Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-02-16

South river, which drains all the western
slope of the Blue Ridge that lies in this coun
ty, except the small portion penetrated by the
St Mary, or South river of Rockbridge, has a
basin next in size to Middle river, its area be-
ing 255 square miles its direct course from
Old Providence church, near the centre of the
Valley and the Rockbridge line of the county
to Weyer's Cave, where it' crosses the Rock
lngham line, not far from the other two rivers,
is 80 miles, while its developed course is 45
miles, with fall of l 1000 feet its course lies
| In the arc of circle, having Churchville for
the centre and II miles for the radius This is
fine mill stream and has many valuable water
powers already in use, but there are many 9th
ers, some near the very crossing of the railroad
at Waynesboro' unused. This river is fed by
many fine springs and short branches that
make constant supply of water for the mills
near their mouths but in some portions of it's
course the river loses much of it's water in sum
mer In the sandstone formation through which
| 1t flows, detracting somewhat from its value as
| a power; but few of the many small streams
that run into it from the Blue Ridge are per-
manent, nearly all Of them disappearing in sum-
mer, for the reason above stated, and its tri-
butarles from the west are all small streams,
consequently the permanent volume of South
river Is not large, at the same time it is liable
to freshets of short duration from the rapid
drainage of the Blue Ridge The lands along
this river are very fertile, and are not as rolling
as those on the other streams.
Back creek is the only tributary of South
river having much size, it flows from deep
cleft in the Blue Ridge, formed by the project
ing spur of Mt. Tory Mountain, and drains 60
square miles of the southeast portion of the
county, is II miles long by the direct, and Is
by the developed line, and has considerable fall,
hltho ont tIol liro or
data are at hand to give the amount Like all
the streams that originate in the mountains of
Augusta, 1t is quite irregular in the volume of
Its waters and gets very low in the dry season,
yet 1t Is OF some value as power, and is en-
ployed to some extent.
The North river OF the Shenandoah has its
waters divided by the line between Rockingham
and Augusta, not more than half of its basin
lying in the latter, but that portion embraces
164 square miles of the county the North
river itself, after it breaks through the North
Mountains, runs for 10 miles in generally
northeast direction, passing miles into Rock
lngham, when 1t turns at right angles In a dl
rectlon generally southeast for 10 miles more to
Its junction with Middle river on the county
line: 1t is 81 miles fom its head to its mouth
by the direct line, and so miles by the channel
OF the river, giving 19 miles OF wlndlngs; it
has little value as permanent water power until
after 1t leaves the mountains and receives trIb-
uarles from the lime stone portion of the val.
ley, so that portion of it in Augusta county is
only available for about months in the year
the rest OF the time Its waters are lost In the
sand and pebble through which it flows. The
branches of this stream in the mountains are
the north and south forks, Skidmore fork and
their branches, the whole draining 100 square
miles of country Of very broken character,
but containing much valuable timber The
rapid fall of this river gives abundant power
throughout the region during the winter,
spring and early summer, and number OF saw
mills are IN operation there at such times.
The other chief tributaries ofNorth river, in
Augusta, are Freemason's S run, Messy creek,
Long Glade, Golden run and Naked creek
these are In the lime stone portion OF the Val
ley and have permanent character. Freema
son S run drains bat miles and is but e miles
long, but 1t has rapid fall and is used III sew
eral places Messy creek, draining with its
tributaries Wetstone draft and Pudding Spring
branch) II square miles, is itself miles long
by the direct and 8 by the developed line (some
3 miles OF Its lower course being In Rocking
ham, This stream Is unique as water pOw~
er, its source IS splendid spring with the vol
ume OF river, and turns large merchant mill
100 yards from It's Orlgln-all the rest OF 1t
course Is but succession OF the finest constant
and uniform powers whose ponds form chain
Of beautiful lakelets and impart additional
charms to one Of the lovellest portions OF the
county. This stream has over l2O feet OF fall,
only portion of which is utilized, and it would
be difficult to find stream more useful and at
the same time so true and manageable.
Long Glade run drains II miles of territory
in the county, has miles of direct and 10 of
developed course, and fall of 800 feet; three
miles of It's lower course Is in Rocking ham,
| No use has been made Of this stream as mo-
| tor, for, though constant, It's volume IS small,
| yet 1t would be valuable for light machinery
| Golden Run is small stream of short length.
| Naked Creek drains 20 square miles of the
| county, and has numerous branches; the prln
cipal one is miles long by the air line, and
| by the water line; the whole descent Is rapid,
and the lower portion of its course becomes d
| fine mill stream.
| From these statements it appears that the
| North river waters we have named have "
miles of direct and 125 miles of developed
course, with over 900 feet of available per
manent power, besides over 1000 feet available
some three fourths Of the year.
The waters that are tributary to the Nortf
river of the James occupy the Western an(
| Southwestern parts Of the county, and are bu
the headwaterS of several considerable streams
They are the Big and Little Calf Pastures
| Walker creek, Motfett' creek and the South
Or st. Mary river and their af1uents draining
273 square miles OF the county. The Big Cal
Pasture drains l6O square miles OF the 5. w
corner OF the county, is % miles by the dlrec
! and 20 by the developed course IN the county
! with fall of about 1000 feet, but the most o
| its bed runs through the sandstone formations
| and it is a mountain stream-therefore onl.
| available part Of the year, but it has some goot
power in its lower reaches.
The Little Calf Pasture drains 40 SQUARE
miles; It's two lengths are II and IA miles, will
a tall Of 600 feet. There are some very gOoc
| mill sites upon this stream and Its branches
| which are quite reliable Walker creek drain
| but six square miles, with only three and hal
miles of course in the county; but it is vale,
stream of rapid descent, and soon becomes
power The same is true of Motfett's creek
which drains eight square miles, and runs IL
the county five or five and half miles, will
very rapid descent of at least thirty feet to th
mile, and being fed by springs, it is an impor
| tant. water course, though small
! Tie South or st. Mary s river drains thirt
miles of the Southeast part of Augusta, mos
of it portion of the Blue Ridge, but it ha
some branches from the Valley and furaishe
| several good water powers. These James rive
waters sum up over so miles of direct and 60 o
developed course In this county, with fall o
near 5000 feet
In conclusion, then, it appears that the pri,a
cipaJ streams of Augusta county have 3O6 mile
of direct course, 478 miles of developed course
and over 10000 feet of available fall for perma
nent water power, to say nothing OF numerou
smaller streams, and not one-tentn of this
| now used the representative OF the labor O
more than 20 900 men runs daily to waste, AM
| offers that amount Of labor and the material TO
| - to bn Nd N