Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-23
Nv ENING STAR,
SKETCH OF FREDERICKsBURs.

Fredericksburg Is the chief town of spott.
sJlvania county. In Virginia, and is situated
on the right bank Of the RappahsBnock river,
II The head of tide water. 1t Is between fifty
and siIty miles from Richmond by railroad,
and sixty live miles by the turnpike In a north
oTIy direction. Turnpike roads connect ID
With Falmouth and Eewport-the former by
ferry eeross the Rsppahanuock-and smother
tarnpike loads through a wilderness to Orange
Court House, where a railroad connects il with
HoTdonsville. The town itself is pleasantly
situated in fertile valley, and has sdyanta-
yes fer commerce and manufactures. The rail-
read form Washington, via Aqua creek, pass
es through II, and thereby large traffic and
trade was done previous to the rebellion As
the through trains generally stopped at Fred
ficksburg station for about an hour on each
trip, a not incOnsiderable chance trade YVES
caused thereby in the Immediate locality of
the depot. II is distant from Aqua creek by
railroad about fifteen miles. from which point
part of the POtemsc river traffic used to be
carried to Fredericksburg A good canal had
also been constructed from the town to a
point on the Rappshannock river about forty
miles above, by which large quantities Of
wheat, 1szr, and tobacco were received for ex-
roTtatiOn. The river sffored extensive water
power, which, however, was not much used
The hills in the Eeighborhood, varying in
hight from forty to one hundred feet, abound
IN fine granite and free stone. About thirty
years since the prospect of Fredericksburg be-
ing rapidly rising town was very great but
itsuddenly stopped in its prosperity, and after,
as II were, standing still for about twenty
years, il gradually retrogaded in its import
Hrce. In 1910 its population numbered nearly
four thousand souls, and in 1850, ten years az
ter, il had only increased eighty-e persons
less than nine each year, and being about
two per cent in a decade-s remarkably small
increase. Before the rebellion il contained
FIVE churches, one orphan asylum, two semi
Earies, four newspaper Offices, and two banks.
The county in which Fredericksburg is stu
1ted has an area Of four hundred square miles.
The Rappahannock forms the boundary on the
northeast, the North Ann river on the south
west, and the Msttnpony rises within its lin
its. The surface Is diversified by hill and dale.
The soil is generally fertile in the vicinity of
The streams. Two gold mines were worked
within the county In 1850; and as before stated,
frecstone and granite are abundant. The
canal running northwest carries the river traf-
&c far above the falls, and the country is in
tersected by the Richmond and Potomac Rail-
read. Spottsylvania was organized in 1870
and named in honor Of Alexander SpottsWood
r: that tine Governor of Virginia The capt.
tai Of tho county is Spottsylyania Court House.
POST village on the P0 river, and situated
aver sixty miles nearly due north from Rich
mend, with which il is connected by turn
pike road. The last return of the population
gave nearly fifteen thousand persons, one half
If whom wer~ slaves. The adjoining counties
IF stafford and King George run along on the
opposite side of tho Rappahsnnocs, and, TO-
3other, have sn area Of four hundred and
twcnty-siA miles. The surface Of the soil is
billy, partially fertile, and partially arid.
Their united population, at last returns
amounted 20 IS g75, over one-half of whom
cTers slaves. Granite, freestone, and gold
have also been found here-the two frst in
great quantities. The former is q very old
county having been formed in 1873, aud nam
cd after the English county Of the same ds-
nomination. Tho Tster-power and drainage
Cf Stafford are very good, and, IL properly
used, would have been sources of wealth to the
inhabitants Of the nsighborhood. The before
mentioned rsilr0ad also interseets Stafford
county. Fauquier county adjJins Stafford
CoGnty en- it's western border.