Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-09

affords walk way sheltered from and storm for al
the members of the institution teachers and pupils, e
and from every building and every ROOM IL is paved
with brick In passing through these extended arcades
on warm sunny morning found the young meme merg
ed from their and pursuing their studies in the
open and shaded air On the eastern side IS the main
college edifce occupied by chapel for worship, various
lecture rooms and halls In the centre and above all is
the library a circular room OF large dimensions, with an
inner circle of desks for reading, writing and prosecut
ing investigations the spot. Acoves for the books
stand out from the walls all around, with window in
each Two galleries encircle the roomthe first filed
with alcoyes also, the upper one occupied by cases OF
minerals shells, &c.-making room OF three stories
and above is lofty dome, with wide central light at
the summit This light from above with what comes in
from the windows below, enables to read any print
with perfect and dstnctness in all parts of this vast
rounda Beyond this main structure and connected with
it. reaching to the eastern extremity Of the grounds is
large long building having spacious accommodations for
commencement exercises and audiences, with every
venience for chemical and philosophical experiments
plorations, and lectures in the lower stories.
From all the four sides of the square embracing these
fine college arrangements the land descends by gentle
slope into valley occupied by cultivated FARMS with
handsome residences and rises again, not far off, all
around hills densey wooded to the top The yerdure
of the fields and the foliage of the forests of deeper
and richer green than be found less fertile soil
and under our less genial CLINE. The all sides
is truly charming, particularly as beheld while walking
around the outside of the great college dome.
Before leaving the subject Of the Virginia University
at Charlottesville it not be forgotten to state that
its degrees be obtained only the result of pro-
traced searching and personal examination of each
ddate, and it has been practising for some time with
favorable results the experiment just commenced by the
Massachusetts, Legislature of State scholarships There
thrtytwo such benecaries in the Virginia Univer
sy selected by the faculty and educated at the expense
of the State And ALSO due to the institution and to
the Commonwealth of which it s cherished ornament
it must not be omitted TO mention that although org
nay projected it based, almost much the Gil
rard College in Philadelphia upon the exclusion of re
rim in poin t0ffa act has
annul this divorce Of science and truth from their
fountain and common outlet, their origin and end
The young have their religious societies and prayer
Meetings large numbers Of them are professors OF
lgon public worship in the chapel although voluntary,
is fully attended and chaplain, whose only duty is to
perform the functions Of pastor and religious teacher of
the institution Is selected IN rotation from the various
leading denominations of the State He lives in the Uni
versity and has liberal support from its funds.
From Charlottesville the Virginia Central Railroad
the Blue Ridge and terminates for the present.
ut Staunton the chief Of Augusta county The pas
sage the Blue Ridge in the is interesting adj
The grade is at the rate of two hundred aud
twenty feet to the mile You approach the mountains for
time without realizing ascent until you appear
have reached them and to be at their very feet Their
lofty barrier blocks your PATH and it impossible to
surmoun them But the track sants their steep Sides
through their ndentatons and winds round their
projecting points until the summit is reached. Before
encountering the highest grades of ascenthe real ug
of the train stops, separates all superfuous cars,
throws OFT every unnecessary weight and takes loco
motive of the greatest power, with working apparatus
adapted to the occasion From that moment there is
evident struggle The engine pus and seams its utmost
effort The motion is slow, at the worst points scarcely
percepble and doubt seems to hang over the struggle
but the laborng locomotive conquers at last through the
oermasterng power of steam, and you still 60 up the
steep ascent. The mountain sides nearly per-
pendcuar and frghtful is the abyss below as you
look out Of the windows Of the car. Sometimes the
following indenatious OF the mountains deep and
rough that instead of pursuing them, the track
tn 70 a n fty
sixty seventy feet in height only wide enough
the top receive the rails The sight is fearful indeed
you move this apparently frail pipes sruc
ture. At some you the cut made by the
track ahead far above that it absolutely mpos
sble for train to rise to IT, But the iron horse snorts
and pulls and climbs VIGOROUSLY
In the time nearly thousand feet, almost lite
rally below you is the county of Nelson and the contgu
tracts of Virginia, presenting panorama of varied
beauty such no imagination depict. The whole
scene of plantations forests roads, and streams is spread
out like carpet of howery figures far the eye
stretch tunnel is already in process of construction
through the Blue Ridge when it Is completed the ira
weller will longer experience the romantic Of
peril of beauty which the present mountain track af
fords He who loves pass through such adventures
behold such landscapes had better the Blue Ridge
by the Virginia Central Railroad before the tunnel de-
sroys the of danger and substitutes Egyptian
gloom for the glorious scenery displayed to the ad
mring tourist. ..... go...
Staunton is large and fourishing town. ornamented
with churches and other public buildings among them
extensive range constituting of the State Lunac Asy
lums and also another large establishments State Deaf
and Dumb Institution The grounds around the latter
particularly beautiful. The surface is variegated
rising into quite high hills within the limits Of the town
ITSELF each one Of them atfording pleasing and COM
handing view.
Pursuing back road from staunton for about eighteen
twenty miles brought to Weyer's Cave, truly
one of the wonders Of the world.
In 1904 hunter named Bernard Weyer ranging the
hills found that trap which he had set to catch wood
chuck had been dragged from its place He followed its
traces until they disappeared in small hole the steep
side of hill With spade and mattock he enlarged the
opening pursuit of his trap In this way the
first discovered @
Mr. Mohler the intelligent and gentlemanly proprietor
of the grounds, with from his house, following
the edge of branch of the Shenandoah to the cave,
distance Of eight hundred yards zgzag pathway leads
up the steep hillside to the mouth of the cave which is
protected from intrusion by wooden cot with door in
the CENTRE under lock and key There seats within
the visiters to rest upon before commencing the
ploraton while the guide is preparing the lights which
candles fixed in curved sheets Of tim with handles
Each vster holds his reflector with its lighted candle be-
fore him, and all follow the guide The entrance is like
the mouth of tomb about three feet wide and FIVE feet
HIGH and is perfectly dark You descend by steps rough
ly carved half dozen feet and the wondrous
spectacle begins to be revealed. X.
The superintendent mountain is limestone, as is in
deed the whole base of the Shenandoah country Water
rckng through the rock coored the various mineral
and earthly matter it mixes with it passes and falling
drop by drop in slow and eternal succession from the
roof to the flooring has produced the phenomena which
the presents Each drop has left behind Of its
mineral contents parted from the roof and deposited
the residue the floor where il fell No breath of air
movement of living creature has disturbed the
process for long thousands upon thousands Of
has proceeded with perfect and perpetual uniformity and
the result is Of splcndor such Arabian fable
never dreamed of.