Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-06-07
THE RICHEST MAN IN VIRGINIA..
Gentlemen: have thought, for some time, ]

Uentlemen: nave lnOuSnt, Ior soune tlme,
would write for your paper something in rela-
tion to the richest man in Virginia. and the larg-
est Shareholder in the Union, and perhaps in
the world, unless the serfs of Russia be consid-
cred slaves; and the wish expressed in your pa
per, a few days ago. to know whom it was so
wealthy in Virginia, induces me to write this
now.
Samuel Harston, of Pittsylvania, is the gen.
tleman. When was in his section, a year or
two ago, he was the owner of between 1000
and l,700 slaves, in his own right, having but
a little while before taken a census. He also
has prospective right to about 1908 slaves
more, which are now owned by his mother-in-
law, Mrs. r. Harston, he having married her on
y child. He now has the management of them,
which makes the number of his slaves reach near
three thousand. They increase at the rate of
near one hundred every year; he has to pur-
chase large plantation every year to settle
them on. A large number of his plantations are
in Henry and Patrick counties, Virginia. He
has large estates in North Carolina. His land
ed property in Stokes alone is assessed at $780,
600. His wealth is differently estimated at from
$3,Oo00OO to $5,OOOOOO; and should think it
was near the latter. You think he has hard
lot, but assure you Mr.. Hairston manages all
his matters as easy as most would an estate of
$4,000 lie has overseers who are compelled
to give him written statement of what has
been made and spent on each plantation and his
negroes are all clothed and fed from his own do
nestle manufactures; and raising his own tobac-
co crop, which is immensely large, as so much
clear gain every year besides his increase in ne
groes, which is a fortune of itself.
And now for his residence. have travelled
over fifteen states of this Union, and have never
seen anything comparable to his yard and gar
den except some Of those in the Mississippi del
ia, and none of them equal to it. Mrs. Hairston
hsa been beautifyng it for years; and good old
minister, in preaching near the palace, and de-
scriblng Paradise, said, it was as beautiful as
Mrs. Hairston's;" or, as friend who visited
Washington city for the first time, remarked,
that +" the public grounds were nearly as hand
some as Samuel Hairston's." He is plain, un-
assuming gentleman, and has never made any
noise in the world, though he could vie with the
Bruces, and McDonoughs and Astors and it is
strange, that while their wealth is co.extensive
with the Union, he is not known one hundred
miles from home. | believe he is now tho
wealthiest man in the Union, as VIM. B. Astor
is only worth about S4,0OO,OOO, and the estates
of city people are vastly overrated, while Mr..
Harston can show the property that will bring
the cash at any moment.
Mr.. Hairston was raised within few miles
of where he now lives, in Henry 20. He has
several brothers, who are pretty we'll to do in
the world. One of them, Marshall Hairston, of
Henry, ownes more than 700 negroes; Robert
Hailston, who now lives in Mississippi, near
1000, and Harden Hairston, who has also NOV
ed to Mississippi, about 600 slaves. George
Hairston, of Henry, has given most all of his
property to his children, reserving only about
| l50 slaves for his own use. This, believe, is
correct statement Of the circumstances of the
l1airston family.
MYSTERIES OF THE OcEAN.-On Monday week
paper, containing results Of various observa-
tions made in the coast survey by A. d. Bache,
was read before the Scientific Association at
| Washington. Among other interesting passa-
ges, was one relating to the shape Of the floor
or bottom of the ocean, showing that some ex-
traordinary depressions exist along our own
| coast;
"For instance on the seaward line abreast of
| Charleston, from the shore TO 60 miles out tho
depth increases pretty gradually, till at that dis
tance it has acquired depth of 100 fathoms.-
But it soon deepens with great rapidity as if on
one side of mountain, until at about 80 miles
out, the ocean bottom is more than $50 fathoms
! from the surface. This continues forward less
than 10 miles, when the depth as suddenly de-
creases to not more than $50 fathoms, which so
goes on only few miles, when it again deepens
to about 500 fathoms, with subsequent fuctua-
tons. There is therefore q submerged noun
tain peak or ridge between these points, of a tru-
ly remarkable character. The differences in the
temperature of the water vary almost precisely
according TO the change of contour Of the bot
, tom, showing that the temperature at great
depths is much modified by the propinquity of
the oceans bed 1t appears that the gulf stream,
whilst certainly not superficial, does not run to
the bottom, for off Cape Florida at 1900 faith
oms, the water in summer is Of a temperature
of 3S degrees, Fahrenheit, degree below the
average winter temperature much further to the
, north"
: How TO DETERMINE THE HEIGHT.-Mr. Jas.
Q R. Martin, of Kingston, Kentucky, gives the fol-
t lowing:
/ can tell you how any man may know with
in half an inch the height colt will attain to
when full grown. The rule may not hold good
in every instance, but in nine cases out of ten
it will When the colt gets to be three weeks
. old, or as soon as it is perfectly Strengthened in
its limbs, measure from the edge of the hair on
the hoof to the middle of the first joint, and for
'' every inch it will grow to the heghth of hand
of four inches when is growth is matured. Thus
I if this distance be found sixteen inches, it will
make horse sixteen hands high. BY this
means man may know something what sort of