Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-02-17
For Tie ERlnirsr

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CouKTs-THE CITY OF MuD AND PRETTY Wo
MES-A LECTURE ny DIR. GILDERsLEEvE-A A.
IMPROVEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY, &c, &c.
Room No. 7. FARI.H HoUsE,
Charlottesville, Feb s, 1857.
Messrs. Editors: Being detained here in this tow
OF mud, as it most emphatically is just now, hav
determined to relieve the tedlum of the night b.
| giving you some account of my trip to Tye Rive
| Warehouse in Nelson, via Nelson Court House. YO
often publish descriptions of mountain scenery du
| ring the summer season, and propose to give yol
| my adventures among the hills during the winter
with hint here and there, which occurred TO me whil
| thus journeying.
left this place last Wednesday noon in an opel
! wagon called by courtesy stage. drawn by fOu
excellent horses, driven by Jolly fellow, and with
yot X Fluvannian and five. darkies for traven.
| companions. This turnout you must know carrie,
not only The individuals mentioned, but the United
States mail Also and the only conveyance by
which u was possible to reach Lovingston, Ii. g. Mel
son Court House,) le canal being frozen nearly Il
the bottom and the Snow and ice rendering the road
well nigh impossible for stage coach,
On the day OF grace aud under the circumstance
| before reclfed, with fragrant Havana between ny
lips lett behind tile comforts of the Parish House
and presently took parting look at Charlottesvl,
and the University, and went jolting on my way TO-
| wards the rugged mountains.
When fairly away from the town the first object
| that attracted my attention was the grading of the
Alexandria, GOrdonsvile and Lynchburp Railroad
This road is under contract understand throughout
but operations ars not actively progressing on more
than half. For twenty thirty miles after leaving
Charlottesville, hands were busily engaged exca
waiting, shovelling and carting earth, blasting, CON
strucling stone supports for bridges across email
streams, and generally in preparing the way for the
iron horse with his speed aud power. A very large
proportion OF the persons employed upon The work ar
lrlshmen, though at sOme points large gangs of ne
groes were engaged. The road would speedily be
completed ii the company had funds at command 10
push II ehergelcally; and sure au that no whu
has passed over the mudpike on stage 10 Lynch
but will echo the wish that the next time
they make the trip it may be on the cars. Ii
seemed to me that there was a grievous error com
mltted in the location of the road. Ii follows the
course Of the valley between two mountain ranges;
but at several points ! observed exceedingly jeep
cuts, which could have been easily avoided without
materially increasing the length OF the road. As a
general rule the most direct route between apy given
points is The beat location for railroad, but when BY
q slight variance from such a line, hecvy work
and consequently heavy expenditure can be
avoided, it seems TO be good policy 10 depart from
the general rule especially should say, when las
hear is tile here, there is deficiency of means
for The construction OF the road This s the error
that has been committed in the location Of the road
of which am writing. Ii runs through Wild billy
country, and the only way by which deep cuts
through hard materials could be avoided was by
sklrng the hills, where easy grades could be had,
aud the embankments easily aud rapidly made, but
instead of this the road is carried through lofty hills
where cuts vi enormous depth are 10 be made, aud
not without blasting out large MASSES OF stone.
The face Of the country, as have already ntlna.
ted s rough, in many places wild, but relieved con.
tinuay by valleys, which in spring or summer
when they are clothed with vegetation, must be
lovely indeed. At this time they are covered with
snow and ice, We're the mountains which lowered
above them. Riding in an open wagon, there was
nothing 10 obsruct the view and while everything
around wore the chill garb Of winter, We could not
but feel that there was something sublime in the
snow covered hills.
Of the snow. may safely say that at no point did
See where 80 much hGd fallen as we had in Rich.
mond, nor were there such frequently recurring
drifts such rs blocked our streets for days. saw
but one two drifts which approached these, though
| was told by hardy mOunaneer, whom overlook
riding his bag 10 mill that he had passed through
one on the mountain, to which he pointed which he
assured me not less than forty feet deep; aud he
added THAT snow will be lying there until May or
June" You may think this a prstty bard snow
story, bu: am the fellow believed every word
he uttered, even il he was mistaken.
The wagon which conveyed Us TO Lovingston was
under the conduct Of dEyee Gt'saay, Il hev he d5dd dSd
ss' y seuy sc @ eds n Pet ii" does eSSr sSrpasi st
MunchauseD, the veraci0us historian OF CULVER, or
the truth.teng scribe of the Arabian nights
Among the negroes in the wagon was boy, perhaps
fourteen years old, who was going out 10 work for
the year upon farm. john the driver. told the dsr-
key that he was going To the worst place that ever
he wns TO live, only fed his negroes once day, lat
noon,l that they were not allowed there any thing but
the poorest iare that however nclemtnt the season,
none Of the employees on the farm were permitted
wear hat, coat shoes and that AT this season OF
the year, when they were busy stripping tobacco,
the negroes were not allowed To sleep except on
Sunday, and that the overseer stood by all the
time, and that if any nodded he was lhshed into
waliefuness And the oyerseer said he sthe devil.
The first thing he will do to you, when you get there,
hair and laa
YOU entirely bald. You will find all the negroes bald,
their hair having been taken To stuff horse collars,
and saw fresh fellow, carried there night before
last, pucked as the everseer called II, and It was
really funny TO see him Jump when hsndlul o mar
was pulled out, while big tenrs rolled down ais face.
tell you, boy, he added. you are going 10 hell now;
only you will think the coldeSt place you ever saw,
as you will get no sne!! OF tire any more until yoa
get back to Charlottesville. Thus discoursed the
driver, while the boy sat with staring eyes and
open mouth, taking in all these mcnstrous fabrica-
;ions, until it seemed impossible that he could stand
it longer. looked momenty TO see him jump from
the wagon and run back home but after the driver
had ceased some ten minutes, the little black fellow
rased his head and with an air OF earnestness which
amused us greatly. bubbered out Il don't mind
what you say, sir; kase master told me dat whar !
WAS gwine, they would treat me very well, If haved
myself; and knows he knowed.' This incident Is
rendered "iree, gratis, for nothing" as Bill Bentley
used say, to the authoress Of Uncle Toms CABIN,
for her next Niger" novel.
Laughing at the comicaes OF my companions,
and so long tho daylight lasted reading Charles
O'Mallcy whiIed away the hours antil sSoat eight
o'clock, when we reached Col. Eeskers and par
took hastily, of excelen. supper, when we light.
ed our cigars resumed places in the wagon, and
starated off IL the beautiful mc onlght Tor LovDgston
whers sc arrived, after passing through rough
rugged, mountainous country Mt one CLOCK, aud al
ter kicking vigorously, for hal: an hour at the door
OF the CESTRaL HorE:, obtained admi,tance, soon
fell asleep and dreamed OF home and OF other things
not here 10 be told.
Ioyingston the county seat Of Nelsoh, ls situated
in kind of basin shut IL on every slde as II seems
TO YOU as you e.aai about tne centre OF the village
by high hillJ which are really respectable mountains
Standing thus, end looking upon the surrounding
hills you can't help wondering how the deuce you
got in there and how you can possibly get out agan
True, You see q road running through the village
(which the driver said was exactly like New York
with houses both sides ot the s.-oet but al the
distance of two hundred yards il seems TO end, and
except in one direction you see nothing that looks
like way of inzress 10, o: egress from the paGe.-
But the village has It's good points after all. There
are, ! suppose, forty or fifty houses, two taverns
several churches, number of substantial, respeca
BILE looking men. five or siI ladies at least very
tolerable court house, sundry stores, post.olhce
with sign over the door, mud almost beyond lhea
sure and the other CO ccleras which help to make up
country village. Far hs il from me 10 say mat ths
s an accurate siatlstcai account OF the popuatiot
| and property OF the village. am describing only
what saw out tHere may pe Eio", r"i o'|
which did not see. There is one good thing aoou
the Lovings,onians: they have not the Yankee faou
y of curiosity. They mind their own business sn'
let other people aone rare quality in Vll!asers'-
Thus, was at the hotel nearly two Csys ana as many
niphts. and when was about tc leave, the landlord
lwho, by the way, is capita! fellow and very atten
live to his guestsi hca to ask me my name; that h,
might enter i: upon the way bill. l challenge al
Yankee.om to furnish parallel. On the whole
them, liked Loviugston. Mr.. Warwick gave @e
! gnod room at the Central, nice bed with clear
Sheets kept rOusng fires burnip: 81; the time that
was in my room, fed me with lood convenient to
me-" furnished me with an sasy-going safe horse fo
an excursioa 20 New Market, and, when went to ht
dess to aetrle charged me price which left ns nc
! cause for complaint.
The morning after reaching Nelson Court House
rode over TO New Market. Of, as think it is NOR
generally called sbaat Richmond, Tye River Ware
Eouse. The Country l passed during this ride re
minded me very much of Roanoke and Monroe coun
ties the land for the most part good gently updul6
t;r,, md we'll yatered in this respect being supero