Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-01-27
Editorial Correspondence.

SOIIcSpVhoChSSs
OHRIsTIANsBURe, Va, Jan. 20, 1903.
A brief letter from this mountain village may
not be entirely uninteresting to the readers OF
the Spectator Not having any thrilling incl
dents to relate, however, my letter cannot pos
sess the interest of one from more distant ana
less known part of the country. AT the same
time may remark that the people OF our secVlon
of the State, who have not visited this region,
have rather erroneous notions of the face OF the
country and state of society here-abouts. we
are familiar with the names OF the wealthy pro
prieGors, who own extensive tracts OF lana ana
raise innumerable fat cattle for the Eastern ana
Northern markets, and who, we are apt 10 I'M
agne, live in mountain Businesses, surrounded
by crowds of dependents, like Barons of the old
en- time; but we are in great degree ignorant
of the agricultural and mineral wealth OF the
country and the intelligence and refinement
which prevail among the people. do not pro-
pose to enter into detailed description of the
country and the people.-Suffice it to say that
Christansburg is, in all respects, one OF the
most pleasant villages | have seen IN the state.
1t is situated on the very summit OF the Allegha'
ny mountain, though q person unaequalnted
with the fact would not readily discover it.
The ascent is gradual and easy, and the noun
tain here spreads out into broad plateau, SO
that stranger, seeing nothing but few dis
tant ranges, would presume that he had at last
i
mate in Summer, from the descriptions OF 1t,
must be the most delightful in the world.
Ever since arriving here have been impress
ed with the great changes effected in the course
of trade and travel within q comparatively short
time by the progress of internal improvements.
A few years ago Staunton was on the direct
route from Southwest Virginia and East Ten
nessee to Baltimore and even Richmond. 1t
seems but short time since Knoxville teams"
passed through our town daily, laden as they
went North with dried peaches, feathers, &C.,
and returning with whole cargoes of merchan-
die; and the large number of mail bags thrown
out at our Post Office, labeled abingdon, ties
titled every day that we were on the highway
to all this region. But first, the extension of
the canal to Lynchburg turned the stream of
trade in that direction, and then the Lynchburg
the Valley route. At this day the travel from
the Southwest towards Staunton is of SO little
value, that the owners of stage lines have little
or no reference to it in framing their schedules.
| To hv we M
Lexington, would certainly be detained nearly
twenty-four hours at Buchanan, and possibly
two days. The consequence is that, although |
am not much more than hundred miles from
around by Richmond, in order to get there in a
ny reasonable time. But for the increased ex-
penses of the trip, however, no one would regret
this necessity, as he thereby trayerses large
of our most important Railroads. And here let
me say-what | can now say without being
charged with putting" for consideration, being
no longer 'dead-head" the Central Rail
road is by far the best constructed, best equip
ped, and among the best managed roads in the
State. Indeed if there be better Railroad in
the country l have not seen it, and l have been
on many of them, North and South.
Through the kindness of a friend had an
opportunity of visiting portion of the beautiful
New River country few days ago, but have not
time at present to speak of it particularly. To
the same friend am indebted for q delightful
excursion to two of the neighboring watering
places-the Yellow Sulphur and Montgomery
White Sulphur Springs. The former is situated
in a cool nook in the mountains and is celebra-
ted for its excellent fare and certain remarkable
properties of the water which may account for
the unusually large number of children find in
this place. The Montgomery White is univer-
sally admitted to be the best improved place of
Summer resort in Virginia. had heard much
about it, but the beauty and completeness of its
buildings and its admirable location and 'sur
roundings" greatly surpassed my expectations.
The road from the Springs to Christiansburg
gives the traveller view of some delightful
scenes. Every now and then he looks down
upon or traverses as lovely q valley as the eye
of man ever saw, while mountain streams here
and there come leaping down the declivities like
things of life overlooking with joy.
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