Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-20
tco-re.pondsnee of,he Richmond E"q"ire.l
A Tour Through Virginia and the South

fCorre.pondence f,le Richmond E"qrirs.l
A Tour Through Virginia and the South.
LOCOMOTIVE sKETCHES-NO. XVII
THE HYTHE UNION LEAD MINES.
For more than oachuudrsd years, have Theses Inin's
been known aud worked; known, however in the
locality only; for sven now the people of Virginia
are but little acquainted with them and know but
little Of their character and productiveness.
The Wythe lead mines are on the South bank OF
the New River, below Cripple Creek, and OH the
South side Of Wythe county. The Gaena or lead
lode is sirstifed in the South Eastern edges OF the
great limestone formation of the Valley, and tho
frsestone, or sandstones of the mountains, and
generally is found close to, or sven in the great iron
bed which traverses the Valley parallel with or at
the Western loot of the mountain ranges. We found,
ss We expected, two distinct out crops of the lead
formation, containing more or less lead, and always
presenting visible evidences of its presence those
two out-crops of the lead, trace on their "srke,
for nearly fifty miles, thus demonstrating that tbis
rich depose OF Gslena which has been 80 probably
worked for great length Of time, at the old lead
mines, is not confined simply to that locality but Ia
dfused through an extensive region. which promises
at no distant day to enliven the banks Of the New
River with the numerous a"Buddles' of the busy
lsad washers and the smoke OF many furnaces. We
were surprised 10 find the lssd veins so regular
and plainly Defined and yet go little known
or understood. On the lands OF Judge A. 5.
Sutton, David Graham and others, below and
in the vicinity of the old mines promising lodes OF
lead have been found and worked to come extent re-
Gently, and preparations are now being made TO com
mence lead mining in systematic and Intelligent
manner. We feel confident that twelve months will
not roll round before developments will be made on
this river, III the mineral kingdom which will cleo
,ity our people and give impetus TO that part
Of our immense resources than any thing which has
yet happened in Virginia. We hope TO keep our PEG
pie "posted up' in these matters in future. In the
early days of lead making at the old mines when our
means and our knowledge we're more limited than at
present, the modes of mining and manufacturing were
primitive indeed and, even until recentiy-Withln
few years-very little, except the o1ydes and the car
donates were mined-be pure Gaena, or suphurets,
we're scarcely known TO exist, and all the lead that
had been procured for ages merely dug from the
surface, or but little below the daylight But recent
developments have shown that even the old lead
mines are Scarcely YET ioHJ opcuch ou'i ""e WV
prospects now are far better than they were fifty yeare
ago. We cannot 70 back to the first discoveries OF
lead in this region but find that comparatively large
quantities we're mined and manufactured as early as
1880. In which year, the Regiment of Gen. VIM
Campbell we're stationed at Fort Chswell, and in the
vicinity of the lead mines, from whence the bullets
were obtained which we're hurled by Campbelrs i'm.
peiuous mountaneers against the British At the BAL
te of Kings Mountain-iought during the same year.
We may mention here. however, that these mines
were fl ct opened by Col. Chswell, who built Fort
Chswell, prior to Braddocks march Fort Du-
quesne in 1855. Col. Lynch came into possession
after Chiswel and after him Moses and Stephen
Austin (hence the name Austlnsvlle) worked the
mines until 1895. They nov belong to Capt Roper
David Graham, Mr.. Perce, the helrs Of Col. White
and others.
Mr. VIM Kebler Is now the manager of the mine
and under his intelligent superntendence, they are
doing paying business, and we were informed that
$50 QUO had been divided during the present year
amongst the proprieors, as the profits ofthe busness
At present over 100 hands employed and about 6OO
tons of lead manufactured per annum, of which come
10 tons are produced shot of different sizes. The
'bDOt IoWor mere ciupiuOcui Ic '" tO"' ~ o''' ou'
merely an old shaft, which answers fine purpose
Formerly, We are told, lead was carried from these
mines on the backs Of mules, over the mountains to
the Natural Bridge 10 Rockbridge county, distance
of moroahan hundred miles, and there ulHnufac-
tured into shot, converting THE great work OF ma
ture into shot tower we'll as bridge.
The mines are atl worked by shafts, and as far as
the mining is concerned, in primitive manner ;
though but lttle Of the available lead appears 10 be
Lost in the operation. tunnel is now in progress
which, when finished may be made 10 answer good
purpose in the ECONOMY Of mining, not only in the
cost, but the quantity. The unne! commenced 10 lslO
and driven Soma 900 feet through the m-stoue
proved to be ipjudiciou-ly located, and turned out
failure, as might have been expected The present
one however, 20 be in The right place. l; is
now $50 feet in length aud is expected TO strike the
lode $50 feet beneath the outcrops, or the sur
face Of the hill above. a sbat has been sunk, at or
near the point Of intersection and the lead found TO
be there, large in quantity and rich in quality.
macs weighing $50 pounds ofpure Gaena, wac recent
y sent from this part OF the mines to The Smithsonian
Institute, at Washington. The works ara now extend
ed on the lode about three quarters Of mile. and at
both ends. the suphurets are rich and massive. W.
travelled through the mines and were equally pleased
and surprised TO see the vast chambers of giterng
ores that yielded 10 the "gads" of the miners in some
places the excavations highly cavernous and lr
regular, and must have held masses OF ore, over
hundred tons in weight but the usual size OF The vein
or velns is from thres to five feet thick. There are
three seams or branches which, however, sometimes
unite, forming one large vein or body
AusrIssvILLE, August, 1853. DEBow.
MORE NOTICES OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE
The papers from the North and West are filled
with csbls taxi and discussions upon lts merits and
dement's. The Baltimore Sun" says ibst, 1.-THE Pre-
sident's response is admirable paper. AZ it WILL
Mt oof nd ia 10 vs