The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-05-01
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! NOTES on. YIKHINIA.
BY led H0tchkiss, Typographical Engineer
Staunton, Va.
The Water Powero Of Augusta County.

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as to embrace within its limits all the head
waters Of the Shenandoah, ssthe Beautiful
Daughter of the Stars" SO the water shed
between its waters and those of the James
lies wholly within its borders. Thethou-
sand streams, that by their ramifcations
form the greattopof this huge watery tree,
are all here, consequently this County is
more abundantly watered than those on
the lower reaches Of the river where the
branches have collected into the main
trunk. Many of the sources are bold, pc
rennial, limestone springs, capable ofturn-
ing mill or factory at the distance of a
stones throw from where they rise. To
give an idea Of the water power Of the
County, we state in general terms that it's
waters have a fall Of 1000 feet within its
limits and in an air line distance Of less
than forty miles.
That the reader may have an under
standing of the location Of the principal
streams of the County, we willsuppose him
located at Old Providence Church, in the
southwestern part Of the County, about a
mile from the line between it and Rock
bridge, near the very source ofSouth River,
the head stream Of the Shenandoah. This
point is about 2Oo0 feet above the sea lev
Ell, as determined by the surveys for the
Valley Railroad Now if you face exact
ly to the N. E. you look down the middle
Of the Shenandoah Valley, your line Of vi
sion passing through Staunton, the Coun-
ty seat, at an air line distance of 5 miles,
crossing the N. E. line of the County near
Burke's Milla t29m miles, andso on, through
Harrisonburg, 125 miles to the Potomac
near Shepherdstown in the lower end Of
the Valley. The Blue Ridge bounds your
vision on the right and the Little and Big
North Mountains on the left, running par
alal 10th. The IL. Willy! lily Which spreads
before you rolling plain nearly twenty
five miles wide from mountain to noun
tain. Your elevation is about thesame as
the summit of the Blue Ridge, while the
North Mountain is higher A wavy line
to the S. E., on your right, would pass
along s:the divide" of the Shenandoah and
James River basins and strike the summit
of the Blue Ridge Is miles away, near the
s. Z. corner Of the County, and at the head
Of Back Greek which flows from between
the spurs Of the Blue Ridge and along its
base for about II miles in a northerly di-
rection and joins South River, which, from
its source, near your position, flows east
IA miles. receiving many small tributaries
from the right, and then, near The W. base
of the Blue Ridge turns 3 miles N. E. to
the junction with Back Greek; it contin-
ues the same direction 4 miles farther to
| Waynesboro', where, at an elevation Of
1851 feet it is crossed by the Virginia Cen
trail Railroad, then. turning nearly to the
n, it runs, with distance of from 2 to
5 miles from the foot Of the Blue Ridge
Is miles to Port Republic, just in Rock
ingham county, where it meets Middle riv-
err and with it forms the South Fork Of
the Shenandoah, or what is usually called
the Shenandoah, at an elevation of about
1000 feet
-Four miles in front of your position are
the head springs Of Christians Greek
whose waters flow S. g. and S. for 3 miles
and then pursues N. 3. course, in very
tortuous channel, with many valuable trb-
utaries from each side, Is miles to Mid
die River, crossing the Central Railroad
II miles from its head and 8 n. W. OF
Waynesboro' The origin Of this Greek
has an elevation of about 1000 feet, it falls
to 1910 at the Railroad and to 1874 at
Middle River. Christians Creek has an
important tributary from the left called
| Mill Greek. which rises near the same place
it does and runs n. +. some miles, then
S. H. about the same distance and runs
into Christians Creek s miles below its
source, having fall Of nearly 300 feet
Long Meadow Run heads not far from the
Railroad, three miles E. of Christian s
Greek, and flowing in the same direction,
except detour to the left, in lis lower
reaches to enable it to enter Middle River
near the same-point as the Creek
Lewis Greek heads just north of the
| bend of Mill Creek at an elevation of 1868
feet flows N D., passing through Staunton
at 4 miles, and runs into Middle River at
| 10miles, 2miles west Of Christian Greek at
an elevation of1180 feet, receiving Pey-
tons and Fanny's Runs from the left, the
latter having a fall Of 20 feet in the last
mile Of its course and the former nearly
100 feet. Six miles N. W. from our stand
point, at the foot of the Little North Mt.
| is the head Of Middle River, at an eleva-
ton of about 5000 feet {: for about 8 miles
its course is nearly N. E. along the foot of
the Mountain, to a point 8 miles due west
Of Staunton, when it turns abruptly to the
east for miles where it receives the
waters of another Back Creek, which runs
parallel to it, after course Of miles to
the N. w. from its source near Middle
brook, FIVE miles north Of our POSITION
These streams are crossed by the Railroad
half a mile above their junction at an ele-
| walton Of 1886 feet. Middle River, after
its junction with Back Greek, with wind
ing course in generally north direction
ola mile and a half, crossed the Staunton
& Parkersburg Turnpike near West View,
then winding N. E. for mile it is increas-
ed by the waters Of Bakers Creek which
have come down for six miles from the
south, to the east Of and parallel to Back
Greek at a distance of one and hall miles
from it, having an elevation Of over 1910
feet where it is crossed by the Railroad
Two miles N. W. from the mouth of Ba-
ker's Creek Middle River receives the wa
ters of Buffalo Branch from the S. W. a
- stance off miles, heading at the North
NJ tain Summit Of the Va. C. R. R., at