| From the Richmond Sentinel |
| |
| February 25, 1864 |
| |
| The Lead Mines of Virginia |
| The following letter has been kindly
placed at our disposal. It will gratify our readers to have so
striking an evidence of Virginia's resources in an article so
necessary to our military defence as lead. During the past year, the
mines referred to in the letter produced lead enough for ten millions
of ounce balls, and this year the amount will be doubled. Austinville,
we will add, is in Wythe county. |
| |
| Austinville, Va., Feb. 4, 1864 |
| Hon. Jes. J. Graham, Senate of Virginia |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| In reply to your request "to give you
a statement of the quantity of lead produced at the mines here during
the 12 months ending December 1, 1863," I beg to state that we
delivered to the C. S. Nitre and Mining Bureau, during said period, |
| 10,209 pigs |
566,265 lbs. lead |
|
61,609 1/2 " buck shot |
|
8,785 1/2 " bird
" |
| in all |
636,660 lbs. {40 car
loads, shipped on the Virginia Central RR} |
|
| And to add, that our supply, or product,
decreased during the past year, in consequence of having taken out all
the ore exposed prior to the war, in consequence of the
continued urgency for "more lead!" ever since the war
commenced. Government commenced exploration for lead 1st of July last,
at its own expense, in a new parcel of land, belonging to the Company,
lying between the old Mine Hill and the lands of Thomas Jackson. I am
happy to state that I succeeded in finding ores equal to any ever
found in the old hill. The supply this year from this place you may
safely state at double what it was last year. |
| Very respectfully |
| Your friend |
| Wm Kohler |
| Agent Union Lead Mine Co. |
| Sup't C. S. Lead Exploration |
|