New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-06-14

NopFo1K. Va, May II, lSG9.-After the war closed
,azeral Northern men with money came down to this
tide water region and bought farms and lands at low
rates as they supposed, with the expectation tnaU
Northern immigrants would flock in and buy OF them
az greatly advanced prices Some hired managers to
oversee in some cases afew improvements were maue
and occasionally houses and wharves were built but
"a TO going fairly to work to develop the resources OF
the country, they did not propose this was to DO
done nv those TO whom they shOuld SELL They
waited and waited but buyers did not come; 1t Is
true many came to look but they generally returned
without buying and least Of all, they would not buy
at second hand and the result was disastrous; some
sold out at great sacrifice, others still held on and
being unable to make payments as they fall due,
fhey are ruined unless they have capital to fall back
up0n and certainly ruined so far as the speculation
Is concerned. / hear of several who have lost rom
$4,000 to $4,000 each and have yet to be nfoImea
of a single investment III farming lands tor tno ooC
speeifed in which expectations have been reaizeu.
reasonable progress. and are likely to do Wen ING
fact is that no money can be made by buying tnSso
lands speculation for two good reasons S SIc 10
cause almost every farm NAV be sad 10 DO IOL Suei
and the other because industry Is dSOrgahleu anu
there is no rural population TO give ile " ToS
and trade 1t is ast9niiSansf G tbev must have
seem had they taken the least pans; ChdS te lanu
seemed cheap only because genuine hDOr mao never
No mptter what may be the fertility of the SOIL
the yalue of timber of fisheries, no matter what
mol q
fatIon NAV exist, they of little value unless an
intelligent and industrious people occupy the rural
districts, to supply the markets OF towns 10 give
The STAKEHOLDER may by enlarged views ana by con-
slant vigilance, do something to this end, but the
prosperity he creates cannot be permanent, IOr the
inevitable tendency of unsliled labor is to impov-
erish the SOIL and bring down ruin. Thus the close
of the war left Virginia and the South with worm
ont soil and with rural population incapable of
restoring the wasted fertility, and what was still
worse having no interest In the SOIL they had neither
an object desire TO restore 1t. .
The road from Williamsburg to Yorktown; DIS
lance of ten miles, undoubtedly the oldest In
America. 1t high ground about equally dls-
tant between the James and the YORK RIVERS me
soil varies from loan to light clay not One-tourth IS
In cultivation and none OF the farms or houses nave
a neat. thrifty look. rev OF the streams are
bridged and horses permitted to drink now
in the places where the horses drawing the
carriages of the Colonial Governors or the army
wagons of the Continental army as it fastened to
inclOse CORVALLIS drank long ago and here are the
same washed hills and stretches of swamp and forest
and like birds sing and like wild flowers bloom. Al
fer riding some four miles stopped in the shade of
some oak trees and at cTOSs-TOad grocery or store
The building was about l2Xl6, with a partition IN
the middle the front part being devoted TO mer-
chandse aud the back part to the merchants resi-
dence. / judge that the stock IN trade might nave
been worth SlOO there were several pairs OF DOOtS
and shoes few pieces of shelf goods, box OF soap,
several kinds of tobacco, and some candy. The
sheriff being along the business hand was to col
lect the State license and the merchant reached his
hand through the back door and received pocket
book. when he counted out So While the sheriff,
who was a Northern man, appointed by the military,
was putting up the money, the merchant, who un-
doubleday had been a Confederate soldier, watched
his movements in manner that was at once sharp,
dull. and cOntemptuOus, and then hand reached IN
from the back room and received the p0cketbOOk. 1t
Was in vain to watch for the sight of a face, and
even as rode away none appeared at the back
door, but through tine cracks made by the cypress
shoots with which the house was boarded, there
was a glisten Beside this license II seems there was
another on this establishment for selling liquor,
which the Internal Revenue officers would collect.
When within mile of Yorktown we came to the
ragfol, hoH
Peninsula This was devoted TO making barrels.
Near by was large peach orchard, planted for the
Northern market, but was told that crops are I'M
certain, ana that tne Investment Is poor one. Next
came IN sight of York River and the Bay, making
vast eXpanse of blue water; then we descended
into valley and passed long line of Confederate
earthwOrks; then assembled the hill, and Went
through deep cut made IN the Notifications and en-
tered Yorktown, which has % or 80 houses ana per-
hapS 800 white people, while OF cOlored folks, either
here OF in the vicinity there is an indefinite number,
shantics occupied miles of ground for they had gath
cred from much of the tide-water region. The best
houses were built more than 200 years ago, of En-
gsh brick and lumber, and clumsy wrought nails
were used Other houses nearly as old are standing,
and all are occupied and in good repair except the
Court House. which was built for cnstOmsbOuse,
and was used as such by the Colonial Government.
1t is said that New merchants, In the early days
came hitheT to buy goods, which is not
improbable, since large quantities OF tobacco
were raised there and shipped to Europe When this
fact is considered, it will appear astonishing that
tobacco, which is naturally dstasteful should so
into such general use as to be grown sni-
GENTLY to freight many ships every year nOtWlth-
standing they seldom exceeded 400 tuns burden, Tor
not only did Yorktown become large place, but !
several other towns, particularly up the Chesapeake
and Potomac, crowded with shipping The
present business OF Yorktown is connected with the
small country trade and the oyster and fishing inter
est. There two or three good stores, and many
small shops. kept By negroes. One OF the colored
merchants was minister, and IN talking with nm
he said that his people wanted land but thew had no
money TO buy told him that they must save their
mOaey and be temperate and honest He said
honesty Is a good thing; he knew it could be de-
pended upon for being now As years old, and having
been minister 81 years. he had not IN his whole life
stolen more than $50, and now he was merchant.
He had part of barrel of corn meal few sacks of
-four some tinware, and soap and candy The col |
Ored peoples idea of honesty is becoming more def
mite. At a hotel talked with the waiter, who said
to raising vegetables When / asked him if he |
did not help himself 10 some little things lying |
around he said he had about quit that IN fact, he
and his people were going TO DC honest. They were
trying the best they could and they would fetch it
By and by"
The York River properly enters into York Bay at |
the town; the distance across TO Gloucester Point
exceeds mile while the bay is three or four miles
WIDE. Steamers running IN connection with the 1
York River Railroad by West Point TO Richmond |
stop az the wharf and there Is water enough TO per-
NIT the Great Eastern 10 Go so.
After the COnfederates evacuated this place Gen.
Mcclellan began forifylng ON the old Continental |
lines, and the works remaining are OF such extent !
and hight that they cannot be leveled. Ia cut /
ting a narrow road through this embaukment |
negroes employed at 40 cents a day. and the |
work cost 80. Beyond are the plains Of Yorktown |
stretching for several miles, and l was shown the |
spot near negrOs garden, where CORVALLIS sur |
rendered bis sword. These plains perhaps $50 !
feet above the river; the soil sandy gravel, and
easily worked, and have seldom seen a locality !
better suited for farming gardening or fruit grow
ing. The whole region undeIlaid with shell marl
SAID 10 contain % per cent or lime, which crops ont
along the river and streams. and it can !
be obtained at the cost Of hauling |
IN unlimited quantities. 1t is singular |