Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-01-22
The Mineral Wealth of Virginia.

wing ian idle hour OF winter day" has
riched the pages of that veteran print with
the following suggestive thoughts. We hope
to see more trom "Danville" -
Virginians have been hitherto muck more
occupied in hunting foxes than specimens"
have studied politics with more zest than
pebbles, and felt greater interest in the to-
bacco they could raise on the land than in
prospecting" for minerals in its depths.
Such studies are only pursued by the few,
and these arc generally considered by the ma
ny, who are careful for little else than pecu-
mary gain, as belonging to the class of use-
less visionaries The masses scarcely know
what geology means, and even the nomencta-
ture of mineralogy is mystery. The book
geologist is not unfrequcntly teuRk among
students and gentlemen Of leisure, who hap
pen to possess the requisite scientific taste,
but the practical geologist, not only in Vir-
ginia, but i'll any country is the one man in
q million.
: 1t is q wearisome work to master these
sciences, and long and patient toll is required
to attain excellence in either. 1t is not hard
perhaps to read books on the subicct-that,
by the way, Is not so very clear, for | wonder
how many who have taken up Hugh Millcr's
popular work, "Footprints of the Creator"
with intent to read it, ever did really read
over two-thirds Of it? but when that is done
few would know the mineral described when
they saw it, and fawer still would have the
least idea how to search for or where to find
it,
Thore is in truth very little taste among
our people for such things, cithc- natural or
cultivated. 1t may be, that in the general
uPheaVai OF al! things, social and political, a
new taste may have been turned up to the
e, will IL.
nave nave turned over new Leaf Of experimental
HE, If the counties generally be found going
III the direction of geological study now
Io most people, it looks as if lit would
not pay" to pull on pair of brer-defyng
boots, strap on a bag with cold lunch and
hammer in it, and start on foot with the
early light through tangled woods, to peek of
little pieces of rock, measure the dip, and
calculate the direction Of vein. It would
not disturb my gravity to encounter learned
college professor in such guse, on such an
errand, but IL did make me more than smile
to think OF our many county clerks busy in
the classifying" and the mental picture of
my very worthy friends. Col. +. and Mai. S.,
cum "aWtttS a., equipped and at work, was very
rich-vcry.
And yet there is something of a practical
value-of great value in this question of the
mlnera?logy OF Virginia; only let US not sup
pose that the thing Of value is to be attained
by en- outbreak Of amateur gaologists, inno-
cent of toll as Of definite purpose, moved by
some caprice or whim of the hour. Give us.
First OF all, an alphabet that we NAV learn our
lettcrs-a Typographical map. Give us a
schoolmaster-a capable leader in the prac-
teal workings OF mincralogy, to point us
" here to work and how and for what, A
state GcoloSlst, practical man, who will tell
us reliably what Virginia now conceals in the
heart OF her mountains and valleys, that can
minister to the wealth, the improvement and
power of the State
But let me tell you a secret-therc was.
'once upon time," cabinet of minerals in
the capltol'at Richmond. What has become
OF 1t Nearly thirty years ago a valued
friend OF my earlier life, Gen. i. w S. Ca
beIl-thc death shrOud has been folded over
that noble Nirginian heart, as it has over ma:
ny another OF those old-timc memorics-in-
troduced to my acquaintance stranger. an
educated, pleasant gentleman, 0 had his card
but 1t IS lost, and his name is gone from me \
who was a practical geologist, and who pur
sued the science con unlOre. This gentle
man spent several years among the noun
talns and valleys i'll the neighborhood of the
= ccPPer Ian ana Its tributaries, examing care
fully their meteorological character. He spent
h!plted cabinet Of minerals, the product of
his own toll, one the most varied and bcauti-
1ul collections | ever saw, which he informed
me was intended for the capitol at Richmond,
and which L afterwards understood was de-
posted there. Does any one know where it
is now p?
Is it generally known even to Virginiaus,
that the counties of Patrick, Grayson and
Carroll, are rich beyond calculation in almost
every mineral of value to man?
In the scope Of country travcrsed By my
friend, lead, iron and COAL copper, silver and
gold, have all been found 4 specimen of
pure amber was discovered on Townfork
Greek. The Sauratown mountains abound in
beautiful jasper and garnet 4 variety of
marbles and the magnetism formation. serpen-
tine and beautiful yeined scap.stonc
crop out IN many places and the singular flex-
lbic sandstone is there. Some of your read
ers may not know that loetrfcd forest, ma
ny miles In extent, is found in Stokes county.
North Carolina, not twenty miles south Of the
Virginia line.
There is much to be learned of the min
eral th-of Virginia. but it is not to be
done by an amateur dip or an inpulsive dash.
in a day. The study of our geology is a
work Tor the gravest minds Of statesmen and
practical philosophers, and the development
VI Out 'llneTaIS would be wealth indeed.
But moro has been written than at first
was intended. The tedousness forced upon
you, however, need not be inflicted on YOUR
readers, and decree to burn and not to print
this product of an idle hour of winter day,
will not disturb the equanin,ity of
DANyILLE.
The celebrated portrait painter Stuart
once met lady in the street in Ros+o, ~
saluted him With "0'