The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-08-30
VIRGINIA AND TENN. RAILROAD.

At Wytheville, few days since, we were
invited to accompany the Directors in an ex-
cursion to the new terminus of the Virginia
and Tennessee railroad, fifteen miles beyond
that place. The vehicle in which the Direc-
tors and their companions for the voyage
were seated is styled gondola, as we learn
ed from Capt BUFoRD. the efficient Super.
intendent and Engineer of the process of
track laying. A railroad "gondola" is, how
ever, not at all like the famed vessel which
traverses the canals of Venice,-it is simply
fat, with sides some six inches high A
number of chairs being placed upon this, the
gentlemen took seats in them, and uncov-
cred and with unObstructed view, travelled to
the terminus aforesaid. The country was
very beautiful; the grazing farms being
made even unusually verdant by the super
abundant rains which have for some time
fallen in the mountains.
We found the new portion of the road ad
mirably constructed. 1t terminates at pres
ent in a very deep cut through the crest of
. very considerable elevation which divides
the waters CT New river and the Holston,
near the little hamlet of Mount Airy, in
Smythe county. Fifteen miles being thus
deducted from the distance to the Tennessee
line, there remains near fifty miles to COM
plete the road to that point. The embank-
ment, however, for nearly that entire distance
is complete, and the superstructure only is
wanting. The work is going ahead, bravely,
and WILL we trust before many months be
completed. From the President down it has
most able and energetic corps of officers,
and they are doing all in their power to com
plete the road at the earliest possible day
But one thing has delayed 1.-THE rant of
money. Through the untiring exertions of
the President, the work has been kept a
going, sometimes with a greater and some
times lesser force; and money or no
money, we believe he will have the great
work finished before very long. Indeed
we begin to think he has learned how to
build railroads acitho@t money.
The company do not expect to run their
passenger trains on this new section, nor we
suppose their freight trains; and possibly
there will be very little active business on
the line until it reaches Seven Mile Ford,
some fourteen or fifteen miles further. There
the very rich valley of the Holston is tap
ped-and there will be point of accumula
ton of considerable business for the road
At present very little travel. is attracted from
beyond Abingdon but as the line progress
es towards the Tennessee boundary the ira.
vel increases, and when it reaches that point
the great majority of travellers from East
Tennessee will be drawn upon it, adding
largely to the revenues ofthe great improve
ment.
On the line of the fifteen miles of new
road, aud upon the margin of Reed Creek,
reside the Walters family-famous in the
country for having four dwarfs. Other
members of the family are well grown. as
are the parents. The dwarfs are two females
and two males. One of the latter ia mar.
ried. His wife is full grown; she is very duti.
full and obedient to her little lord, and their
unionh has been blessed by fine baby, which
shows no signs of dwarfage! The two fs.
males and one of the male dw&rfs were taken
on board our gondols and travelled with US
to the terminus and back. They were de.
lighted with their trip and cOnversed very
freely and much more intelligibly than any
one would suppose. The tongues of the
Miss Walterses were quite glib, (if the ladies
win pardon us--it is hard to dwarf that mem
Der IN their sex!) and Mr.. Walters had hab
Il Of fhrusting his hands in his pockets with a
very manly port and pickering his mouth in
whistling fashion. as ii he didu't care -.
he wouldn't get married. he saddle wasn't