Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-11-09


begin to defend and justify slavery. Some
Southern men have complained of our course
but none have attempted TO reconcile slavery
with political economy We are prepared fol
them, whenever they do make the attempt.
GEo. FIrZHrGH.
><-0-p -
[PAPER NO. 3. ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS.
RICHMOND, OR TIDE-WATER COAL
FIELD.
OPERATIONS IN VARIOUS PARTS or TIE FIELD
PAST AND PRESENT.
Ii would not answer our present purpose tC
20 back one hundred years or over, and trace
up the mining operations in this coal field,
from the earliest TO the present time. even il
we could obtain reliable or interesting informa-
ton. McClcnc's map. representing it in 1917.
differs but little from the prevailing notions OF
to-day, though evidently wrong; yet, consider
ing the limited means of information then at
hand. it was creditable production We
find in our ramblcS through various parts of
the formation, evidences of coal mining opera
tons which must have been performed over
one nchundrcd years ago, Judging from the size and
age of the forest trees which now cover those
old places The first regular mines, however,
may he referred to about lS00, and the first
1910. From 1920 commences q respectable
coal trade both for expectation and home con-
sumption, and for many years subsequent this
coal was exclusively used for the manufacture
of cannon in this country, and at one time. for
! the manufacture of gas. Other regions have
been developed since, and mining operations
pushed on with energy, until the dignity of a
great coal trade have attached to their produc-
tions 4 superior value which, more than intrin-
sic merit have superseded the Goals Of Virginia
Indeed, owing to the instability and limited
extent Of our operations, no dependence could
or can be placed on the production of our
mines. In 1870 no coal of any note was used
either North or South, but that from the Chcs
tcrficld coal mines. In 1922 nearly 10000
tons of Richmond coal were exported, while in
the same year. only 3.130 tons Of anthracite
were sent to market, and probably not more
than 200 tons of coal were produced exclusive
of that from the Virginia mines. But in 1857,
nearly if not fully. l0.000,000 of tons were
produced out Of Virginia, while less than
100000 were exported from our mines. We are
aware that the Goals of this State are prefer.
red for many purposes, for gas and cannon
founding, to those mined from any other region,
excepting the orcl and camel Goals: and the only
reason that our Goals are not commonly used,
lies in the fact that we do not produce it in Suffi-
cicnt quantities to attract attention, or to en-
title us to the dignity Of Il coal trade The few
thousands of tons which make up our annual
product is scarcely of sufficient Importance to
he noticed in the vast supplies (which are pro-
duccd from other quarters. Upon making in
1,lirics of our prominent coal dealers in North
ern cities. why the Virginian coal was not more
extensively used. we learned, in the first place,
that the production was so limited and unccr-
( tain. that no dependence could be placed on
our miners for regular supplies. An extraor-
dinary demand Immediately ran up the prices
which, in turn, produced the shipments of in
different coal. and thus of course injured its
reputation.
Hitherto, the Goals on the North side Of
James River. have not generally been shipped
in a condition to cntitlc il to rank as No.
article in market. Occasionally, however, car
goes of excellent coal are sent, which confirms
the fact of its existence. The chief fault lies
in the preparation We will explain this mat
ter fully, in connection with the locality
The present productive mines, or those in
operation, are located generally on the Eastern
margin or outcrops of the coal. The oldest, or
amongst the oldest, are those Of the Failing
Greek District" at present tapped by the Rich
mond and Danville Railroad, but formerly an
| independent or coal road extended from the
mines to tide water at Manchester, distance
of thirteen and half miles. This road was
finished in 1881, ut n cost of SS,OOO per mile,
including equipment Ii was worked III the
form of transway, with mules or horses. and
conveyed from two hundred to three hundred
tons of coal per day. An opposition road was
afterwards built by Mr.. llcth from the Black
IIeth mines. to the James River, near the old
/ Bcllona Arsenal, twelve miles above Richmond
. Both of these roads were, however, abandoned
on the completion of the Richmond and Dan
vile Railroad, which now conveys the coal OF
that district to tide water. The mines of that
district, now in operation, are the Black Heth
and the Midlothian, the productions of which
| are less now than formerly, though prepara-
tions are being made to increase the mining ia.
cilities. The Stone Hedge" Greek" and
'.Lowrie'' pits have been abandoned for some
time. At the Southern extremity Of the coal
! field are the Clover Hill mines, in operation
since 1916. They are connected by rail with
tide water at Port Walthall, on the Appomat-
tox. near It's junction with James River at City
Point. The Glover Hill Railroad is about eigh-
teen miles long to its junction with the Rich
mond and Petersburg Railroad, which connects
the mines to both thesec iticS. From the junction
to Port Waltllall is, we believe, about five miles;
part of the distance is over the Richmond and
Petersburg Road. and part over three mile
branch to Port Walthall. The amount Of coal
produced by these mines averages about 10000
tons per year. :,
On the James River we may mention the old
mines known as Duval's and Sale near the
Lanison. on lands now owned by Mr.. T. NJ.
Bur(oot: the Tuckahoc mines, formerly worked
by Maj. Snead; the Dover mines, recently in
operation; the Norwood mines, and the Powha
tan mincs-all of which are abandoned except
the Dover mincs-and the only reason that
can be assigned for their suspension, was the
inability of the proprietors to extend their ope
rations on account Of the water, against which
they could not contend with the primitive ina
chinery made use Of Some Of the shallow ba
sins NAV have been ruined. il not exhausted
but generally, the coal still exists in available
quantities.
On the Tuckahoe are several old mines
known as Woodward's CottrclrS and Crouchs 5
which have also been abandoned for the SAINT
reasons MS we are aware, or for like causes
since coal could not be profitably mined at wha
would. in other regions. be considered fair ant
: remuneratvc prices under the primitive ant
miserable mode of mining then and even nov
in some places pursued. We can scarcely ob
tain credit when we say, that coal can b.
mined and prepared for market, from this field
for one dollar per ton. actual expense fe
such is the fact. The Carbon Hill mines ar
in successful operation. and produce at the rat
Of from 10 to $4,000 tons per year, at the pre-
sent time These mines are now i'll the hand
of j. j. Worth, Esq, one of the most enter
prising and intelligent Of our old coal miners
These mines are located between four and fiv
miles north ofthe James river, and are connccte,
with the Canal BY a railroad which runs paral
lei with the Tuckahoe Creek. on or near whlcl
. the mines are located Carbon Hill mines