The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-04
VIRGINIA'S GOLD BELT.
TIE SUBJEC TIyrRRESTTSGLf DID,
CUsSED BY NIL. j. 4. HAMLET.
Field Located where the Yellow Metal 10
Supposed to Exist-How to Erect
Proper Plant-Cost OF the Same.

NYTHEvILLE. Feb. 3.-Special.-Maj'
John Il. Hamlet, the weil-known geolosls'
ana mineralosist. OF this place, who has
lately returned from fourth visit TO the
gold belt Of Virginia, Is enthts iaatic over
its possibilities. and declares that 1t must
eventually contribute to tie Common
wealth her greatest industry. ID an inter-
view with the Times reporter to-day he
said:
IAN intelligent man, who has read the
literature upon the subject. and still doubts
! the existence or az extensive and valuable
gold belt, lying east OF the Blue Ridge
and extending across this State from the
Potomac TO the North Carolina line, be-
longs to that class OF the incredulOus
who would not believe even though one
were TO rise from the dead Reasoning
With such persons would be a waste Of
| time. But, fortunately their number is
! limited compared TO the legions who are
ready both to hear and investigate; who
| place some value upon the scientific opin-
ions OF Professor Rogers, Siliman, over
man, and many other biologists and min
eralogists Of world wide reputation; who
accerf the evidence Of their own touch
ana SlEUl OtIl one OF a Sibit VI tlN~'
into many localities along the line OF this
great gold belt and IL he does not re-
turn from there an enthusiast in regard
to the extent and richness Of the field he
WILL at least, confess that he saw
much to interest or perhaps 10
astonish him. Let him 80
TO Spottsylvania. Louisa, Goochland, Flu
wanna. and Buckingham counties, and be
will be shown regularly bedded veins OF
auriferous quartz, or unknown depth. and
varying in width from six inches to six
or more feet. in many instances he will
find portions OF the quartz sparkling with
grains Of visible gold in many other cases
he will find parts of the vein which re-
fuse to disclose their metallic value even
under magnifying glass But let him
get one of the negroes Of the locality
accustomed TO such work. and stand by
and make him take common iron NOR
tar and pestle and pound up handful
OF this same quartz and pan it out for
him and he will often get from fifty TO
a hUnGred "cClOrs' of gold enough 10
~; Ike the eyes OF even veteran forty
miner" giisten with expectancy.
The Gold Is There.
"Yes The gold is there just as certain
as coal is in West Virginia or iron orc
I'm Pennsylvania. But Will it Fay? That's
the next and the most important
and practical question. VIII it cost
a dollar to get a dollar? An
honest answer demands the reply that. it
depends. ike almost all other business,
op0n circEn stances. But these circum-
stances. when grouped together, may be
Condensed into two factors Of primary
Importance. to wit: Location and Manage
ment
Location embraces the selection and |
purchase or lease at reasonable price, |
of one or more properties containing regu- |
lar and positively defined vein or veins |
Of gold-bearing material, averaging, say, |
not less than eight to ten dollars in value |
10 each ton of matter brought to the |
surface, or Ito grass" as the miners |
express II. These veins should be of sufi-
cent width 10 permit mining at a reason
able cost. In most cases the vein matter
above water level will contain free gold,
below this line the unaltered gold-bear-
ing sulphurets will come in. These sui
phurets are, as a rule. non-refractory and
are generally richer than the vein matter
nearer the surface
Management implies the erection Of a
modern but not too costly a plant for the
preparation, by crushing and otherwise,
of the gangue matter and the amalgama-
ton of the free gold therein contained,
and, also, for concentrating, roasting, and
chlorinating the sulphurets. This, fol-
lowed by the exercise of ordinary care
and prudence in the subsequent conduct
and control Of the operations. will guar
antee success as certain as the following
Of day by night.
The Chance for Profits.
Indeed. ] may go farther and assert
positively, after measuring my words
carefully. that there will be greater
4 r., pyf Of nd
less liability to loss in such an undertake
ing than in almost any other line of le-
Ultimate business pursuits that capital
can venture into at the present time. 1t
involN Is none of the elements of gambling
nor the uncertainties of speculation. it
is Independent of political changes it
courts 10 traiff TO protect It nor trembles
at the shadow OF free trade.
Just here it may be well II add n
few words relative to the cost Of such an
enterprise. Many persons, not practically
familiar with the subject. imagine that 1t
requires an immense sum of money 10
buy good property and put up plant |
10 work it, Nothing can be farther from
the fact. OF course man can throw
away as much money as he peases in
this or any other business. Every man
has right TO make fool Of himself II |
he desires to do so and he can squander
his fortunes as speedily in gold mining
ventures in this eastern belt as any where
else in the wide world But a sensible
and prudent man can buy a valuable
property and put up a good plant 10 OPP
crate upon n scale large enough TO pay
him heavy dividends with a capital Of
twenty thousand dollars or less. AS he
gains knowledge and profits he can ex-
tend his operations 10 an indefinite ex-
tent, or. as stated at first this field IS
the most extensive one for gold mining |
in all the known world.
Value of Quartz.
81 could extend these views 70 great
length detailing what had been done, many
years ago. "a various localities along this
belt in Virginia. North Carolina. South
Carolina, Georgia. and Alabama. wien
the appliances were Of the most primitive
and crude patterns, and the machinery
employed was OF the same character. But
this must pass for the present at least
and, in It's place. let me use the space
10 correct some erroneous popular opin-
ions about the quantity of gold necessary
in given amount Of quartz TO make the
extraction profitable. a great many per-
sons, fairly we'll informed otherwise, think
1t must run up into hundreds IL not
thousands OF dollars TO the ton of rock |
mat gold bearing quartz has often done
TINS Is PROFESSIONALLY a fact. But IL is
always ana everywhere the exception and
not the rule. The largest, most persis-
tent ana profitable gold mines in the
world have generally Nialdo1 .ri.. -.