Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-25

OUR SOILS, MINERALS, MAhUFAcTUkEs' ihAohe' RIA
CTS, SCENTS AND PEOPLE, PRACTICALLY CONSIDER
I'd AND DESCRIBED.
LOCOMOTIVE SKETCHES.
LOCOMOTIVE KETCHEs
No. V.
The Slate Quarries Of Buckingham County.
Instead of heading this a locomotive SKETCH, W.
might more appropriately II "P''DN
road SKETCH" but We intend in these ske'ches u "o
tice every available point within reach OF our fe'
road lines; and, therefore, we took q hYlng Trip
through Cumberland and Buckingham over sn Ok
osllept plank road, to notice ~espscialy the celebrated
slate qusrries of Buckingham, on STATE nVef' auu
to examine generally, the resources Oh tno'e goou
old counties, with all their faults ana ia'1ngs' we
shall leave for another sketch, the fine nea'o' Jun
berlsnd and its princely estates, with Inc mountains
and the mines Of Buckingham; its achooie ano hs Pc
culiarities.
The celebrated slate quarries OF this county are ST
uated generally on Hunts creek, which branches Oh
from Slate river, near it junction with the James
They have been worked irregularly about n'ty years
and have furnished ilste for mauy an OLD ana ne"
building. We are informed that the capitol 81
Washington, was fret covered With me slate from
Hunts creek; but, however this may be, We Know OIL
buildings which have stood the rains ana storms Of
nearly fifty years, under those slates' ana YET promise
to stand Tor centuries, without leak or repair.
Those qusrries are now worked by Capt. 10. -"
Sims and Mr.. Robert Nicholas, iu whose families
they have been sincs they were fret opened. There
are other quarriss 10 the nighborhood' but they nave
not bsen In operation for some time. The quarrles
which we visited, belonging to the above named gen
tlsmsn, and particularly Mr.. Sims, are we'll and ia
yorably located, within reach of the river and cana
BY water, from which they are only from two TO three
miles distant.
The water power available on Capt. Sims property
for q~usrrying purposes, is of inestimable value TO
raising the water aud the slate, and since their eIpe
rience has proved that the slate increases in quality
according to is depth, this power will also continue
to increase in its value and utility. Those acquaint
ed with mining and q~uarrying operations generally
will readily understand the use of water for motive
power, and will also comprehend its economy, since
il is simple 10 arrangement and costs but little to wori
and keep in order. We observed a singular fact
which, however, lie peculiar TO slate OF this character
tina, no good slate is obtained above water level, or
Wa might say, none of the best quality.
These slate formations are very extensive-proba
bly, co.e1teusivs with the great rangs OF the aurifer
GUS belt which traverses the State parallel with the
Blue Ridge; but, owing to the fact above mentioned
good slate can only BIZ obtained at certain localities
whore it is developed by natural phenomena, - /
i, on Hunts creek. The slate of this locality is differ
emit from any other slate that We have seen, aud ",
can unhesitatiugiy say, it is the best that We have ev
or seen-for several reasons; amongst others, because
it will nerer fade, or loss its original blue black co
Tor il will never become soft and porus, and will
therefore, never promote the growth Of moss, which
is peculiar to softer states. 1t is tough, flexible ano
not liable TO break by ire or rough usage, aud can
therefore, be made much lighter than the common
state. Any sizs required, from 8 by 10 inches, to IL
by % feet, can be obtained. A slab Of about by II
ieet, beautiful and smooth, was exhibited at thu
Worlds fair 10 London, where IT obtained a priz'
medal aud was The obj.ct of much attention and re-
yard. The Virginia slate Ia not excelled by aoy II
the world, for the purposes for which 1t is calculated
And we can assure our people that We have slate
enough on the James river to supply the worid. ltI
better and cheaper than any other kind Of roofing
that eau be obtained. For tables: mnntles. paving, eli,
terms, &C.; it 10 eminent.y useful, and Is a besutiiu
and cheap substitutes for marble, since it oan oe dressed
with ease and 10 susceptible to q variety Of colors, by
which il can be made TO initiate variegated marble
Itself.
The quarries on Slate river, or Hunts creek, are ad
mirsbly located for convenience. The James river
and Kanawhs Canal passes within a few miles OF the
quarries, the slate from which can be conveyed BY
water, 10 batteau1, to the boats. From thence, almos
any part of the Union can be reached. Slate from
Buckingham can be conveyed down the canal &c
RICH and f-orr .h.nce to any point or port ri
rhe South. Ii can slso be conveyed up the canal tc
Lyuchburg, and from thence by the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad to thu South West. Indeed, a
vast field ia here open to enterprise and industry, and
a slate business on a grand scale might be p%roftaoly
conducted. We regret to say. however, that neither
skill, enterprise nor oapitai have yet done anything
for those quarries. They have been worked in the
most careless and ignorant manner, aud not more
than one tenth of the slate which was quarrisd has
been converted into available form.
The gentlemen owning Tbs quarries are intelligent
kind and courteous, but We are forced to say, that we
have never seen any business so inIudiciously man
aged; and yet we are informed that they have made it q
paying business. lfso, there are fortunes in these quar-.
riss, for those who understand the slate trade.'-
Every man TO his trade" is a trits old saying, but
very applicable in the prs.ent instance. Experienced
hands have recently been employed, and it lie proba.
BILE that a great change will soon be made in both the
quarrying and manufacturing process.
Our visit to those qusrries was q very interesting
one. since We have gathered much new and valuable
information, in regard to the minerals and general
geology OF those counties, which We hope, by and by,
IN mako interea,inc 10 our readers at present our
limits are too short. S. DrBow.
JUvERHA, Cumberland Co.. June Is, 1858.
For the Enquirer.
To ALL THE HuMBUos AND ToMFooLERY BUsH AsD
| BkIER MEN OF THE TOBACCO REGION AND !
WOULD NOT EXCEPT THE GREAT "EsaUIRER"I IT.
sgLr.