Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-12

a good deal of litigation arose as to, the
title. and possible that accounts tor the
fact that the mines were never worked
to any considerable extent Then, TOO
the ores are 'pocketed-the vein not beins
clearly defined and connected, but little
dips in which there are quantities OF
gold.
II have been told that the old Hobson
mine. half a mile from here, used to be
worked, but that was before / came here,
and I incline to the opinion that it IS
case of hearsay all the way. There are
few evidences of much work having been
done there. While most every one couid
tell me something of the Hobson mines
and the quantity of gold ores taken
therefrom, 1t was invariably the case OF
having been told to them by some Old
person. There are more indications OF
gold at several points in the county than
there, according to my way of thinking.
I'm all of these mines there has been
a cessa ton of active operations for many
wears, and there is nothing to warrant
the belief that they will be worked again
until they change hands. Nothing has
been done in the mines since soon before
the war.
Iron mines? Bless your soul, sir, the
county is almost a solid ore bank from
one end to the other There are all sorts
of minerals, and some of it is very good.
There is the iron mine near Canton, some
five miles distant which was known as
the ore bank. The mines were worked
prior to the war, but about the time that
things began to get lively the owner
suddenly came to the conclusion that he
had enough, and he moved his machinery
away. The ore is of good quality. but
do not know anything Of the quantity.
''But I forgot to tell you about the fell
lows who are working the gold mines at
this time. Sure, they are working the
mines, but it is on small scale. They
are men who are washing surface gold
dust what they can pick up on the sur
face Of the ground They wash it out in
the creeks and some of them make as
much as IS a week out OF their work.
They are what the miners call buck
washers, but a name more generally I'M
derstood would be to call them pot hunt
erS.
Il am OF the opinion that there is a
great deal of gold here in the county.
Traces of gold are to be found on all
sides. Copper and gold are found close
together, though there is little silver re-
ported from any of the mines in which
have worked, and if there is one in the
county in which 1 have not worked 1 do
not know the name of it or its where
aboutS. 1t Will be case Of some fellow
coming along and making lots of money
out Of what another fellow has dis
covered.
Copper mines? Yes, there is copper
mine at Canton. 1t is known as the Sta
pie mine. I opened it about eleven years
ago. l owned the land at that time, but
1T now belongs to party OF gentlemen
in RICHMOND. Work was stopped in
the mine about eight months ago, and
since that time nothing has been done ex-
cept to bail out and keep the water from
getting the upper hand Of everything
Only one man is required for this work
| do not know why they are not work
ing the property. There is an abundance
OF ore there, and It is Of high quality l
was down on the creek one day and saw
traces of what 1 thought was copper
began cutting into the bank for lead
and when I got to within a few feet of
where l thought the vein was l struck it
all right. Then I had an offer for the
property and sold it. I am not as young
as | used to be, and cannot get around
like a man who should to have property
Of that kind. There are other copper
mines in the county, and I understand
that they, too, are idle. But there is a
report in circulation that the mines will
go in again during the winter The shaft
now some 800 feet deep. I have not been
in it for some time, as the management
Of it was not to my way of liking
The largest slate mines in the South are
in Buckingham, those of the Williams
Slate Company, Seven hundred men are
employed in the mines and the best slate
for roofing to be found in the world is
found there. The main shaft Is some 300
feet or more across the mouth, and the
walls go down almost perpendicular to a
depth of nearly 400 feet. Six to eight car
loads of trimmed slate is taken out daily.
Large quantities of granite for paving is
taken out and is piled up all over the
place. The company gives the granite
away, only charges for putting it On,I
cars. The whole county is covered with
slate-the roofs OF pigsys and chicken
houses being covered VIII slate.
nhCE NJ MANN L0IIrk