Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-14
ALABAMA VIRGINIA.
uorre or THE PRESENT AND PAST
az A VETERAN JOURNALIST.
. v,rs,,n,a Mining Enterprise in Ala
bama-An Interesting BIT oil Sir-
gipis Family History.
.,,.,c. ot the Richmond pisps.ch.I


p.rroy. Ala, September 8. 1890.
While making some explorations in Ala
obama no, long since / dropped down tor
a short while at this mining centre. 1t Is
o.lIed Patton. not after an esteemed Rich
,nopd friend. but derives its name from
former owners. The property consists of
4 0oo acres of land. every other acre OF
which "a n hill ranging from sixty to 300
feet in height. These are all hiied with
coal Of most excellent quality. When
snrface indications show It's abundance
tunnel is run in. where the artlcle II gene,
rsilv fonnd in continuous LAYERS four and
a baIf feet high by sixty deep. Coal here
neyer d;ns. so pits as in Chesterfield are
NOT needed As fast as the tunnel pro-
crosses a track is laid and the material Is
hanled ont in cars 10 the tipple by mules
bitcbed tandem. do not perceive auricu-
larry that the coal-chute here makes any
loss noise than those attached TO the de-
livery-wagons in Richmond.
PUBLIC BESEFAc1oR.
The man who invents a nolseless coal
deliverer should acquire money as wei as
the gratitude of ell town-residents. lhere
ore two opeuings here which have eacn
penetrated the bank about 1000 feet. Az
Coal Valley, several miles away out also
part of this property, there are seyerai
prolific openings. hauroaus ieau 10 Do. w
nlaces. This particular place Is known as
patton Junction. II has about 200 houses,
store. post-office. powder-magaz two
churches Odd-Fellows' hall. and otner
copcomitants OF civilization.
Tho campus fronting the mines here IS
n valley toierably level, formerly used as
farm. between hills covered with trees now
green with summer verdue. II Is about
400 wards wide and one mile long Where IL
strikes the continuation OF the Georgla
Pacific railroad. Here on the hlllsides
"under the greenwood tree" are located
the habitations.
A VIRGINIA CONCERN.
The company owning these mines IS
called the Virginia and Alabama Coal Com.
many. Its president, treasurer, ana cnlei
book-keeper are all Virginians, as IN TACT
are its chief owners.
Your fellow-townsman James Il. Pace. IS,
Ms Won no DOUBT are aware, president OF
the COMPANY operating these mines. HIS
never making a mistake when II comes TO
INVESTING his money has by some been
called luck. but | do not think that exactly
the correct word He does business on
business principles. and to do that mans
bindsights have to have equal develop
ment with his foresights. Not the least oil
his holdings is this fine property, en-
HANGING in value each year and bound IN
time 10 come TO be the leading representa-
tive of it's sort in the United States. Inc
coal is superior in quality to any on the
line of the Chesapeake and Ohio road ana
is situated in the heart of the South with
no competition. Patton is ffty-slx miles
from Birmingham and about eighty from
Columbus, Miss.
WONDERFUL CAPACITY.
The output of these mines Is now about
500 tons per day and can be increased To
anv amount when the railroad Is able 10
furnish transportation. am told by
mining experts that this is the best
equipped mine in the South and that the
coal can be mined cheaper and IS better
than any other domestic coal IN our coun-
try.
GREAT FUTURE.
The Georgia Pacific railroad, whose
president is Richmond man, ls no doubt
destined to be the great freight hauler OF
the future. There is moved and hauIed
over the road now daily 5000 tons OF
FREIGHT and the amount will soon be
doubled, because development IS daily 60
ing on in the country through which II
passes. The miners cannot get all the
cars thew could fill. The road has five
Texas connections at Arkansas City. and
its traffic to the East is immense. super
intendent William II. Green is untiring IN
his efforts to make the road put It's best
foot foremost at all times.
ROMANCE OF VIRGINIA FAMILY.
A mining station in mid-Alabama is
rather curious place in which TO pick up
interesting details Of people whom you
knew in Virginia; yet / did get hold OF
some personal history of the sort winch L
am satisfied will be read with interest by
home folks. " of one of whom am which"
of not long antecedent period. Said my
informant in answer TO inquiries about
some old Goochand families: Francisco
Zayler MonteirO de Barros was e1lled from
Lisbon. Portugal, about 1920 by King John:
The Count de Barros was Minister oil
Finance under that Prince and was eIiled
along with his brother because he joined q
revolutionary movement having Tor rs oo-
lect the abolition of monarchy and the es-
Enlistment of a republican form Oh gov;
eminent. The rebellion Qor such 1t turned
ont to be from its non-success) was speedl-
" suppressed and the most prominent OF
Its supporters we're sentenced 10 perpetual
exile.
A GRAND OLD TYPE.
The subject of this notice came TO the
United States of America and settled IN
Goochland county, Va. He dropped ms
title of count on leaving his native land.
He is represented by those who knew him
intimately to have been gentleman oil
many eccentricities, OF vast and varied ac,
| nuirements, and of courtly and polished
manners. A great many, anecdotes Nus
| trative Of his accomplishments aud pecu'
| liarities are still current and well authen-
| ticated in that county. Although strictly
| orthodox in his republicanism as ap'
| Piled to government, he was very fal
| from being democratic in his So
| cial relations with the citizens OF the
/ county Of his adoption, albeit one OF the
most aristocratic in the State. lie maze
| but few acquaintance and contracted
| fewer friendships. During the twenty
years of his life in that county have beer
Informed that he never spent single nlgh
| from home at neighbours house, nor per
mitted one of his children to do so. III
was an accomplished whist-player and de
voted to the game. lie gave good many
whist parties during the year, but wa
never known TO invite but three gentlemei
! TO one party. giving as reason that he dl'
not desire that either himself or one o.
more of his guests should be excluded.
INTERESTING FAMILY HISTORY.
At the death of Mr.. Monteiro no lef
seven sons and one daughter. his eldes
son being an infant in arms when brouSh
To Virginia. Francisco, the Oldest. son
went West somewhere about 1910, and die
! there. having never married. Henry ia
| yier married daughter of DIR. Tredway
aud died some years before the late war
| Edward Herculano married Miss LAWN
! Kean. of Goochland county, a relative Q
the late Ohio q. Kean, of Richmond: ii
died about 1866. and is buried in Holly
wood. His widow died few years later
Andrew Alcides married Miss Pocahonta
Woodson, of Goochland county, an
died about 1875. His widow still sui
wives HIM, and is living with thel
Oldest daughter. the wife of Hon. L
c. Latham, Of North Carolina. ID
Aristides married the daughter c
John s. Cooke, of -Albemarle county
both of whom are now living at Richmond
Va. James MiltIadas also married daugt
ter of John S. Cooke. James died in 1855
his widow surviving him. Walter Arch
medes never married He served gallant
during the war as a soldier in the famou
Stonewall brigade, and died in one Of th
western Territories IN 1870. Miss Eurelif
the only daughter. never married. Sh
died about 1878. She was during her lif
generally conceded to be one Of the mos
superior women Of her time, not only II
tellectually, but in all of the virtues an
graces that dignity and adorn the charactt
of woman.
wEIL-KSowN CITIZEN.