New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-10
Nesu3lork DAILY @ibulte
LETTERS FROM LIE PEOPLE
WESTERN VIRGINIA.
To ost Edi,o, If The y. y. 7r5sss


earn something Of ber agricultural resources, but
particularly in regard to the advantages and opport1-
mites which of,r in different part Of Western Virginia
for Northern emigration, have thong NJ, perhaps,
m cbt furnish some items ih at would be OF inter-
,st 10 the million r. aders of THE TRIBUNE.
Leaving the Virginia CertIal Railroad at JGckson's
River i,s present terminus six miles from Covngtoo,
nv route was from this point through to the Ohio
River by the James River and ksnawla Turnpike
From Jackson's River to the White Sulphur Spring.,
about tbIty-tyo miles the road the Alleghany
range of mountains and with the exception Of the little
village of Coviugton, nesting in quiet reposc among
tie rugged bills and spres Of the Aeghsnles, there
seens 10 be scarcely spot ft for The hebtation OF
man though an occasional hut msy be seen where 1t
would seem some was trying To exc out d miser-
able existence.
Gown gton, owirg 10 few circumstsn oes which will
operst great in is favor, may some time be Place
Of considerable importance. u is the capital Of Ale.
ghany County and located exceedingly favorably as to
health and sufficiently Iomartic to suit the most fss-
tdious in that respect. Tle James River canal when
completed, will terminate at this place, also the Nr-
ginia Central Railroad Beyond this point tne roai s
TO be called the Covington sud Ohio Railroad. This
Road the State have attempted to build, and their last
Legislature appropriated $Sc0,0O0 toward the work,
which is ro8 being expended.
The best information however, | could get IN rela
ton TO il was not favorable to speedy completion Of
the road, while many believe tie State never Will
complete it, bu. waste grest deal Of time, and IN the
eud build only small portion of tae road at cos, at
least onet third above what 1t should be- Then, when
her army of politicians and land djobbers have made al
they can out Of it, the whole thing will be sban ioned
and given up TO private capital, which, had II been
cone in the first place would have saved the state the
millions wasted on The work, and millions more in the
increase Of property ard business. As an instance
showing what sucb road does to benefit the tller Of
the coil it is sufficient TO quote the prices al which
selling in different parts Of the State At
Stsuton ION the ralroad ! heard one man refuse 20
take IS cents per bushe for his whole crop At
Lewisbuig IL miles from the railroad, 30 cents was
the highest at which it bad been and was seDiIg. A,
other points It'll remote the ruling price IL "
cents per bushel.
The White Sulphur Springs is the fashionable
Mecca, or the Saratoga Of the South, and during the
Sunmtr is densey thropgedi in every par. The prop
ertv has lately passed into TIE HANDS Of compsny,
who have greatly improved the accommodations by
building very large, clmnooious hotel, built more
cottages and improved the old ones, laid out the
grounds, and in many ways added the comforts and
land in the vicinity Of the SPRING" but not IN large
tracts. Gardening could be made exceedingly profits
BE here a. everything raised could be sold TO the ho.
tells aud boardirg g-bouses al the Springs.
Ltwis6ure, the capital Of Greenbier Comfy, is one
of tie most in port alt places in Western Vgios. 1t
s The center of very rich agricultural region of
count,y and has somewhat extensive trade, supply
g the couity with store goods for 30 miles around
Tie Court of Appeals for Wes,ern Virginia is held at
this place. Ii the people did net persist In building
Their chmney outof doors at the ends OF Their houses
and would evnce GONE little taste in the location and
general plan of tneir budipgs Lewisburg would 10
mind you Of snug thrifty, New.England village.
For ten miles around the village the soil is red lime
Store loam and can hardly be excelled by any in Viz
gnia for farming purposes but it is held By few
wealthy men wtQ vii never sell, but are constantly
grosppg for more.
The farmer with tu. lite land-no mater how in-
dustrious, or how good farner-can never feel a.
home nor take respectable position ~ society lie
must eventually own land enough TO count il al least
b, may hundred acres or sell ont to some Of s more
wealthy and svaricous Eeighbors, who are aiFays
ready to seize upon the irst opportunity thai Oilers
whether from d1coptep necessity, to get the land
81 the lowest possible figure, and the taoooed farmer
seeks some spot 10 again commence TIE world
perhaps in few years TO he again bought out IN s1s
same manner. This is not feature Of Virginia life
peculiar TO any particular locAtoD, though it prev Ais
20 much greater extent 10 some places than al 9th.
err but i, prevails generally all over the >.ste.
Greopbier County IS Of the largest In the Safe,
ard much noted for its Gne stock and a. the late
Rchmord Far carried of al but OF the frsto.ass
stock premiums. There is, however, much waste
lspd in this county and tie lands may be elassed un-
der three hea6s-ihe bes, being Fned by the large,
wealthy farm,rs; tie second best, or 81 least very
large portion of them being held in dispute as to title,
loh car only be settled by expensive and tedious ti-
CATION ard lastly the large quant,y Of rugged noun
tsinous and remote lands. which are comparatively
worthless.
After getting ten miles from Lcwisburg, You come TO
the spuIs Of the Sewell Mountains ard for tie next
TWENTY-FIVE miles the coun,ryis rugged and uninvns
There is occasionally some good farIios land to be
found smopg the valleys and rarrc~ bottoms OF the
creeks that r,e sn0rg these mountains. Ihe so Is of
the ssndy clay quabty but ii n sn3 admirably sdap'ed
To grass and wbest. Ths~e hills srd mountains are
fall of an excellent qualify Of soft oosl which can be
hal resly everywhere fox tho digging, sEd II some
places il can be found On the surface.
The atifcia, lake, or lsrge reservoir with which tie
Karawhs is 70 be supplied with water, SO that 1t VIII
a. all times be navgable for the largest class Of river
hats is 10 be located in this vicinity TIE reservoir
is TO be fed by eight streams, which empty into the
Cawley River, and 10 cover area OF JV,OoO acres.
Tire survey has just besn completed by Cas-. E.e't
ESQ. At cost of 5000. NJ. Ellett calculates tdat
six inches Of water draNu from the reservoir W. raise
the K.rawSs four feet. Iurierstant 7 that VI ENett
,u<Ai, IN he met corflsa. o.aIs: G! TIC srt- prsc-