Sherwood Forest
Charles City County Va
Nov. 9, 1846

My Dear Sir,

Have nothing to do with the mountain 
lands of Virginia without going upon them and see-
ing them for yourself. There are hundreds of thousands 
of acres of mere barren rocks of no earthly value to 
man or beast. In so large a survey as [?]'s 
there may doubtless be found many fertile valleys 
but they are most probably of limited extent 
and of no great value. If you will look to the 
map of this state you will find Tazewell County 
one of the counties of the South western tier, and 
extremely mountainous. There are doubtless some 
good lands but they lie few and far between. I 
have never been in that region but judging from 
that portion of the Mountain Country with which 
I am acquainted, I advise no purchase 
"unsight, unseen" - Rely upon it that if any thing 
could be realized upon them, even a profit of a cent 
per acre they would long since have been bought 
up, and yet it might be well to send an agent 
there to ascertain the true condition of things, 
or visit it yourself.
Now turn me to another subject - Since 
I left New York, I have received full accounts

from my coal mines in Kentucky. A Mr. Wilson
an experience miner from England, who has worked 
in all the best mines of that country and this, has 
there has penetrated the mines by removing about 300 
bushells of coal - finds that its bulk greatly in-
creases and pronounces the quantity to be in-
exhaustible. The larger stratum is of candle or  
kennel coal lying on a stratum of bituma 
nous My agents write one that one bushell 
is worth three of any other coal on the Ohio 
River and that it will readily command ten 
cents per bushell at the Landing. The expense 
of digging is estimated by them at 2 cents 
per bushell. The certificates of two gentlemen 
in the neighborhood, one of whom is well 
known to me, avouch its great superiority 
over the coal of that country. The mine lies
at some 3/4 of a mile from the River, and 
in order actively to operate, it would be judi 
cious to lay down a rail road from the 
mine to the River. Captain [Bussell] late 
Superintendent of the improvements on the 
Ohio and Mississippi, and who has a 
wider control over the steam boat Captains 
than any other person and who is my 
personal friend, advises me to work the 
mines by all means, and promises his active 
aid in bringing them into notice. He speaks 
of the property as very valuable. Now 
my Dear Sir I do not hesitate to express the opinion 
that a large fortune might be realizd from 
this source. My agents Messr. [Tilfort] and 
Samuel propose that I make an outlay of 
some 4 or 5000 under their direction for 
laying down a railway &c and that they 
will superintend the working of the mines 
and sale of the coal for one half the nett
profits, and conclude by saying that the 
outlay will be returned in the first 12 months. 
So stands the case - but I cannot move in 
it of myself - others must be found who 
would be inclined to adventure and may have 
the ability to do so, or otherwise I must run 
the hazard of sacrifice by a sale in Kentucky 
for what they will bring. If a company would 
be organized for working them who would be 
willing to plan the land, say at $20,000 and where 
proportion of outlay should be in proportion to their 
interest, I would be willing to retain an in 
terest of one fourth myself and to contribute 
proportionally with others. The fewer the

number of partners the better. If three more could 
be found or six at the farthest the thing might 
be at once consummated. Nor should I require 
the payment of more than $5000 in hand - altho' 
the larger the payment the better for my convenience. 
The balance could be paid annually until it was 
all paid. I will not express to you my confi
dence in this matter least I should be sup-
posed to exagerate. In any arrangement 
which might be made it would be necessary 
to interest [Tifford] and Samuel, and through 
them Capt [Rusrell]. I shall write to them 
to day making similar 
suggestions with the above. 
We are all well. The little D.G.T. grows 
apace and is the best fellow in the world. 
With kindest regards to all
Yours Truly
J. Tyler

A. Gardiner Esqr
 
P.S. Julia has turnd in and made copies 
for you which I had not industry to do.

Alexander Gardiner Esq.
Clerk U. S. Circuit Court
New York