Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-11-19
SlaMSc

In connection W >OAiis'
Slate Roofing I'll the advertisement of
olloWing re- elsewhere, we copy the
Allan, Of port of Professors Campbell and
nth - Washington College, Va, made
'; reference to the Physical Survey of
= .rginia, undertaken by that Institution.
Report of Professors Campbell & Allan.
WASHINGTON COLLEGE,
LEXINGTON, VA, Dec 1st 1868.
G. G. BALDWIN, ESQ.
Dear Strive have examined, with
some care, the extensive depositc Of CAR
gillaceous Slate on your lands. Tt lies
near the base Of the Blue Ridge, in the S.
W. corner Of Amherst Co , within or 4
miles Of the Rope Ferry, on the James Riv-
er Canal, and about twenty-five miles above
the city Of Lynchburg. We explored the
slate formation on your lands to an extent
of two and half miles, nearly parallel with
the general bearing Of the mountain, and
found the width of the out-crop not much
short Of half Il mile, The dip of the strata
is such as to make quarrying easy; while
the extent and position are such, that many
large quarries could be conveniently opened
at points SO much elevated as to have natur-
al drainage
AS far as We could judge from surface in
dications and some limited openings, the
slate seems to have fine texture, to be very
compact in structure, and so stratifed and
Illuminated as to be readily split with REGULAR
ty to any thickness desired. In these re-
spects, it compares fayorably with states now
quarried in large quantities in this and other
states.
It's durability has been tested to some ex-
tent Beside numerous fragments scattered
over the surface, and which have probably
been exposed to the weather for centuries,
we found pieces lying near small quarry,
said to have been opened by an old man who
made homes in the neighborhood, some 40
years ago. Although so long exposed, these
fragments were but slightly affected by the
weather. The sample you gave us, in the
form of school slate. as well as other spcci-
mems procured by us from near the surface,
give highly favorable indications as to the
value OF the slate for roofing, school-slates,
and for mantles, table-tops and other orna-
NUlh, iOI NuiSA tiio uidtSilui Id lON
very extensively employed
Quarries opened near the S. W. extremity
of the out-crop would be easily accessible
from the canal, by a wagon road Of very
moderate grade and very easily constructed.
By the canal, you would have convenient
and cheap transportation to Richmond and
other markets. Two considerable streams Of
water running through the slate formation,
a convenient and extensive water power On
the canal, together with great variety of
timber near at hand, afford ample facilities
for manufacturing the slate in any form and
to any extent desired. Convenient, plea
SAINT, and healthful locations for dwellings
are found in the vicinity Of points, at which
large quarries could be conveniently open
cd
The demand for good slate is SO rapidly
increasing, and the value of the deposite on
your lands is so promising, that we shall be
glad to hear of your giving it a speedy and
full development.
There are two other points to which our
attention was directed. and which may add
greatly to the value Of your lands. The first
is a surface Indication Of Magnetic Iron Ore.
No excavations had been made, and we could
therefore form no definite estimate Of the ex-
tent Ct the vein, but specimens OF the ore,
some of them forming natural magnets, have
been tested IL cur College Laboratory, and
found to be very rich. Che point at which
this ore was found, we suppose to be within
two miles Of the canal. Another and still
more promising feature is the apparent natur-
al adaptation Of the soil in many places, on
your large tract of six thousand acres, to the
growth of native fruit trees. The indigen-
GUS mountain grape we found growing there
in great abundance. and with luxuriance
not easily surpassed. We observed apple
and cherry trees, which had evidently been
bearing fruit for many years, while there
were younger fruit trees, Of these and other
kinds, of very thrifty growth, without any
sp ecial cultivation.
Very truly yours,
JOHN L. CAMPBELL,
Prof. Chemistry W. c
W. ALLAN,
y pof nnI;e1 Mathematics. W. G..