4 Coal Mines in the vicinity of Richmond, Va. 



tilators. These mines were opened about twenty five years ago ; 

 during the first year's operation, when the miners were out at 

 their dinner, about one o'clock in the day, and within an hour 

 from the time they ascended, the pit fired and the flames instantly 

 rushed from the shaft to the height of two hundred feet above 

 the surface ; whether this was caused by an explosion of gas or 

 otherwise, is uncertain.* 



Immediately adjoining these mines on the north, are those 

 called the Gowrie pits, owned by Murchie, Mosely & Brander, 

 and now worked under a lease by George E. Swann. There are 

 two shafts on this property, one about one hundred and sixty 

 feet deep, the other about four hundred and sixty ; about eighty 

 thousand bushels of coal will be hoisted from these mines the 

 present year. The coal is about six feet thick ; it is suited for 

 grates, and for steam engines. The present prospect is not prom- 

 ising ; the shafts seemingly have been sunk on troubles, and a 

 good body of coal is supposed to lie on the dip of the present 

 works. There are employed at these mines forty men, includ- 

 ing top and bottom hands and cartmen, and they are about the 

 same distance from the railroad as the last named mines. It is 

 probable that these mines will not be worked the ensuing year. 



Next on the northeast, are the old pits of Buck & Cunliffe, 

 mentioned before as having been worked out ; and on the north- 

 east of them are the old Black Heath mines in like condition. 

 About two miles north are Sallee's pits, named before as being 

 unwrought, and containing iron ore lying over the coal, and now 

 owned by the English company ; in which company Col. Heth 

 retains a royalty upon one half of the minerals owned by it, as 

 well as in the coal property ; on the north lie Trabue's old pits, 

 extending to James river, now owned by Thomas M. Burfoot, 

 and under a lease to Stanford, Duval & Co. who have sunk 

 some shallow shafts south of the former workings, from fifty to 

 two hundred and fifty feet deep. There will be raised from these 

 mines during the present year about one hundred and twenty five 

 thousand bushels of coal ; they give employment to about fifty men. 

 This coal being raised from near the outcrop, is not very suitable 

 for any thing but domestic fuel. A new shaft is now sinking on 



* What other cause can be assigned ? It is hardly possible that any felonious 

 attempt could iiave produced such an efiect.— Eds. 



