The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-02-21

Lie SHOpS DIRE UOJ SO extensive as former
ly, but as the country around improves
in business and productiveness, the
NeWtoWn wagons will regain their for
mer reputation, as being the best Of any
built in the State. Many farms in this
vicinity are being fenced as rapidly as
circumstances will permit. At the farm,
. Belle Grove we'll known as being the
scene Of Gen. Early's surprise Of Gen.
Sheridan's camp, on the morning Of De-
tober 10, 1864, a great change has taken
place in the short space of two years. A
luxuriant crop of corn is now being
gathered from the fields then occupied
by hostile forces, and there is fine
prospect Of its being followed by a good
crop of wheat. Other fields are being
rapidly prepared for cultivation the
coming spring. At
STRAsBURG
business is fat, but better times are ex-
pected when the Manassas Gap railroad
can be repaired and put in operation.
The work OF repairing goes slowly on
east of the bridge, and it is to be hoped,
may be pushed forward rs rapidly as
possible, SO as to give the people of the
valley an outlet to market. The extern
sion of the Winchester & Potomac rail
road to this point would bea great bene-
fit to the Baltimore & Ohio road, besides
largely 80 the business
prosperity Of the valley, from this point
to CataWba. Fishers Hill and vicinity
begin to look like living again. The
line Of works occupied by Gen. Early in
1864, has been surmounted
by a fence for the purpose of dividing
two farms. The " -Four Mile House, is
again opened for the reception of travel
lers, and the barn replaced by tempo
rary stabling.
Woodstock
seems little more lively than when [
last saw it. The merchants are doing
some business, though nothing in pro-
portion to former times. There are
several Hotels opened for travellers, but
an agent Of the Ffeedman's Bureau at
this plaee-tFe only one between Win
and stallnton. From the small
number of sculled fokesn about the
town, the Agent must make them work
for their bread. instead Of drawing ra-
tions-a capital idea. The next town to
Woodstock il
:sDINBURG.
a small village On ssenv Greek, and not
far from the north for& Of the Shenan
doah. The surrounding country is rather
poor, save some river bottoms, which
are quite productive. | noticed the
Carriage Factory of our former towns
man, John Allen, ESQ.,, who is doing a
good business i'll the way of repairing.
Mt. JACKSON.
This village is situated in one of the
most fertile regions of the Shenandoah
Valley. The fine farms in this section
yield largely, for the labor b 'stowed by
the husbandrnan, but there is no market
for grain at this time, nearer than Win
chester-forty-tWo miles distant-conse-
quently the corn is fed to the stock,
Which are then driven to the Baltimore
market, and often command high prices,
paying we'll for the trouble of feeding,
and the grain consumed. The far-falned
!" Steenberger Estate" is near this place,
en- the south side Of the river, COM
ps ing nearly four thousand acres in
all, twelve hundred of which is prime
river bottom, and as productive as any
of the great Western prairies. This
magnificent estate is now owned by
John G.. Meem, Esq, of Lynchburg, and
in the occupancy Of his son, Gen. Gill
bert S. Meein, well known in the valley
as breeder OF fine stock, and who an
nually sends to the Baltimore market
some of tire finest beeves of this beauti
full section. To give your readers some
idea of his extensive operations in stock,
Gen. Meem at one time last fall was
grazing tWenty-seven handred head OF
sheep, together with a large number OF
cattle, some Of which he recently sold at
an average of 800 per head. His stock
at this time is not SO large as in the fall,
having only about eight hundred head
Of sheep, with a fair proportion OF cattle
New MARKET
is one of the neatest little towns have
ever visited in Virginia, the citizens dis
playing more than usual taste about
their dwellings, all Of which seem to be
regularly built, which, combined with
the straight streets, and local position
of the town, gives it IA air that is at
tractive, Notwithstanding some of the
houses present an old and weather-beat-
en- appearance. The land near this place,
like that around Mt. Jackson, is very
productive and fertile, being on tine
soap-stone" order, with a good clay
sub-soil, producing wheat, corn and
grass in abundance, and that, too, with
one-third less labor than il takes to farm
our best lands in Berkeley. There is no