The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-12
GOLD IN VIRGINIA.
Mountains Full of It-Maehinery and Cap
ital Needed to Get IL Out
fPhiladelnhia Times

ital Needed to Get IL Out.
philadelphia Timesl
LYNCHBURG, Va, March 1S.-Minerals OF
all kinds abound in the State OF Virginia
1t is not generally known. however, that
gold in large quantities can be had if the
proper machinery necessary to mine, crush
and wash were on hand and in the hands OF
those who understand the business OF
mining.
Seyenty-three miles west of Lynchburg.
on the Virginia and Tennessee branch OF
the Norfolk and Western Railroad, the
Allegheny Springs are situated, and nine
miles further west lies the town of Chris.
hamburg, at the head of the Valley of the
Roanoke. This valley is hidden away be-
tween the Allegheny and Blue Ridge range
of mountains. AS it extends westward il
begins to narrow at Big Spring and at Chris
hamburg there is no valley left worth
speaking about Six miles south of the
latter town, and eight miles southwest of the
springs above mentioned, the two
ranges of mountains come to a point, one
losing its identity in the other, and here is
situated what is known as 1.-The gold fields. -
covering territory of thirty-eight square
miles in the Counties of Montgomery and
Floyd. Why it is called field it is hard to
say, because there are no fields about
nothing but mountainsides, ravines and
would desire TO see. That gold in the dust,
IN the small nugget and in the lump is
abundant, there is apparently no shadow of
a doubt, and liz ten years from now the
locality will be better and more generally
known than il is at present.
In the spring of 1861 a returned Cali
fOrnian named Thomson was riding with
His father In buggy from Blacksburg to
Floyd Court House, and in passing Brush
ha bod to TO-, Il.
the country resembled and reminded him
of California. Getting out of the wagon the
young man wandered about exploring for
fifteen or twenty minutes and came back
with piece of quartz in his hands, saving
20 his father. Here is gold, and the country
is full of it," Further investigation proved
that Thomson was correct. but then the War
broke out, and all those who were in the
secret of the gold deposit be-
came interested in the game
of carnage that lay before them.
Bnd Bush Greek, Pilot Mountain and the
golden bonanza were forgotten or lost sight
of for the time being. Two years ago the
biologists of Virginia looked into the matter
and Professor Zeb Hotschiss, of Stanton.
and Professor Fontaine, of the University of
Virginia, paid the premises visit in per-
son, and on the strength of their opinions
partieSsof, men commenced in a rough and
Bush Greek in search of the golden treasure
Although their engineering implements
consisted only of tin wash-pans and frying
pans with the handles broken Off the toilers
managed to make from SO TO $50 day.
Professor Fontaine, when asked
for his opinion in relation to the
yield, said the prospects of finding
gold in large quantities there were bet
ter than in the early days of California.
There were at least 200 men working along
the creek, and the professor said that with
patent washing machine he could follow
these men and get more god out of the dirt
they threw aside than they got out of what
they called choice dirt Pointing To Pilot
Mountain, he said that all the gold that
those men were finding was washed down
from there; that the mountain was filled
with gold, but il required capital and ma
chinery TO get il out, and that the people
now at work would never realize the benefit
of their early findings, because it was only a
question of time when the land would
change owners, and then that section of
Virginia would bloom and a city would
spring up in q night.
When the Times representative last paid
a visit 10 the gold fields the amateur miners
had moved their quarters to Laurel Creek,
eight miles south of Brush Creek. and were
toiling away with fair success. Their mode
of living was about the same as in all camps
of the kind. They go or send to Christians
burg for supplies, paying for everything
needed in gold dust or nuggets, being al
lowed seventy five cents a pennyweight for
the gold. Out of the thirty-fiye or forty
stores in the County seat of Montgomery
there is not one whose shelves are not filled
with bottles or airs containing gold, all
of which is sent to Philadelphia and New
York and sold for ninety-five cents penny
weight.
The whole Territory is watered by several
running brooks and streams, the chief of
which are Laurel and Brush Creeks, which
empty into the Upper Roanoke River, not
very far from the Allegheny Springs. The
lands along the Brush are owned by man
named Waters, who was born in that
wild region, and like the Indian he is
opposed to new corners, from any section,
and this is one reason why the other
lands along the Laurel and elsewhere are
owned by several parties to the manor born,
among whom is John Sumpter, a conductor
on the Norfolk and Western Railroad, tn
President of which resides in Philadelphia
The lead or vein crosses the Roanoke
River into Poor Mountain and along down
the Blue Ridge to Goochland and Bucking-
ham Counties distance of 200 miles,
where there are regularly worked gold
mines. In the latter County there is a mine
valued at 81, 900, which is owned by a
Northern Company.
The scenery in the above locality is grand,
wild and lovely. Black fish and trout are
plentiful in the rivers and creeks, and wild
game, from the bear and the deer down TO
the pheasant, are in profusion. Besides,
the shiny yellow metal is there, and this
spring all hands will turn out again wash
ing for gold, promising to give the landed
proprietors one-fourth of the yield--whlch
they seldom do.