The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-03

airy we find an article by Hon. John
Tyler on the Good Interest of Nir-
ginia and the South" from which we
take a few extracts
"Gold mining in the East was com
menced, in the early part OF this century,
in North Carolina, and up to 1897 she
was the only gold producing State. In
1929, Virginia and South Carolina be-
came interested, and in the following
year Georgia; since which time, the
production of gold steadily increased,
until IN 1913, attention was drawn to
California and the West; and if the
large amount of capital and energy had
been expended IN the East that was
then thrown into California, the results
to the wealth of the country, we would
reasonably expect-would have been
far greater. Now, that the gold yield
from that quarter is falling off, and
capital there invested is not returning
satisfactory dividends, it is no wonder
that sober reflection causes inquiries
into the neglected fields that lie nearer
home, and that many are meditatlng d
transfer of capital.
Gold has been found on the eastern
slope ofthe mountains that run through
the Atlantic States; from Canada
through Vermont, then lost to view for
an interval, but reappearlng III the APP
p%alachian chain OF mountains III Penn
sylvania, and thence continuously
through the States Of Maryland, tir-
einia, North Carolina and South Caro-
lima, and terminating, tork-like, III the
northern counties OF Georgia. This in
dicates clearly ii well defined gold belt,
of endless resource ; and from Virginia
down, passing through a country OF mn
memse agricultural value, and having an
equable and hcalthtuL climate, Offering
the additional inducement-to those
who mediate entering upon this pro-
missing businesS-of a delightful home.
Professor Silliman was one of the first
biologists of prominence who carefully
considered the gold interests OF the
country, and he with Professor Rogers,
OF the University OF Virginia, In 1886,
made personal inspection OF the mines
then working in Virginia, and both
published statements of the true char
acter OF the veins, together with their
high appreciation of the value of the
ore which they each personally tested,
the average assay OF which ran Sl65 to
the ton.
At this point | would call attention to
the valuable information afforded us by
Professor NJ. FL. Stowe, a practical
mining engineer, now located upon one
of the mining properties OF Virginia,
who, for several years, has made the
Eastern gold belt a study, and has made
a careful comparison Of its relative merit
as compared with the Western, being
practically familiar with each,-who
has, in Il series OF articles published in
the Mining Record, of New York.
thrown more light on this subject in the
way of useful and post We information
than any who has ever written upon it.
and from whom [ shall have occasion TO
quote largely. nOctoberlast Professor
Stowe writes to the Record, that DIR.
Endlich, OF the Smithsonian Institute,
had made an examination of the g%eologi-
cal formation OF the veins in Virginia,
and pronounced it the same as that in
California, on which the best-paying |
mines occur" Professor Stowe says
further, In the same article, that DR..
Endlich confirmed him in the views he
had long held, that the veins were true
assures.
Captain Riley, an experienced mining |
engineer from the Pacific coast, who
made an examination about the same
time, and from whom Professor Stowe |
quotes, says of one Of the mines IN
fauquier county, Va: That with the
advantage OF location. facilities for
economical working, vast extent and
"richness of lode, this property has great
intrinsic merit, and deserves to be
'classed among the foremost gold mines
of this or any other country"
1t Is important to notice the opinion
of Profess"r Stowe. concurred in BY DR..
Endlich, that we have true tissure veins
instead of s~edimentary or deposit veins.
This gives greater value, as ii promises
an inexhaustible supply, form iissure
velns the ore increases In richness a. you
descend and although the free gold /
diminishes yet the sulphutets increase,
and the latter can be 50 successfully
worked with the present improved
methods, that the additional metallic
value far exceeds the additional cost of
producing. This has been proven in
North Carolina, where they have mined
to a depth 81 SIX HUNDRED or seven hun
dred feet. Here, Twill notice, that no
where else i'll the East has deep mining
been trled The deepest that | have
heard of, except iii this one place. is
only a little over one hundred feet
although | am glad to see that this inn
portant subject of deep mining has at
last been taken hold OF in Virginia. and
that they are preparing at the Ellis
mine, IN Culpeper county, to sink a
shaft to the depth of two hundred and
eight feet.
1t has been the opinion of all the
practical mining engineers with whom |
have conversed, who have made al ey-