Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-07-02
NUMBER Is.

""r Through Virginia and th$ south
| W" 'oiIs' MINERALS. MAHUFACrUkEs. rR {DFs rI g.
'H'' S'hSks AND PEOPLE, PRACTICALLY aeNsfpEr
I'D AND DESCRIBED.
LOCOMOTIVE SKETCHES ~
No. vi. -
| IVMis' Mountain. its Choro.,sr and S.sy,,. \
Inc abrupt and peculiar peaks of this siu,ula =
mountain. are distinctly seen by the traveller an ,f
South Side Rail Road, when short dis,s,c. sbov4
Farmvie, as the iron horse hurri.s him sl,, 90,
| bridge and embankment. through deep cp,-'' ami
green forests of lesfy oaks. Willis mountain arise
III the South East of Buck ngham county and am tI
head waters of Willis river, from which i, take. ~
name. Its geological formation IL peculiar io M.
gold or auriferous be-, which travr ... m. Stat.
parallel with the Blus Ridge. The cnsr,cer of I'D,
rocks plutonic or granite, intersraird viii
Veins OF qusrs and mrtaerous lOdesi gold . olad
in all the sreams that arise from its base ant a..
continuous ridge through Buckingham of which i; r
part. Iron ora of magnetic and alec of volcsu-
lc or apparently volcanic character exists in great
quantities to the East OF the mountain and seem. 10
run co extensively with tho gold bearing belt l. i-
found in a variety Of forms and places from Will.
mountain 10 SpotsyIvania. and aven in Marylsn6
and Pennsy lyanis. In the Northern portion of Buck
logham near the ames river. it mined extensive
ly many years ago; for the old Bes- Garden Furnaca
which between 1884 and 40 produced large quantities
OF iron. The character of the ore seems 10 vary CON
siderable in different localities; in some places il ro
duces hard iron, and in others soft iron: and while
in some places il seems to partake of the fossitrrop,
sld bog ores, in Others it changes from highly mag
nedc to what shall denominste a volcanic ore. b4
causa it is the result.of heat and generally found IN
masses, which appear to have been partially fused
Ihe attar is its general characteristic. OF thi. ore
any desirable quantity can be obtained in Buckin.-
ham, and on the banka of the James river in A very
convenient locality. When the 'water line" shall
penetrate to Ire coal regions of the mountains thi.
ore Will be valuable; or perhaps the coal of Cumb"r
land county may Yet be profsbly used in THE Vi.
cinlty for the manufacturing of iron. Limestone
exists in the county in available localities.
Al the northwestern part of this mountain IL io
Gated the celebrated "Booker Gold Mine" which ere
ated mania, in this section particularly som, years
ago. scarcely exceeded by that of California Ths
Booker shaft penetrated a mass OF gold cemeuted
quartz, which promised TO be of fabulous richness
and extent, which 80 excited the minds of the people
and capitalists generally that in short time dozen
more companies formed and several promi--
ing mines were opened, some Of which might have
been productive under good judicious management
but generally they all failures snd some of them
serious Even the Booker mine which is a,
was the richest, is likely to be abandoned aua
gold mining generally is at low ebb ln this county
There can be little doubt, however that this part OF
the gold belt contains much of the precious metai-
ss ia ordinarily found in quartz formations The
mountain Itself appears to be plutonic though Il -vi
IDENTIFY has been an active volcano. as trap and othef
volcanic rocks abound in the vicinity
The scene presented from the top of Willis noun
tain ID magnificent beyond description; the view
from the Peaks of Otter, or the white Top are uot
to be compared even the scenery of the whifa
mountains or the Cstsk sre behind this grand snd
novel spectacle.
There is ssneness about mountain scenery gen.
rail- whose repetition tires us though ascend in he
scale from the minute and picturesque the sublime
ly magnificent, and seek for variety and chsnge'
and here we have it. Like the Natural Bridge Il j.
alone in its grandeur. Mount Blanc and Niagara
have their little imtators but to US, "The Golden
Spur of Buckingham and the Bridge of Rock bridge
stands SOLITARY and aons" to challenge our admra
ton and wonder. Above the unduating plains Of
Cumberland and Buckingham, this "monument Of
naturs" towers thousand feet towards the clouds
where the eagle and the buzzsrd wheel in si.y cr.
clea around its gray and pointed pinnacles.
On the mountain proper there are two pesks
though third ons arises to the height of sbou, 500
feet from the iron ridge, which lie. shot distance
from lite Eastern foot Standing on the Southern peak
clear day, the world--of Eastern Virginia
seems spread before ue no surrounding or ntermedi
ate mountains obstruct the view mo pent up Utica
contracts our vision, the amost boundess stretch o.
~ splendid countes-the Old Dominion-iied before
From the dim Peaks Of Oter-tbat king ~
mounains-to the Monticello, and st on--a glssu
assists the eye to trace the smoky line of the Blue
Ridge, far North of Rockfsh Gap.
To the North east trscs the bills OF the Jsmes
almost to the Capitol. and to the East occasionally
see the higher banks of the AppomattoI above Pr
,ersburg. To the South We behold the hills OF tbs
Stanton and behind them still the higher ground- OF
North Carolina. Beneath US, to the East, iie the
princely estates Of the planters of Cumberland aud
Buckingham, with their extensive mansions and
quarters" nesting in the majestic groves that al
most conceal them.
Near US lies Millbrook," of Mrs. Eppes, the
daughter of Jefferson, from whence the cage of Mon
ticello frequently ascended this mountain TO behold
the magnificent scene which il now before us. The
wide and we'll cultivated fields Of Saratogs," belong
ing to Col Hubbard, who represented this district iu
Congress, sdjoins MiIlbrook -" and s, further
down Willis river lies Cheo," the retired seat ot
Robert T. Hubbard; "Linwood," of DR.. Fowe.
d. . L., 4
Parish; "Osk Hill" of Mr.. Thornton; CLAY B4uk "
of Mr.. Alex. Trent Trenton" Of DR.. John Trent.
Auburn" Of Mr.. j. &. Page Boubrook,' OF the
Wilson family and hos, of widespreadng estates
covering, in many instances thousands OF scres ap-
pearug like picture book in all the glowing co.ors
| of Nature.
Cumberland s. undoubtedly, rich and splendid
county. There is not another county in the State a.
like extent, which contains less unproductive land.
The soil is different from that generally found II
Eastern Virginia Here, natead Of igneOus, ls
composed of acqueoua formation, or the red sand
stones of later era; therefore, the soa capable
of being msds very productive, with small amount
of ordinary manures and grasses. Still our planters
generally, though acknowledging its necessity, on
the immense quantity of old ground which is here
| cultivated, do not make any e1ertiOn 10 improve
them, though ever susceptible Of Improvement.
They too are satisfied TO gather from ten to fifteen
busshels of wheat from acre, though double the
amount might be realized, with comparatively ANAL
additional expense. Even Cumberland, with its rich
soils is still hall in forest and much of it il "old field
pines. But after all it is beautiful and splendid
county, full Of 6ne plantations and wealthy planters
and, perhaps, as an agricultural district, will conpere
with any county in Virginia. Yet, owing to the inn