The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-14
Richmond, Va, April "a, 1907.

II
Richmond, Va, April "a, 1907. COLON
the minds Of the people early in the history Of the colony
Iron discovered by the Raleigh expeditions, and
ported as being in large quantities and Of fine quality Har
riot the friend Of Raleigh and the historian 81 his expeditions
speaking Of the discovery Of iron Roanoke Island said
Wc found near the water side the ground to be rocky
and which found hold iron richly know nothing to
the contrary but that may be allowed for good mercantile
commodity considering the small charges for the labor and
the feeding Of the infinite store Of wood the waste OF
wood and the dcarness thereof III England and the necessity
Of ballasting OF ships"
On Of these considerations Mr. Harriet evidently
thought that such might mined good advantage and
great profit.
When Newport returned in 1903 to England he carried
iron with his cargo The sn1eted and sev-
cntecn tons 81 were sold per to the East India
Company This was doubtless the first iron ever manu-
featured from American There is utter absence OF
proof that the aborignes knew anything at all Of the manu-
featuring OF iron Their implements and vessels were nva-
raby made stone and not Of iron There small
extent knowledge Of the Of copper bu there is no evil
dence that they appreciated the value OF iron or had learned
to use it.
In 1910 Sir Thomas Gates told the Council in London
that there were divers metals especially iron ore in Virginia
lying upon the surface the ground OF which had been
home and found yield good England
In 1917 the Virginia Company sent iron workers, with
instructions up three iron works at some desirable
points the colony The enterprise undertaken that
year and located Falling Greek, tributary o.
the James River, seven miles below Richmond.
Mr.. Beverly his "IIstory Of Virginia. audes to these
works in the following way:
"The works set up where they made proof OF good
brought the whole work perfection that
they word to the company in London that they did not
finish the work and have plentiful provision OF
iron by the Easter in the spring Of 1921 I'm
fortunately the who had been by the
London Company and who had been ntrusted with the con-
Of the works and the management of them died. and
as there other competent TO take their places
the works in dslse
Tn July 1921 the company sent over Mr. John Berkeley
take charge OF the works Mr. Berkeley accompanied
by his by twenty aborsrs skilled and experienced
iron work They had been long in the country before
the following communication received from the London
Company, directed the Council in Virginia:
Eve pray your assistance III the perfecing Of these two
works The profit will rebound the whole colony and
therefore that you extend your authority to the
utmost limits to enforce such shall refuse the help to
business 50 much to the general good
On the 9Th Of December 1921, there another COM
n,nicaton urging all possible diligence and industrious CT
fort to further accomplish those great and many designs
of salt saving mills and iron. In 1922 there this fur-
Their "Thc good entrance which we have
destood you made in works and in other stable
commodities, let have least by the
good quantity Of iron and Vine.
But the next tidngs that go to the London Company