Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-20
} RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
editorial corre.p ondence of tn. Enquirer

the eye throughout the line of travel from Richmond
TO this place The corn elbows the want Of rain in the
white tsssel and parched and shriveled blade; the
dried stalks too, plainly mark that point has been
reached when longer drought must cause an almost
total failure Of many fields. The crop in many
places WILL under any amount of future rsins' be an
exceedingly light one From this place, West 10
Blue Ridge, We are informed, the rains have peeh oi
much greater frequency, aud the crops Oh corn pre-
sent a much more encouraging appearance
Warrenton, situated near the centre OF Fauqu'er
county, is one of the most beautiful OF virginia
inland towns; located upon very high hills, 1t COM
mands a nrospect unsurpassed in beauty OF land
scaps nv suy place in the State. Being the term
nm. NJ the branch or stem of the Orange and Alex
andria Rail Road it commands very extensive
trade with upper Fauquier and Rappahannock coun'
ties. Evidences of thrift and moderate wealth are
every where seen in the style OF the private resi-
deuces of many of the citizens. Some OF the resi-
dences in and around Warrenton, will compare most
favorably In style of architecture and beauty OF 10
cality, with the best suburban or city residences
around Richmond refined and elegant society
generous and true old Virginia hospitality, here vel
comes the stranger with that same cordaty that has
made Virginia kindness proverbial. The Warren
Green HOTEL empowered in beautiful shade trees re-
Soices the burnt up denzens of the cities with its
eoolipg shades and mountain breezss. Many famr
bes from the cities here fud that comfort which IL
sought in vain at the crowded watering places The
Warrenton House, kept by James Deshelds, is one Of
the best hotels out of the cties that can be found in
the State.
Fauquier county sustains high rank among the
counties of the State, in point of fertility OF soil,
beauty of country and salubrity of climate. Elk
tending 10 length from the summit Of the Blue Ridge
to the Stafford line, a distance of fifty miles, it em
braces grasng lands equal 10 any portion OF the Wes
tern country.
The Kentucky blue grass pastures of upper Fau-
quier faten annually, thousands Of Western cattle
which find sale in the Washington, Baltimore and
Philadelphia markets In the fall Of the year thou
sands on thousands of Western cattle find sale in this
county, which, wntered on corn fodder, wheat straw
and little corn are turned in ihe Spring, upon luxu
RANT blue grass fields and are ready in the Summer
and all for the market often bringing more than lOo
per cent profit to the owner Wheat has been raised
in immense quantities throughout this county, until
within the last few years. but the various insects that
prey upon this crop has caused s faureor
several years. Some of the intelligent and enterpri'
sing farmers of this county are experimenting this
year with tobacco. The "weed ofluxury" was many
years ago very extensively cultivated throughout this
section of Virginia. but an ignorant sysem of cult
walton impoverished the lands, until the growth OF
tobacco became impossible. The rest Of thirty years
and the grazing of cattle, have reinvigorated the
exhausted SOIL and its now carpet like turf evidences
degree of fertility surpassed by no portion OF the
State. Among the enterprisng experimenters with
tobacco we will mention Mr.. Robert Z. Scott MIR
John Scctt, DR.. j. D. Payne, and MrJ. Scott Payne
from all of whom We hear very encouraging accounts
of the condition of their tobacco fields. They are
satisfied with the experiment and may hereafter be
cassed among the planters Of the State. With tobac
co. wheat, corn, the hay grasses and CATTLE this ooun
ty offers the greatest inducements for farming
investments of any portion of the State. 1t
10 we'll worthy of the attention of the enterprisng
merchants of Richmond Here is a new field for tho
Richmond merchants. now occupied by New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore; for Alexandria is the
mere forwarding point to those larger cities. The
manufacturing facilities OF Richmond can consume
the products Of this part of the State and return TO
the farmer larger remuneration than any mere ship
plug point. The wheat of this county has never
been tested by Richmond's magnificent mills. The
merchants of this portion of Virginia totally gno
rant of the capacity of Richmond supply them with
stocks of goods. The magnificent jobbing houses OF
Richmond unknown in this part of the State. This
moot extensive and wealthy field, might be occupied
by the enterprise Of Richmond, while its wealth is
Nv poured into the laps of thoee who have robbed
- our slaves and traduced and slandered State.
Heretofore this section has been cut of from Rich
mond, but now q direct communication exists.
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad biaecting
Fauquer connects this fine country with Richmond
through the Virginia Central at Gordonsville; thus
the circuitous route of Gordonsvle. An inspection
of the map OF the State will chow perfectly prac,i
cattle and direct route between Salem in Upper Eau
qusr and Richmond. Leaving the Richmond, Fred
ericksburg and Potomac Railroad at a point west of
the Rsppahannock river cay Brooks station. an al.
moet perfectly level country lies between that point
and the Warrenton junction on the Orange and Alex
andria Railroad. Cuts and fills would be- almost un
known on the level route of the proposed road. The
distance from Brooks station to the Warrenon juno.
ton, is about thirty miles. From the Warrenton
junction TO Warrenton, railroad already completed,
would continue the proposed road; and from Warren
ton 10 Salem, distance of ten miles, the road would
and no impeachment worth notice. The lower portion
of the Valley of Virginia is reached from Salem
through the Manassas Gap Railroad; and thus, by the
construction Of between forty and fifty miles of Rail
road the city Of Richmond would be u immediate and
middle and lower Valley, Fauquier and Stafford.
~;ot.. ha
by the construction Of this road the farming interest
would be greatly enhanced by multiplying the
aarke,s, and the Richmond. fredericksburg and
Potomac Rail Road would, by the proposed route, be
. connection with Washington city, without the
~ slow, and in winter, often impracticable water
pste. Had the CITY of Fredericksburg expended
upon this line the hundreds of thousands of dollar,
now hopelessly buried in the fredericksburg and
Gordonsvie road, the finished condition in which
that ancient and hosptable city is found, would
NOT have existed. At some future time We intend to
resume the discussion of the merits Of this road and
show to the parties interested the great value of its
construction.
We scarcely expected to iud that the contagion of
the African Slave Trade had extended tn this portion
of Virginia, but such is certainly the fact. The
scarcity of labor and it's consequent high price, has
turned the attention of very many of the citizens OF
Fauquier to the African Slave Trade, as the only
means Of preventing and checking that continual
drain of slaves from this portion of the State.
The young and enterprsing farmers of this section
the bold, thrifty and intelligent young men, those
who give tone to enterprise, all hampered by the
scarcity and high price of labor. They see wealth
easily atainabe from their splendid farms, but their
products are yearly consumed in the hire of their la
Dor. 1t is this want of labor that has made these
young farmers, and those of other professions who
sympathise with them. in favor of repeating the Fed
sral laws that make the slave trade piracy We can
pesOive good reason for this feeling when We see