The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-06-23
SOUTH WESTERN VIRGINIA.
N O.. VI.

er Tt GDoastraclaoa-Its Chief Eneineer-
n1 reopse Of Wythe-Greot Fish in Ne,c
Hacer-Ihe Montgomery INite ,Sni,,s...
springs, and other w6terino aJoess@ 49,
scene ana Dialogue at Skant;e-~T ne,
naght IN the mountains. .
could not of course coneludo th.s
pers without making some particular rafa-.
ence 20 the Virginia and Tennessee R.;lrosd
work OF great magnitude, located throu0b
q mountainous country. whose difficulties
have been surmounted with a masterIn ~,
gineering skill. The survey and location of
the road was commenced in 1849. and the
first dirt was moved about the middle of ian
uary, 1850, under the Presidency of O. q
CLAY. Gov. FLOYD was present on the oc
casion, and threw up the first spade full of
earth. 1t has since progressed, with occa.
slonal partial suspensions from limited means.
and is now extended 1873 miles 1t has cross.
ed the Blue Ridge and Alleghanies in this
distance, at a grade of SO feet on the eastern
and 60 feet on the western slope. The noun
tain section is marked by many deep cuts
through solid limestone, and an extensive
tunnel near the summit. There are, in the
part of the road finished, FIVE tunnels, the
aggregate length of which is 1000 feet
Seventy miles remain to be completed to
the Tennessee line. The embankment for
this whole distance is ready for the rails,
with the exception Of about $4,000 worth
OF masonry and grading. The superstruc.
ture and bridging is all under contract, and
there is iron enough purchased andreceived
to lay the road complete. Money is howev
or wanted to 60 on; but it Is hoped and be-
lieved that, under the new loan, enough will
be obtained to press on the work. It would
have been finished a year ago, but for the
difficulty of obtaining money. Neither the
engineer nor the officers Of the road could
60 ahead without this sine qua non; for, as
wise as was Solomon, and as strong as was
hanson. neither of them could pay money if
they did not have it. MIR. JoHN r. McDAN.
lei succeeded Gen. CLAY in the Presidency
OF the road, and he has devoted all his prac
tical energy to its interests. He has accom-.
pllshed wonders-combatting difficulties that
would have appalled, man of less energy
and fnancieripg ability. =
Notwithstanding the road passes through
u mountain country, it is only 29 miles long
or than an air line-a loss of little more than
IA per cent. in distance-while the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad loses 20 per cent between
Baltimore and Fredericktown, and so per
cent. between Baltimore and Cumberl and
Of the 203 miles, ITO are straight and only
l6 miles of that part which is curved are
considered as slightly retarding the motion of
the trains. 1t is estimated that the road, com
pleted and equipped with an ample supply
of locomotives, &C., will cost about S25, 900
per mile. Few roads of similar character
have been constructed for less than $50, 600
per mile.
These facts are highly creditable to the
engineering skill and energy of Col c. F. NJ. .
GARRETT, the Chief Engineers gentleman
who, in addition to his professional accom-
plishments, commands alike the respect and
esteem of all in the circle of his acquain-
| w md l. md g T..
disposition and his true Virginian frankness
and generosity.
We passed the night of the 10th in Wythe
vile, in the afternoon observing the solid and
stalwart yeomanry of Wythe who had gath
cred in the village to attend Court. There
was no sign of dissipation-no vulgsrity-no
loaferism-nO vagabondism to be seen. Ev-
erybody seemed to have some business to at
tend to, and was attending to it, and every
body seemed to be well to- in the world
1t is good sign of the welfare of a commu-
nifty to see such men assembled together
Sauntering about under the long porch of
the hotel, we took one more thorough inspec-
ton of the immense fancy show bill of the
circus and manegerie, which we had seen at
every store as far as Abingdon, and whose
portraits of learned horses and ponies, clowns
and equestrians, and dashing riders holding
females with gauze wings aloft-had called
back in some grey boards the spirit of boy
hood and inspired an intense desire to see
the show confess to some sympathy with
much older men than in a wish to see
how the lion would demean himself in the
mountains, what sort of capers Merryman
ould cut before the graziers, and how the
lady in short dress and butterfly wings would
shine before those modest damseis, the true
roses and lilies of the Western vallies! Alas,
we had to leave before the circus came -
Was ever man so happy that he wished for
nothing more +?
We breakfasted at New River where we
saw catfish weighing forty pounds put in
box surrounded with clover, kept wet to keep
him alive, and labelled to Thompson of "Our
House" Twas apprehensive from the size
of his mouth that when he came to Rich
mond, if he were still alive, he would swal-
low Thompson-and / felt relieved at seeing
that gentleman in the street yesterday l.
These cats are abundant in New River, and
have a monopoly of its navigation. They
are so enormous and powerful that if they
could be reduced to submission and employ
ed as tags vast transportation could be
conducted by them +
Our party was destined for the Montgome-
ry White Sulphur Springs, by invitation, and
left the railroad near the summit of the AL
leghanies, the road that leads to them turning
off at that point. We were very cordially
received by Mr.. Mosby, one of the proprie-
tors, and with him proceeded to the Springs,
only mile and half distant. There we
| found vast number of workmen engaged in
erecting the buildings for the place. The
Springs and some 1900 acres of land were
purchased by the company last fall, and the
work of building was only begun in Novem
ber. They expect to receive visitors early
in July-though one half of their extensive
place will not have been touched. On each
side of the beautiful valley is to be a row of
cottages corresponding with each other, and
| in the centre, not far from the spring, is the
house where the guests are received and re-
gistered. Only the row on the Eastern side
Is now in course of construction. This en-
braces the spacious dining hall, ball ROOM
ETC. When completed, it will be one of the
most spacious as well as comfortable water
ing establishments in the State. The com
pany is spending money freely. and their
plans are judicious and elegant HENRY
ExALL, of Richmond, is the Architect.
A grand feature of the place is railway.
which is constructed from the Virginia and
Tennessee road along q gentle inclination
down the valley 10 the hotel. and the cars
in which the passengers are conveyed will
pass under the roof of the building before