The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-16
Washing OF Ore In New Rivera Protest

Editor Times: IL is desirable that this
| Legislature shall pass a bill forbidding
| the washing OF ores i'm New river or its
| tributaries. unless the parties so using
these waters construct and use settling
| pools. 1t has been with some impotence
| that people who live along this river
have awaited the converting of this Leg
| islature, looking 20 1t to stop this public
nuisance. Everyone agrees that IL can
not be tolerated longer. At a compare
lively light expense, all of the mine
owners could put in these settling pools
and relieve us of this muddy food. Nobody
but gullible Virginians would have put
up with 1t this long. You may go through
out the mining regions of Pennsylvania,
ana their rivers are as clear as crystal.
They never dream of concentrating such
stream as 'ours with their washings.
And yet people in our county talk about
shutting down their mines If We do not
let them destroy the fish of our waters
and blur the face Of nature
/ am reliably Informed that there used
10 be, before this deluge Of clay came
down upon us. at least a hundred families
I'm Pulaski, Montgomery, and Giles that
We're supported by New river fishing.
Now there is scarcely a single one. They
talk about their iron industries: this
fishing industry was worth protecting.
Ever since it's destruction there has been
a feeling Of smothered Indignation among
the people all along this river | venture
the assertion that the value OF the fish
formerly caught out Of New river in one
year was worth all Il will cost TO con-
struct settling pools wherever needed.
Then, again, one Of the most valuable
considerations is the restoration OF the
beauty Of the scenery along the river.
know this may be hooted at by the coarse
spirit Of utilitarianism, but it is Just as
valuable I'm dollars and cents, which is
their own and sole standard Of values.
as are these iron mines What has made
Asheville the wealthy place it is. and
has put a palace on every pretty knoll |
eliminating, at last in the expenditure |
OF 100000 by George Vanderbilt in his |
home there? Chiefly the French Broad |
river, with its silver sheets Of water and |
the towering hills sloping back from its |
banks. Our climate is just as healthy;
our Mills and mountains are even more
beautiful, and our river had no superior
on earth until this Ore-washing turned II
into an eye-sOre. Before this began its
beauty was already upon every tongue
and the New river scenery was becoming
the tourists delight, while such places as
Radford Ripple Mead, Belle Spring The
Narrows and the like, were fast becoming
household words in every city from here
to Galveston, Tex. Now there IS disgust.
and, as a gentleman from Georgia said TO
me- Il expected TO see "A mountain stream
iilled with black bass and trout We have
as good rivers as that among the clay
hills Of Georgia"
NOW, II Is not the question Of restoring
the scenery on the one side and of shut
ing down the iron mines on the other.
Not at ALL We can have both. But. at
my rate, the voters along the banks of
New river intend to have the former. II
S folly Tor a man to say that he cannot
lut in settling pools, and that IL will shut
Town his mine and be a great hardship.
when he gave $500 or 5000 for his mine
hree or four years ago. and now would
efuse $4,000 or $4,000 for 1t. We Vir-
inians who lived and loved and fished
'efore these fortune hunters came among
Is have some rights. and this is one OF
hem. GEORGE W. MILES Up
Radford, Va.