Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-15
LETTER FROM BUcKISGIIAn.
Auriferoua Lgna~-8eccnt mineral
Discoveries
FLOR fho DIsDat.nT

PEpr0N. Va, December 3. 1883.
One of the most distinguished profes-
sors Of the University Of Virginia has re-
Gently stated that 1t is his deliberate
opinion that nowhere else IN the United
States Of America Is there a mineral belt
Of iron, copper, gold, and slate equal TO
territory situated within n radius OF
ten miles around Wlllis's Mountain, IN
Buckingham county. And it is without
doubt true. And to tho four mentioned
above may be added recent dis
coyerles OF silver and zinc, the
latter so pure that IT is al
most impossible TO make chemists be-
licve that It can thus be found in its ma
tive state, il being stated upon high au-
thority that there is but one other mine
/ like il in the world. Our slate has easily
taken the premium at Vienna, at Paris,
at London, and at Philadelphia and New
Orleans. Our gold Is AZ good az any
discovered, some Of the best picked
quartz running thousands of dollars 10
the ton. or years and wears 1t has
been the dream OF the enthusiast that
our section would rival California. Il is
now believed by scientific men 10 be m
some respects better Startling as thia
propos ton NAV seem it is easily capable
/ of demonstration. In California the
great advantage Was that the gold lay
near the surface. Here 1t IS imbedded a,
from forty 10 one hundred feet, anu the
deeper You go the better IT is. The geo
| logical Indications are more uniform
| here than III California, and for more
than fifteen miles square the land Of
every stream is aurlfefous, AMI for
twenty-five years with the crudest MA
chinery it has been washed with unvary-
ing success. 1T is mathemahcaly Ger
tam that this gold bearing sand comes
from an immense deposit of quart. This
I conclusion 10 irresistible and Us sustained
by the facts. The quart is peculiarly
hard, and this has been the great draw
back to its profitable Working. 10 was
the invention OF nitro-giycerne, giant
powder and dynamite which was the
"open sesame OF mines OF untold
wealth. Added to these tho modern
stanp.mill and the improved processes
of separating the sulpbuyet from tue
gold has caused the great re'oli6on
which Is about to awaken the Rip Van
Wrinkles of the times. 1t has
ALWAYS been stated 10y scientific mine
ralogiss that If the true lead of the gold
vein could be found between two contact
walls of different minerals that the
imagination would hardly dare to depict
/ the untold wealth hidden in the bowels
of the earth, and vet within the grasp of
the discoyerer 1t has almost surely
been found. A gentleman OF some
means, who has been for years prospect
ing at occasional intervals with the MD
/ of scientific miners. after many failures
is at last satisfied that he has found IT,
| tie first satisfied himself of the exist
ence of vast quantities Of the ore, thou
sands upon thousands of tons SO the
depth of forty feet. lie then had an
average specimen aualyzed by Professor
| =. h. Wilson, Of Baltimore, and IL
turned ont to be worth two hundred
and six dollars aud sixty cents TO the
ton. of gold, and one dollar Of
silver to the tor. The richness
increases as the shaft is sunk deeper.
When hydraulic machinery Is used there
can bo no doubt but that 1t will be as
successful ~ the stamp-mill. ! use no
names IN this letter. as it would not lie
proper. but 10 not hesitate TO make the
bold prediction that if proper railroad
facilities are gwen to the county Buck
inpham Courthouse will in a few years
become the Birmingham of Virginia.
Our iron ore has repeatedly analyzef
over 90 per cent. pure metal, and am
crediblv informed that this has not been
the case anywhere else in Virginia.
The reader VINO has taken the trouble
TO read this letter will be likely to say
''this is all bosh and probably put aside
the paper in disgust tie will say why
has not all this been found out before {?
A word Of explanation in reply. There
has been coined at the United States
Mint 4 little over quarter OF million
of dollars of gold from the mines OF the
county Of Buckingham. Let him pom
der on this indisputable fact To those
who know them rs we'll as | do the some
what lethsrgic character OF the native
born population OF Buckingham will ac-
count for the fact that they have lived 80
long without the knowledge Of the great
mineral wealth of the county. Though
l am not native Of the county and live
within the sweep Of the breezes
from the north side Of James river,
far be it from me to say anything against
the people Of this charming old county.
For kindness Of heart, for hospitality.
and for all the gentler aud higher quail
ties which adorn human nature, they are
absolutely without an eqnal snywhere.
The air is so pure. the game 30 abund-
ant, the girls so exquisitely charming.
that one here forgets the great rush OF
the world for making money. A gentle
laDguor seizes him like that inspired by
the dolce Jar nicnfe OF Italian skies. and
he lives on. careless OF the tireless strug-