Letter from Jeremiah Elkins to Asbury Dickens, Secretary of the Columbian Institute, May 22, 1823

Washington May 22[[superscript]]d[[/superscript]]. 1823 Asbury Dickens Esq[[superscript]]r[[/superscript]] Secretary of the Columbian Institute Sir I take the liberty of sending you a small cabinet of minerals which I must beg of you to do me the favor to present to the Columbian Institute. The few specimens of which this collection is composed were found, with the exception of the slab of Schuylkill marble, in Virginia and principally in the neighborhood of the Blue Ridge which may in truth be denominated a perfect stone house of minerals. Specimens of petrified wood are found to exist in almost every part of Virginia, and those included in this collection would not have been thought worthy of a place in your cabinet and consequently would not have been presented, were they not peculiarly remarkable for the veins

of agate with which they are intersected. Among others you will find in this collection specimens of Chrystallization - Burr Stone - Load Stone - iron ore - pure virgin copper ore - Potomac Flint - Horn Blend - specimens of conchology or fossil shells petrified, found in the interior of Virginia and remote from tide water - petrified periwinkles - small ferruginous substances of a cubical figure - Galena on Lead and Silver ore - stalactites form [[W?]]ier's cave in Virginia, &c. The specimens of clay were taken from a substratum lying about five feet below the surface of the earth and supposed to extend throughout the whole of that part of Virginia called the Northern neck - they may serve to give some idea of the geology of that part of the state. If, Sir, the Columbian Institute should deem this small cabinet worthy of its acceptance, it will be acknowledged as a very flattering favor. Very respectfully Your obt servt Jeremiah Elkins [[ornamental underlining of signature]] [[end page]] [[start page]] [[blank page]]

[[paper in landscape format, folded to form three panels]] [[first panel]] Communicated June 7 1823 thanks [[extend?]]. [[/first panel]] [[second panel]] From Jeremiah Elkins, to A. Dickins, presenting a box of minerals. [[double line]] dated 22.[[superscript]]d[[/superscript]] May, 1823. [[double line]] 7.[[superscript]]th[[/superscript]] June, 1823. thanks of the Institute given. [[double line]] [[paper rotated through 180 degrees]] To Asbury Dickens Esq[[superscript]]r[[/superscript]] Secretary of the Columbian Institute at the Treasury Department. [[/second panel]] [[third panel]] [[blank panel]]