The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-12
NORTH CAROLINA.
Gun puaTIs CORRESPONDENTS.

/ Interesting Letter from Psrtls Gold Mine
1 History OF Its Observation-Disclosures 60 DO ehe
Richest Surface Mine In the WOrld-A Now
| Washing Process Hospitality 60 Northern
Men-Tho Constitutional Amondment-Lack
| Of Labor and Capital.
| Posrn, franklin county, N G., Oct 9, 1884,
Knowing the interest your readers take In tho exist
once and development OF the mineral OF this
country, have thought account Of this remarkable
mine would possess TO you and them SUFFICIENT interest
| to justify the space TO be devoted 70 It
Hearing the Ports gold mine while in Petersburg. Va,
resolved TO visit It and for myself IL the statements
made 70 mo concerning were not exaggerated, and
taking the cars Of tho Petersburg and Weldon Railroad
came to Enfield N c., where Iiook carriage for the
smine, which ID situated in the angle between the
Raleigh and CASTOR Railroad. and the Wilmington and
Weldon Railroad and about twenty miles from EnAed
N G., on the atter and the distance from Little
ton on the former @.t af Has
had provided myself with letters to the sspsrlntsn
dent with whom had enjoyed acquaintance in the
army, and who will bs reooliected BY many OF the ON
OF the Army OF the Potomac the Chief Quarter
master OF the sixth Army corps and warmly VOL
coined BY him. ~ ess9
have spent three days probably and pleasantly In
exploring tho nine hundred acres which tho company
own and which form tho basis Of the Ports Gold Mining
Company. Tho existence Of gold here nrst dIscov
byA poor shoemaker named John Ports. he had pur-
chased the land credit and unable pay for IT,
and the Sheriff had gone his house levy
ton. He had taken with him miner from the gold
mines Charlotte in this State who while the Sheriff
attending TO his duty looking about outsde and
became attracted by shining particles in the mud
with which the cabin Of old Ports was chinked He
made careful examination of Thorn and found Thorn to
be gold, and, pursuing his investigation found the
crevices Of the cabin almost literally chuked with gold
He at once communicated his discovery 10 Old John"
and steps were immediately taken to work the mine
Ports found himself raised sudden wealth stopped
making shoes. s.s
Even with the primitive and simple implements then
used the mine gave surprising returna Ports leased
TO different parties, permitting them 70 work H. and
the old man all tho money and more than he could
spend His sudden and unexpected wealth had the ef
feet usual such cases, and he and his family wsro
Ignorant supplemented people, who lacked the strength
OF mind to enable them to bear their sudden pros
perity. They rushed into all kinds Of extravagance
They built house which at that time In this section
was palace and gathered around them an ndiscrmi-
nate set OF parasites The house became noted for It's
hospitality and the avshness with which choice wines
and liquors bestowed upon all corners II called
paradise for peders, VINO OF invitation
stay weeks and Of disposng OF their loads the
mates At every session Of the the old man, il
was said was regularly fined for harborius discrdsry
characters Icopy bill paid by him 70 pedlsr, now
in possession OF Thomas T. Thomas the President Of the
company, and who administered the estate Of old Pos
II Is as follows 8.aI