Il Is pity that great number of the free
blacks IN the State will cannot be made 10 FOLLOW
suit instead OF being pauPers the Of these
ID rod Fh n.
ter at home, and after wasting 80 As an experiment
begged back, which he finally did al the ,,
OF 'ne President OF the Company Many Of the slaves
ay up SOU per annuin Tor work done Of regular
hours This should teach Of those abolition biatber
sixties al the North thai many OF stories are too biz
Tor this region altogether They won't go down any ,,y
The worst slaves IN the South the who own them
The President OF the Company, Maj Woodbridge is NOT
annoyed and harlssed tor respectable minister 10
preach the Gospel 10 his people, District Attorney r.
Butler Sandy Hll-or has three or four Of ,her
The colorcd operatives have meeting house ad Church
organized here On Sabbath last three prOessed 10 have
new hearts and new hopes" and to be ''bued
IN baptism The place in a high degree moral and or
deTy, and affords conclusive evidence that oil we need %
change the whole aspect OF affairs this State and 10 ,
ter our condition. - the WILL 10 change our WAYS.
The midlothian Mines have been operation pe.iodi
eay about eleven years They have four shafts sunk and
slhNlng-bu a. yet only two employed IN getting out
the Coal Inc Coal Is said be- for all practical puposes
equal and tor many superior Coal IN Euron m
america ms Is the opinion OF Professor Slliman and
other distinguished Chemists and those who are daily using
Coal IN the large Establishments our own and Nor,b
ern and Eastern States They and bring into
market over million Of bushels per year The auon
uy shipped by oil the Mines IN this neighborood from the
Civ per annum, Is about 3OU00OO OF bushels and yaued
at S5'oOOO The amount OF vessels in constant employ
eni IN tins business about oTty with tonnage OF say
Tour thousand and employing two hundred and
seventy hands This subject requires ltte examination
and solicit attention 10 u.
The amount Of capital cmployed in nil Tho Nine. ,-J
Richmond s from twelve fifteen hundred thousand dol
lars The value OF the Coal worked out per annu l. from
S45O,OOO 10 S5OO,OOO. The the Midlothian Com
eNpCud labor.
ducts. &c &e amounts S75OeO and the rest to 5000
oOO' making IN oil S275OOO. This money IL distributed
IN tue city OF Richmond among all kinds Of business and
professional men-in the country the farmers poor f.
males and mechanics for work. and over eighteen hun
GREG persons VINO are directly and indirectly dependent up
on 'he OPeTauon Of these Mines for subsistence. Allow
that there are 2jOOOOO invested and around Richmond
ln such manufactures require the Of Coal and t,
their products amount S2OOOUOO per annur and
That they distribute yearly their ten thousand men "a
men and children, who directly or Indirectly depend po
them Tor existence. SOO0OOO what must be the aoiu,
os to all ciasst the city large and the county, by the
soPpage Of these Mnes7 Tie Coal Mines around Ricb
mond keep M active operation capital Of $50 600 900
over the union and constitute the bgent the sup
port oi one hundred thousand pers1us-uear one seventh
Of the entire white population Of the State.
The commerce OF the city alone - indebted for ~ p,.
Periy 10 these Coal Mines than IL - possible 10 ,
euae-yet you are told by that concern tho Enqurer that
the men who are engaged IN these mining Operations are
expressing the people ~ and around city wonder #
every man, woman and child IN this neighborhood veud
o inc sacn ROBBERY and oppression a. these Mines nfct
continued oil their vesi Now | wish 10 show h,, ,ho |
ohon ana enquirer the Editors Of which been the
most IN their professions Of friendship ard
devotion 10 the interests Of this city and State ebrr vii
ngy deceive or are Themselves deceived There IL no
hng now many houses have been put Up in the CITY oC
hIehmond and vicinity from uuds arising out Of these Pit.
NOV" many hrms m the many departments Of business
depend decy or indirectly upon these Mines TO carry on
Their operations and for support. The amount Of capital
winch they put IN motion several millions and the num-
Der OF persons directly indirectly depending on them NAV
be put down in round numbers al ten thousand 80,
man VINO knows any thing Of the present md the one
proposed in cu Of %, knows that while the former law
duty OF slIJ ton, and s hardly sufficient 10 make Min
ing profitable business, the duty which tho prop o. one
ays'Oi mfeo cents busbe, will aud must PROSTATE the
BUSINESS checu1ly Should the proposed tsnf pass IL
wouo DC more destructive 10 the prospects Of every man
ihan me overthrow by eonhlgraon, Of ono half Of Inc
city. " "'
In 1871 and ~ whom the English we're s-,go, I
their coal 20 the United States by ship loads f,o ,t
license afforded by the Compromise Tariff tho prs and
yafa' Ut tho cool mines Boz Richmond and BE- vicinity ve
groaninR with abundance, and one was willing or sbc