Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-19
NUMBER 1874.
south-Western Virginia.

| Trade on their recent excursion over the Vir.
ginia and Tennessee Railway thus describes
the country west of Lynchburg:
| Leaving Lynchburg, we found ourselves pene-
| trating further into the dark redIands, which We
| had struck Just below the town, and which grew
| richer as We advanced, until we reached the heart
OF Bedford county These lands produce finelt,
l ana though neglected In years by gone, they are
now receiving the benefit Of more careful hus.
bandry and are rewarding the farmer richly for his
abors. The construction of the Virginia and
Tennessee Road through this country has doubled.
and in many instances quadrupled, the value of the
| lands. In this respect does the railroad soon re-
turn to the pockets OF a people the cost of its
| construction. IL Is a surprising fact however to
ind the holders Of real estate sometimes refusing
to extend any aid to improvements from which tn,
derive so much benefit. This was especially the
case In the rich and fertile county of Roanoke,
whose tecmig lands are traversed by the Virginia
and Tennessee road, and which did not subscribe
enough money to the work to pay the land damages
which were assessed upon it
| Liberty, distance of "a Ia miles from Lynch
burg, with fpe stoppages on the route, Is reached
IN % minutes. This Is a specimen Of the general
| time on the road, and the hour Of arrival and de-
parture from the beginning to the end of the route
both ways and at all the stations, is most faith.
fully observed. Liberty is very pretty village
possessing an air of comfort and good taste, and
showing signs of industry which give proof that 1t
Is live village. II Ia agreeable to look at SUCH
There are places in Virginia where the people
have gone to sleep and in such they don't wake
up generally until their towns are past redemption
and reach the low condition of Dumfries in Prince
William, which Is so poor that credible tradition
with regard to 1t is, that when kildees fly over II
| they carry saddle bags filed with food, as they
| can get nothing about Dumfries and vet Dunn
fries had once n great foreign importing trade
and her dilapdated and untenanted warehouses
still mark the spot where was in former days con-
siderable commerce!
From Liberty onward is lourishing country,
presenting grand view, of whose outline tho
peaks Of Otter and other fine mountain ranges are
| the graceful features. Onward and onward
through the rich fields we go, admring all around
US until we pass through the gates Of the Blue
Ridge, where the towering mountains have been cut
down and borne away the action of the waters,
with other conspiring agents, leaving nothing but
the strata of rocks to mark the line where il is
supposed the once unbroken chain existed Just
at this point is the well-known Buford's Hotel, 81
| miles from Lynchburg. In old times ii was great
stoppingplacc for travellers The venerable pro.
pretor still resides there, and his portly figure may
| be seen in summer, almost every time the train
| passes, looking hearty and hale, In his summer
fashion of shirt sleeves, and bandanna tied over
his left shoulder, and around under the right arm
His broad acres TEEN with crops and herds, and
ue 5eehs W JOlllest uappleSt OF ola men,
preserving his old notions along with his good hui
mour and indomitable energy Last fall he came
all the way to the fair, in Richmond in buggy!
We soon pass through the solid county of Bed
ford-solid for its rich lands, and sober industri.
Gus, and good people. We now enter the vet
richer valley of the Roanoke, of the most lovely
and fruitful valleys OF Virginia. II is watered by
the Roanoke and its tributaries-a stream which
rises high up amidst the spurs Of the Allegheny
Mountains passes through Roanoke and becomes
Staunton river Immediately it passes the Blue
Ridge, without receiving any tributary of note to
justify the change. 1t always seemed to me that
the name Roanoke ought not to have been given
to the river at all, but that 1t should have been
Staunton all the way to its source. There are two
other Roanokes beside 1.-THE Roanoke and the
Little Roanoke. The Dan river is the main tribu-
tary of the Roanoke, and that ought to be called
Roanoke TO its head. If these names were changed
in this way, it would render geography less
confused.
What tributaries these counties win be to the
Virginia and Tennessee road The county of Ro-
anoke is fertile beyond measure, to its boundary,
where the road passes into Montgomery, and as We
penetrate the Aleghanies, the steep activities
still rich, and the gorges abound In green meadows
and bright streams that go rejoicing 10 leap into
| the floods below. Beautiful farms, and comforta-
bic, and often elegant mansions seen on every
hand As we assembled the mountain, and not far
buuiitt, VIC vi UuT lclt UdilutOm6
mansion, on q graceful elevation, embowered in
true native forest trees. The building was new;
the yard enclosures were white; the surrounding
fields and meadows were clad In living green, while
a mountain, wssing withTchest foliage, formed the
back ground, anh vas separated from the mansion
by lovely valley. II was 40 Enchanting spot, and
il added no little to the Interest of the locality to
learn that the honeymoon Of those who dwelt
there occurred not many months since. As We
shall learn of the graces and comforts Of this
happy home In the mountains we shall say no more
| about Il at present.
! The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad crosses the
| Allegheny Mountains at grade Of 6S feet TO the
mile on the east and 60 feet ON the w Western slope
Il is a work Of great labor much Of Il being deep
cuts through the solid limestone Near the sum-
nit Ia the big tunnel--a work of considerable
magnitude. II IL work creditable to the skill OF
its chief engineer, and would do credit to the enter
prise and energy Of the people Of any country.
| West of the Allegheny we entered yet finer
grass country than we had seen. The vales were
very narrow till we reached New river after which
| the country was more open. The hills were never
thelcss verdaut to their very tops, and cattle
grazing among the trees on the abundant grass
| that grew there. The New river, which had be-
fore seen, struck all that had not with admiration.
IL is, indeed, one Of the most beautiful and grace
| full streams l ever saw. The o!t-recurring rocky
| bluff gives new direction to the tide, and adds its
own grandeur 70 tnc RrWeIui curves VI Tue fiNcr.
Moro water passes over the bed Of New river, at
the point where IL IL crossed by the railroad, in
twelve months than passes along James river at
| CartersyIe for the same timel Yet the many ra-
pids which interrupt It make u unnavigable. BY
locking and danming II might become agreat nedi-
um Of transportation.
On Peak Creek, in Wythe, about lie miles from
Lynchburg, the road passes through forest of
white pine, which, It's anticipated, will become
article of commerce with Richmond. Immense for,
ests Of the same timber are upon New river, above
the road, and can be Aoated TO the Central depot.
| At Mack's Meadows Zone Of the richest valles
on the railroad) we saw the copper ore and the
lead from the mines Of Carroll and Wythe-tbst
being the depot to which they are brought for
shipment for railroad.
We arrived at Wytleville before dark, 1872 IL
miles from Lynchburg, and 257 IL from Rich.
mond That Is a feat that shows the go-ahead
spirit Of the times. -Four and FIVE days were re-
quired in old times for the journey.
THE LITTLE GIANT ON Know. NoTHISas.--Tha
Democrats OF this district wrote TO Senator Doug.
| Las reouasfnp him to attend the HdnSe plorihca-