Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-12-17

the Country Agricultural Society was just
commenced, and | took great pleasure in
attending IL, for | had not the least ides
that in such remote place 80 much pro.
gress would be manifcst. The show Of vege.
tables was fully MS COED as In any part OF
the East, and never saw larger turnips or
sweet potatoes. W1tcrme,ons were uncom
monty large, and was told that ~ n lot OF
400 sold in town the average was 3S pounds.
Wheat and caro- were untxcelled, and a
sample OF Surprise Otas weighed "A pounds
to the bu hel. In animals the display was
good, and in short, the whole exhibition
would h,ve honored any county in New
York or Ohin. Let me speak of the whea:
crop grown near Snlina They assured me
the average was Is bushels TO the acre
while whole fields averaged over 40 bushels.
Judge Hamilton drove me through the val
ley, and ] saw immense slacks { wheat
taken from what seemed small pieces Of
ground. Thrashers get eight cent a bushel
tor tbrashing, and millers 40 cents bushel
Ter grinding. IL was clear that good mer-
chant-milis are needed. Spring wheat vac
selling at about so cent and Winter wheat
for s 25 to Ell 80 bushel. -four e5 per
cwt sweet pStatoes, 81 bushsl; Irish go
ceufs; bUtter, - centsi eggs, the same.
Very few hogs are In the country, and sheep
are very rare. Beef mostly is eaten, and
the best quality sells for IL cents pound.
At THE place we Joined party from New
York and Chicago, among whom were Cyrus
". Field, NJ. K. Jsssup and wife, J. 5 Berry
and wife, ID. s. Egglestcn nu'b wife, y. T,
Wells, John Crearar, President Chicago,
Alton 6 ST Louis X. R.: Jas. Archer, A,
d Richardson, Col. A. Andei son, Gen. VIM.
j. Palmer. with q special trsiE, and with 4
costly and elegant Pullman sleeping car,
and also dining car, and everything need
full for visit TO the West and to the Plains
At Ellsworth we stopped over night This
is thriving town, of perhap' 400 people,
and il is upon the verge Of civil zation. M
more farms appeared, nor were gardens at
tached 10 the residences. This is the COM
mcncement Of the buffalo country rain sell
dom falls, and the prairie grass is nowhere
seen. We started carly in the morning, to
make the long run of 1876 miles to Sheridan.
BUFFALO nUAT.
During the forenoon buffalo were seen in
TIE distance, and about noon the train stop
ped at Coyote that those wishing might
have hunt. Some wild white men on In
diem ponies offered to lend their Mage, and
four or i've Of TIE party went out toward =
herd perhaps n mile distant. Mr.. Jossup
and A d. K. rode of in fine style, and in a
couple Of hours tley came bach, having
killed one, and we wen on again. At sun
down buffalo were seen on both sides Of the
track, and in great numbers. On the lefi
two solitary ones raced parallel with the
train, and at less than 200 yards dist INT.
Many shots were fired; they ran about a
mile and at last fell. or course, il is diff
cult to lake correct aim while one is in mo-
ton. The train was stopped, and all went
out to take n look at the magnificent game.
The sun had just set. The swelling prairie
ives covered with the short Buffalo grass,
dead and dry, and the vholc scene resem-
lied bror meadow, shaven smooth with
n scythe. The imaginative miud might
fancy that over the swell an orchard and
firm house were TO be found; that in the
valley below was the village and church
spirc. But il was more than 100 miles to a
farm in the East, 8 Q uiles to the west, and
on the north were nOne at all, unless in
British America. II was also 600 miles to
Texas on the South, with hostile savsges
intervening; in fact, shey ~rre all around
us for what We kuew. However, no one
felt any fear with the bright aeon shining
high and the stars appearing, and even the
ladies, finely dressed, walked over the clean
sod TO the fallen monarchs of the plains.
The head and hind-quart' RS were put
aboard, aud We started again. While the
party sat at supper which embraced every
delicacy, a vast herd, eEseraciRg Thousands
upon thousands, were running upon either
| side. Speeches and friendly interchange;
caused US to linger at the table, for the end
| Of the long journey wasnear, and the party
were soon to separate, some TO return, ane
.gff Al. ...N- l.. -