Coal Mines in the vicinity of Richmond, Va. ed 
the mines to see that all is right, before the miners are put to work ; 
or to be used to free _ mines in case one are omaulincged 
with gas, 
The interior of the mines contains iron railroads of a very sim- 
ple construction. Iron bars, two inches by half an inch, are in- 
serted edge up into cross pieces of timber, four by two inches, laid 
at the bottom of the drifts. The iron is admitted into the timber 
about an inch deep; no wedging is necessary, and the road can be 
curved at pleasure. Mules are used on these roads: below, and 
7 and look better there than those above ground. 
Impressions of fishes and vegetable remains, such-as Setti 
bark, and knobs of wood, are often found in the slate lying over 
coal in this neighborhood: They were particularly numerous at 
the Union pits, and mines of the Creek Company, which seem 
to be a distinct formation of coal from the main formation, and 
many suppose it a deposit at an after date. As no sinking is now 
going on at either of these mines, I am unable to procure and for- 
ward you any samples, as the old ones have been disposed of. I 
will be upon the watch, and secure for you hereafter any speci- 
mens that may be obtained, and worthy of your attention. 
The coal basin extends across Chesterfield county to the south 
te sah Appomattox, or perhaps a little beyond the river into Ame- 
lia county. Nocoal, however, has been found of sufficient thick- 
"Hess to justify working, nearer the river than Rowlett’s old pits, 
distant one mile to the north. Between these pits and Hill’s old 
pits, distant five miles still farther to the north, is supposed to be 
the only ‘Pattol this section.of- the basin that rill be found valu- 
mineral t reasure. The caal meas- 
ures may be’ traced on the north from these limits to the James 
river pits, and south a little ‘beyond the Appomattox, but no ex- 
ploration has yet discovered coal beyond the limits mentioned, in 
sufficient qnantities to be wrought to profit. 
Rowlett’s pits mentioned above, were some twenty years 
since leased by a company of gentlemen in Petersburg, wrought 
for a few years and abandoned ; subsequently an incorporated 
company purchased them, but after a trial of two years gave up 
farther search for coal, having been unsuccessful, though the land 
is still owned by them. About twenty years ago Hill’s pits were 
Vol. for —— 
; put in operation. These were’ worked for five or six years, 
.. The coal both of these workings — 
