Coal Mines in the vicinity of Richmond^ Va. 5 



this land, and from the great influx of water, a small steam en- 

 gine has been put up to aid in sinking. On the southeast of 

 these mines, on the lands of Maj. Clarke, some years ago, coal 

 was mined to a small extent. 



We return now to the Maidenhead pits, being the point in the 

 working mines where we began, and which lie on both sides of 

 the Buckingham road ; Wooldridge's old pits and Railey's, the 

 property of Nicholas Mills, and before mentioned as being un- 

 wronght and exhausted, are directly east and adjoining. These 

 mines were not abandoned until the close of the last year, having 

 been for the last half dozen years worked by Mills, Reid & Co. 

 East of these mines are the old Union pits not before named, but 

 worked out, not having been wrought more than some fifteen 

 years after being discovered. South of these, are the exhausted 

 mines owned by Nicholas Mills, and known as Mills Creek pits ■ 

 which like the Union pits did not last working more than twelve 

 or fifteen years after being discovered. South of these are 

 the old Green Hole pits, before named as one of the oldest pits 

 and exhausted by working. The coal raised from all these old 

 mines was of very good quality. Next and immediately south, 

 lie the Creek Company's mines, discovered about four years 

 ago. They were valued and sold to an incorporated company at 

 $96,000. They have but one shaft in operation, about three 

 hundred and eighty feet deep, worked by a steam engine on the 

 ground, and mule power operating below on an incline. 



The present year's product will be, as it has been for the two 

 preceding years, about two hundred and fifty to three hundred 

 thousand bushels of coal, and there are employed here about 

 seventy men at top and bottom. The coal is of good quality, 

 but is difficult to mine in consequence of the field being some- 

 what troubled. This company own all the necessary machinery, 

 mules, and about thirty men, with a sufficient outfit of houses, 

 two coking ovens, and a branch railroad connecting their mines 

 with the main coal railroad to Manchester. On the south of these 

 works and immediately adjoining, are the Stonehenge pits, now 

 unwrought, owned by the heirs of Martin Railey, deceased. The 

 old shafts at these mines are numerous, and vary in depth from 

 fifty to four hundred feet ; it is supposed that the coal extends 

 to the dip of the old works, — new shafts it is supposed will 

 be sunk, and extensive operations may in future be carried on. 



