The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-10-19
.WAsHnNoToN, O.. q, ls8b

North CarOIiRa-.Geaerai state q
AmhlEa. =
sWAsHrSoToN, Oct, Il, 1855.
A resent tour through Virginia, and
North Carolina Us far as Raleigh, has
satisfied me that the waste of war has
not been by any means so great as is
generally imagined, and that II Is far
from being irreparable. The traveller
who sees for the first time the perforat-
ed roofs and walls of Fredericksburg,
the burnt district in Richmond. or the
wide wastes made In the vicinity OF
Petersburg, and on the line Of the
Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Is
apt to conclude that the State Is utterly
ruined, and that nothing can reclaim It
short OF RWholesAle Northern immigra-
ton, with millions OF capital. This
was my own first Impression; hut ON
returning took quite = different view
OF things. The scenes of desolatiOn
seemed dwarfed. They no longer
spread before me as interminnble
wastes. began to reflect that they
were merely the battle-helds and en-
Campments, and that in comparison
with the territory OF the great Safe of
on the suns disk. All over, the State,
doubtless, the people were stripped by
'tConfedsraten tax-gRtheFs and mflitaFv
puryeyors, or by Union foragers, Of
their horses, cattle and poultry, their
corn and bacon; but for the most part
the houses and fences We're lel untouch-
ed, except where hostile armies met, or
where encampments were made.
Twas pleased to Ohservet that oven on
the lines Of railroad, the destruction of
houses and fences was confined, for the
most part, to the vicinity OF the towns
which have been the scenes of long
sieges and great battles; while the inter
vening country appears to have been
almost unhnrmed, except that south of
Petersburgh, for forty miles, the depots
were destroyed, as wellas some ofthose
betwesn fredericksburg, and Rich
mond.
Along much the greater portion of
these lOng-cOntested highways 1t Is diff
tiCult to recognize the hand Of war, ex-
cept in the neglected farms, On the
line OF the Virginia Central one can
scarcely trace any vestige OF the terrific
and protrncted struggle, in the whole
distance Of eighty miles between Rich
mOnd and GOrdonsNille. The houses
and fences remnin uninjured, and the
ripe fields OF corn great the eye at every
turn Of the road. The fine agricultural
region between GordOnsYille and Gull
! pepper Court House, in fullVfew of the
Blue Ridge, which bounds thenorthern
and western horizons like n wall made
by giants, seems to have suffered no
permanent injury. There were, doubt
less, many exceptional instances OF
rnpine, but the general effect upon the
eye of traveller in the ,ars Is that
which would have been made before the
war. From near Oulpepper Court
House in the vicinity Of Alexandria
there is one wide waste spreading ON
each side of the road, to the distance OF
!
trees are all swept away; and the inn
preston made upon the mind is not
/ unlike that of the Western prnirieS.
Tho waste is, however, bounded on
each side by evidences Of civilization.
/ Houses, fences and trees are seen on
the verge OF the near horizon; and
doubtless at the distance of two or three
miles from the railroad the track of the
cOntending hosts would be scarcely Wis
ible.
In passing through Richmond and
Petersburg l saw many evidences Of
returning thrift and enterprise. The
burnt district III the former is rapidly
being rebuilt, and doubt If any yes
tige OF it will be seen five years from
this time The buildings going up are
for the most part, good. Some of them
are very large. The old materials art
mnde use of, and the new structures, Of
course, have a rough appearance. But
they will probably be succeed In front
by which the present grim and insight
~ aspect will be improved. Strange a.
II may seem, Petersburg hns suffered
very little from the war. witnessed q
few marks OF cannon balls, shells ant
fire on the north side of the city, bu
mono ON the south side. Gen. GFant's
line of work seem to have been too fur of
to admit OF effective Smelling; or it may
be TINT he spared the place as a mattel
OF humanity. AT each of these Vir
giniR cities saw evidence of an ACTIVE
trade; and learned that more bust
ness was done in Petersburg durinI
August and up to date, Sept. 18th, thai
in any former year for the correspond
ing period. As returned, in the early
part of this week, I witnessed the same
evidences of commercial activity which
: were visible in September. An I'M
mense trade has been carried on witt
tho interior of the State, and Will
North Carolina; and cannot doub
, thRt much more business Would liz
done but for the exorbitant charges o.
the Southern Express Company. ]
paid them per hundred on sever
hundred pounds of freight, sent only
one hundred miles. This amounts e
four cents per pound per milo, which L
about fifty per cent. higher than first.
to New York. ?. } ~ =
1 visited that portion of North Caro-
lima which had never been the scene Of
contending armies, and which had
never seen any considerable force until
Zen. Shermnn's army passed through
aiter the surrender OF Joe Johnston
The people give unanimous testimony
70 the good conduct of the Union troops
amer the surrender, SO that this north
ern portion of the State never experi-
enced the horrors of civil war, although
It was perhaps the most addicted to
secession theories. There is, however.
an appearance Of dilapidated houses,
and neglected farms, and a stngnntioti
OF industry greater than witnessed in
virginia. The destruction of the rail-
road bridges across the Roanoke, as
wen as the roads themselves, for a time
LSolnted the people In this portion of
North CArolinR. They We're unable to
! procure everything essential 10 Begin
ming life again. They could send n0th-
ing to market nor procure anything in
return. The resttlt was a. sortfOf paf6L
Iysis. But these Ob8tTnclionS are NOW
removed, and tho trade with the Vir-
gina cities and those Of the North, be-
/ gins to be very active. never saw
goods sold with so much rapfdity In tho
villages MS during my recent visit. The
sales arc all for cash, or upon the pledge
/ OF cotton, tobacco, or other uroduna2
Inc cotton and tobacco on hand Is for
the most pa-t three or four wears Old.
ana this fhcs accounts for. the fre0uent
t nes. Inc oaga are ragged, and during
the great drOuth which has prevailed
| for seven or eight weeks, ench bnlR mas
become MS tntiamnble rs n tfndpr-hor
4ethn spite OIthis fact, the platform c1Ts
| Wlthout sides or covering. are Ioo6a3
with this cotton, and WhizzpCi nway M
Yer the hre-spitting engine. One womb
ssuPl'ose mat no sensible wan would