Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-02
py Fred iIo>slo,y.

railing Greek has witnessed many
romance. from the days when the
earliest Indian hunter sought his
prey by it's banks or in it's waters.
or when as n warrior, he there pur-
sued his foe, or, as n lover. wooed
his maiden TO the music of it's wa
tcrS' To the days when the first white
adventures made their way I'M its
watcry path Into its forests. still
today, in an atmosphere of rich
story, It's ancient trees look down
upon the modern continuation of the
human drama in tho life OF the
camps which possess it's wooded
banks and which send forth long blue
Wfaiths OF smok" into tho carthS.
aromatic air as lid the nrcs OF tho
rcd man OF Old. Nud this site. seven
miles from Richmond, has played its
part. too. In tn" making OF history.
For here. over 500 Years ago. attempts
wer" mad" 10 begin the industry dos.
tined TO grow to colossal proportions
and &" number ar puc it's captains
such men as Andrew Carnegie and
CHARLES Schwab.
ln the spring ~ 1905 ship COM
manded 10y captain Newport left
Jamestown laden. not with the pcarIs
ana gold which those impractical
alchcmistS in Europe had produced
IN NirE mia by logic and which tho
"hliEinE early explorers had described
so wildly. hat with such prosaic
commodities as SasSafras, cedar logs
walnut boards and iron ore, How
ever. this latter article. smcited in
England and sold for four pounds a
ton. was 50 profitable and OF such
good quality that there commenced
to he advocated an iron works in the
new land. Gold having failed, thos.
adyenturcsomc enthusiasts turned
rhii"SophicaliE to iron. with their
eager exaggerated hopes of great
wealth only slightly dampcncd. for
they maintained that IAN iron wnrke
erected would he as much worth as
n SILVER mine" And again. neither
docs Virginia yield to any province
whatever in cxccllcncy and plenty OF
this oare."
String Of Small B"nts.
But II was not until 1919 that there
came, one day. n string of small
boats. laden with men, tools and ma
t"r!als, sent over by the Virginia
Company. gliding slowly up the wa
'ers of Falling Creek from James
town The loneliness OF the place
and its opcnn"ss To the attacks of
the hostile Indians must have struck
chill to even their sturdy spirits
OF adventure as they set about fall
ins trees, building ana digging. dis
turning the quiet, unmulcStcd for
ages Hopes ran high. and there
were dreams aplenty. II was Cali
i"rnia in 1? on small scale. The
natural conditions were described
thus Iron ore and rich mine are
IN abundance in the land, fit streams
ana waters To erect iron mills. wood
never to lac destroyed TO hurnc coalc.
anu all This I've on great rivers
hankcs, casic for transportation of
wood and orc and there is stone 1T
I" build tho furnaces with; TRIAL
hath been made OF this iron or. and
not better and richer in the world
To make all Instruments of
IRON for the plantations uses. and FOR
building. shipping. there being want
INK IN that country no other mate
rails 10 that worke. Then the cast
!nc OF ordnance and making them
VIII abound To serve all the world
But their plans 10 finish the work
ana have plentiful provision Of iron
for them uhe company by next
Easter failed, due to the deaths OF
three OF the workmcn.
In July there came John Berkeley
formerly OF Beverstone Castle Glou-
ccStcr gentleman of an honorable
family" with his son, Maurice. and
twenty wo'km"n. To take charge Of
This one project in the grand scheme
evolved by the poet. George Sandys.
10 exploit the natural resources of
virginia. Their management was
anticipated WITH great hopcfulncss
by. The company. as is shown by "a
letter sent TO Virginia, in which they
-declarc the advancement of the iron
NJ - -" "Stccmc to be most ncccs-
'snri" by per =, ti'.r whereof We cs-
tccmc the plantation is the gamer.
We, therefore. require ALI possible
assistance TO toe given to Mr. Hcrk
Icy. now sent. ana All furth,rancc to
MS ship. especially good entertain
men; at their landingc.
Landing or Company.
w" can picture tn. landing of this
company OF industrial pioneers: Cot
om.l Berkeley. AN elderly man in
years. but young With the. youthful
!0ye OF adventure. which was char
'a"t"ristc of Il world in its Adde'S
"nrc his son. confident in his
strength TO overcome hardships in
the WILDERNESS, and the twenty work
men some with faces animated 10y
the sam" enthusiasm their employers
show. others exhibiting the stolid.
administrative characteristics Of tn.
EnGlis workman. with curious look
about them. one hy one step ashore.
Welcomed by Il delegation al men.
who ~ IS clearly indicated by their
Important mieu. 40 less than hy their
ga!ly heriumcd hats and rufilcs. ar"
the Coz crnor and councilmcn Of the
htiie town. and. amid eager uucs-
tons. conducted 10 their quarters.
We SEQ them again. during tho SOW
era days OF their sojourn In James
t"wn-ihc colonel. his son and their
new friends-grown sociahlc over
their wine. o. more probable. over
pipes OF mat new bu, delightful
wec! SO well liked at court. dis
"ussine enthusiastically the plans
and hppes concerning the venture
mack IN The wilderness on Failing
Greek
Ana Il tho omcial iujunc,ions Of