The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-24
TIE DAILY EVENING THURSDAY SEPT

cultural wealth, prostratiDg the energies of the
people, and turning into hfth-rate agricultural
country the most wealthy aud bene6ceut soil
the Stale Of Virginia has under its control. You
can see signs of it everywhere. These old farmers
of the slave regime saw their wheat their corn,
and rye grow to an almost unparalleled extent
their yields positively enormous, yet with no
ambition, no energy, no absolute care beyond
the immediate present, they have lived and died
generation after generation, ruinous to their
lands, useless to themselves, and unknown to
the community.
can see no necessity for persons going West
to the States of Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, or
other more distant portions of the country
when, within stones throw of our large cities
there remains such wealthy soil as that through
which this company of capitalists passed over
to-day. In twenty hours from the time that the
wheat, the rye, the corn, or the veget able is
prepared, 1t can be in the Philadelphia, New
York, or Baltimore market. The York river has
never been frozen. The coolest weather ever
yet experienced has not stopped its line OF
steamers. The monopolization of land in the
hands of the few arstocrats the war has broken
up. Fitz Hugh Lee, at the White House, few
miles above West Point, holds three thousand
acres, but it is on the south side of the Pamun-
KY across from our settlement. His lands are
lying in their richness, full OF teeming wealth.
We did not have an opportunity of seeing the
General, he being on a visit with his ne " aud
beautiful wife to Petersburg, Va.
The "West Poinp purchasers have contracted
to build the York River and Richmond road to
it's natural terminus, West Point This will
then be the grand trunk line of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad, forming an unbroken chain
fol or ha ~ 1afI1 of IL,
nom San Francisco, on the Pacific Oceau, to
West Point, on the Atlantic seaboard. The
Richmond and York River road is now finished
to the White House, and trains are running
regularly. By the 1st of January it will reach
West Point, the way being graded, and for
many miles the ties being in position. The
spot occupied by this company is one of the
most inviting have ever seen. There are no
periodic vistations Of chills, agues, or fevers
because the country is high and fertile, not
low, barren, and sandy. 1t is eminently place
of health and grand theatre for sporting
Canvas-back ducks in their season are bought
for ten cents each. As to rail birds, which in
Virginia are called "Sorra," thousand dozen
could be bought here TO day for twenty cents
per dozen; in Philadelphia they are worth one
dollar and a half per dozen. The negroes rarely
water, armed with stout paddle, they knock
them doeoR by the hundred
AS for fish, l saw none caught, but CAPTAIN
Freeman says he never saw finer shad in his
life than are caught on these rivers, while the
general sport for that article is worth an excur-
sion OF thousand miles. One word as to the
manner OF reaching these grounds. Four trips
per week are made by the Richmond and York
River line, leaving Baltimore on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The excu1-
sion Is most capital one at this or any season
of the year. The steamers Kennebec and
Admiral form the line which connects with The
cars at White House, above West Point, so that
aiter. tho enoursionisv has viewed the lands he
can take short run to Richmond
1t would be improper for me to close this let
ter without giving you resume of our COM
pany, consisting OF Robert Reiman and Mr.
Mr. John Wyetb, Mr.. Dobblns (buider) L. P.
Ashmead, Mr.. Moorhouse, James B. Ronly,
Esq, Generals J. and F. H. Lane, of Philadel.
phia; Rev. DR.. Lands, Trenton, N. j.; Mr..
Grant, banker, New York city; Mr.. Haldeman
and wife, New York; Mr.. W. b. Frazier of New
York, and President of the company; Dr. Joos
Suiss, Senator of Lucerne, Switzerland; DR.. Par.
saigh Vartougian; Mr.. Canali Domnaisia, Con.
stantinople, Turkey; Mr.. l.. R. Lowry, Lima,
Peru, S. A.; Mr.. Paulison, Judge Cummings, N. |
j.; Mr.. j. 7. Alden, Cincinnati; Mr.. WA. Logan,
Pittsburg, Pa; MIR. Anthony Reybold, Della
ware. Mr. Alden is the Superintendent of the
Company, and will remove from Cincinnati to
West Point during this month, with three fami-
1ies hesidpa hie nun