The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-05-29
,rInat s1alafax war.
q MrDpsspo, Z May 2, 1879 q,

Editors Dispatch: The foiiosRing y sug--
s,estesI by the publication OF FoiessoT
Gampbell In your issue OF the 10Th, NOT
written, however, in the. spirit --of reply,
but by as accurate n statement a1d paftfcu-,
sar as may be TO furnish FORMATION Tor the
farther eIucidation Of the 8 Halifax vail
Resides. we don't like the summary con-
s;cnment Of our q wonder" to the DEPART
mont of natural phenomena. when all IN.
nn;rv OF enlightened minds and wonder
ment OF uneuiightened as to when built, py
whom, and for what purpose ut once ceases:
No. we mean to have our own wonderful
walI-yeritable rock wall, put up by human
hand, handling piummet and sqaare-ai-
though 1t proves that hand prehistoric or
nnfe-djluyian. But all badiBage aside. lis
history is this: Fifty or sixty years ago,
when the land was still in original foress,
and being surveyed under the direction OF
Mr.. Hndleston, the then owner, Inc sur
ycsor observed such DETECTION III tue nee
aie az bis compass az indicated the pres
ence Of metal. They at once went 10 work
eycayatins and exploring until they came
mon the wall, from which they removed,
stone BY stone, some three or four 1eec IN
length and breadth; in the mean time
pounding up the rock 10 get the supposed
precious and shining particles "nich snow
ed abuud antly, and at once explained the
irregularity Oft the compass. until they were
assured that it was not gold.
If is plainly one OF the combinations OF
sulnhur and iron-"pyrites" -and is a
very common chemical formation In the
Piedmont section Of Virginia, hut believe
worthless for The production OF either iron
or SULPHUR. The fact OF this discovery be-
cine known to Mr. Valentine, OF Rich
mond, lust few months ago. l
have not the pleasure OF knowing TINS
gentleman, but he is, l understand, an
enthusiastic relic-hnnter and something OF
| an ANTIQUARIAN. He has with considerable
expense laid bare the wall, il is believed, to
| its full extent-that is to say, go feet IN
| length, IS in height, D feet broad at bot
| tom, Is inches at top, and averaging "a 1eet
below the surface OF the earth, with dI-
rection running northeast and southwest.
the northeast termination ending in we'll
defined wedge or letter ' directed hori-
zontaliy, thus p.
The wall is overlaid and undertake; in
deed, is embedded in mecaceous sand
stone, requiring both grub-hoe and pick to
cxtricatc it. This, | believe, with know
ledge, however, derived from q very linn
tied college course in geology, Is among the
earlier geological formations. Upon this
INallllf 1 uSSAhC aiiti4uitt Iva Wv
wall, il wall it be.
| cannot believe with Professor Camp
bell, that It is one of the geological dikes.
Such pelief would. on inspection, be inl-
possible, as understand these dikeS appear
generally in undulatory or waye-llke con-
| tinuitv, whereas our wonder stands square
and upright, with a perfectly level base
| composed Of stones OF white and red quartz,
the red doubtlesSly colored by the metal.
The wall has rough and dressed face
On its eastern or dressed face are plainly
seen the JOINTS and iuXtarositions OF over.
LAYING rocks cemented with a substance re-
sembling "FuIier'S earth" -; then the ere.
vices which occur in all masonry are well
marked here, all being filled, as is usual,
with fragments 6f rock and cement.
The owner, for my benefit, priced of a
large stone; it seemed TO have been bedded
in layer of this peculiar cement. as free
from grit as butter, and Of the same con.
sistency, although quickly hardening on
exposure. The stone was adjusted with the
face OF the one below aud with the upper
and lower wall with all the accuracy OF the
| square and plumb. The coup d8,L, as well
| as an examination Of its component parts,
! disproves, ] think, the dixie theory. 1t is
| beyond peradventure wall made with
human hands, and so declared to be
by experienced stone-masons. The &C.
ment spoken of above may be the sub
stance .kaolin," or disintegrated field
SPAR" described by the Professor; nor
does this initiate against the wall theory,
for the cement or s'Fuller'S earth" may
be chemically the same thing, think it
highly probable, but formed elsewhere and
used as cement. 1t is, think, beyond con-
troversy, q wall of artificial formation and
or great antiquity. In connection with the
late discoveries in Ohio, it tends TO estab-
lish the truth OF the theory that higher
order of civilization preceded the Indians
on this continent. 1t is q study for anti
quarians. not biologists.
w. f. DARLINGTON.