Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-07-07


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Dir, f. 4. Dayton, of this city, has written
no following letter, descriptive OF the gold
;esring region of Eastern Virginia, to the Edi
81 of the American Journal of Mining:
"Without recounting the geological structure
:; the belt of country lying between the East
s?n Range, or Blue Ridge, uf thesAlleg ghanies
md tide water, it is sufficient to know that the
eastern edge Of this telt is traversed hy veins,
g. leads Of gold bearing quartz rock, in width
,:om one to fifty feet, and Of an unknown trough,
;@ten cropping out, In nearly northeast and
southwest course for miles. For long period
g years, placer mining, with pan and rocker,
iGs well as at the present time, has been car
led on in this section. About twenty years
go the Eagle mine, near United States Ford
cn the Rappahannock, was discovered, and
:es soon worked with machinery New dis
3overies were made and machinery put to work
cushing the quartz, till, when the late war
broke out, there were eight or ten extensive
liues in operation, worked by the most i'm
proved machnery-it not in the most improved
manner as regards tie mining department-all
oca,ed within a few miles Of the Eagle mine.
rs the contending armies swayed to and fro
through Virginia, this mining section often
came in the direct line of march, and was quite
IS often the scene of bloody contests, as the
;&len timber, hastily constructed earthworks,
md sunken burial pits, fully attest. Like all
ether property, that of the mines suffered great
-amage at the hands Of the soldiers and the
thieves, who had been plundering the works of
:lmost every movable thing, since the wat
Come Of the works have been burned nearly
c.estroying the stamping or pumping and hoist
:nG engines most have been stripped of the
outside covering, doors and windows, and the
:aDorers tenements have been pulled down; the
;.ibbing of the shafts has been burned or has
.ctted away, and, in fact, ruin meets the eye on
sye.y hand. The mines lost many tons of
,,cod quartz, carried away as specimens by the
2oldiers; cart loads would disappear in single
Fay Of the kinds that showed the glittering py-
ties or sui phates the Eagle mine was kept
2 operation till July, 1862, although their
:ovder vas taken away by the authorities in
ne summer of 1861 which compelled them to
Hoandou working in the main shaft and drift
hey then opened the vein where it cropped
CT, e half a mile to the north, and worked it
Il the final stoppage. | was not able to learn
.!CCr VI CuC U!hibSS VI lUc ullueS, anu COu!u
jrGgc only BY what IS to be seen above
round The Eagle mines ran "a stamps
nc TWO Chillan mills. The pumping and
hosting was done by an engine of about IS
.1Gice power; the works are now in ruins
r 3he south side Of the river and seven
.z;;ec from Fredericks burg, is the Mott mine;
:: ;;,as abandoned some years before the war
:Tss told that the vein ran out or was lost in
isult. The mill is in ruins, although the en-
,;iae, ETC., yet remain. Following up the
,c:&a side of the Rappahannock river, two
lies from Eys' tord is the Liberty mine. 1t
:es :1orEed by an engine OF near 200 horse
,oneG, Of the best construction, as was also
&c ether machinery. The buildings and ma
5linecy have been stripped of all the small
-oar:3. They worked 24-stamps and two
J;;lian mills, besides some other mills which
2aG been abandoned. The vein runs in a
seen opened on the surface about 500 feet I
,cllG not learn that there had been any shafts
3upi,, but was tod that the works stopped in
1858 the reason why, [ was not able to as
certain. About two miles to the northeast is
ne Wyckof mine, apparently on the same vein
81 ;ne Liberty. The vein was worked by sew
aHsl shafts, and by an engine independent OF
ne stamping mill, which is fourth of mile
77est OF the vein; it was operated by very
ine engine of about $50 horse power; 24rstamps
:3eTe used, which were given revolving motion
with the drop two Chilian mills, as we'll as
general assortm snt Of crushing, or pulverizing
::ii!3. that had been thrown aside. The build
:.}G anG engine has been stripped Of all that
;::es portable by man" If there were other
buildings shan the mill and farm house on the
zee stouDed in 1861. The Franklin mine is
nile aaG half from the Wyckoff, and sup
2csoC to be on the same vein. They are yet
:: as GOOD condition as when they stopped in
.25:. except the natural decay. The main
cAsi; :,aS sunk about 100 feet and drift carried
:ica5 :he vein near 800 feet Attached to the
rl2-;aill is saw and corn mill. Crossing
ne 2sppahannock by Elys' ford, at which
2C:a% there is very fine water power and
'e:,y2 iair mill, and the Rapidan by Wyckofs
orc: lie first mine is the Malvern. The vein
:12cses me river at nearly right angles to its
cCc:-s4. Hills about It's feet high rise from
title: 2ide OF the river, the vein cropping out
D. ,:!a :oD. There is IA feet fall in the river
,ies-' his point. furnishing abundant power to
atela :aa cuart3, which was the manner OF
r'cI1-:ag ;ne vein when it was first opened from
,,e we oy drift, allowing the water to flow
g.; G: ire uine, and the rock to run out in cars
): e owI. weight. This manner of working
~ ,n;na was abandoned An engine and
:c2::G 7eie erected on the highest point Of the
III, sisf1 !7as sunk making it necessary to
-c.2,, III o. the rock and water, and to clear the
:::oDat;y Of timber for fuel, in place OF using
.aa ;SeteT taat costs nothing! 1t is evident
M; tas 2lle possesses superior advantages for
:or'.ln!; &c sny of the others. The buildings,
&C., sie ia good condition, except the natural
iGe&T !he mine was worked up to 1862, when
..;:.yccGon :7as taken prisoner and carried to
::slchuoAd. On the north side of the river is
ne SlSa Oh The Culpeper mine. 1t was aban--
oteC some years before the warmly, l
soa;' -iot n:certain. Halfa mile south OF the
-:.&lFeie mil ls the Vaelver, which is likely on
.'e S&Ge 7e,2. It's course is nearly northeast
&c GCptnNesi and rarias In midth from ten to