Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-11-05

1869 from Bristol, had determined from as
tronomic Al observations that the town laid
several miles within the true limits Of Vir.
ginia, and, indeed, II Is SO located Ia the
later aud more careful maps Of the State.
But until joint commission Of the State,
Of Virginia aud Tennessee shsl determine
the true boundary, Qf it ever does), the
citiz ms Of Bristol appear satisfied to live In
a double jurisdiction, there being 10 fact
tive corporations and two setts OF munich
pal officers and contrary TO what mignt
be expected, we were assured that no case
OF conflict had occurred Of the adj jining au-
thorities, aud that perfect peace reig In
the bicephalous town.
Bristol Is interesting at present as the
depot Of Q lod0on trads-that curious aud
| primitive appariti N of commerce which We
remember In our boyhood In other parts OF
Virginia, and which We supposed had dis
appeared since the advent OF the steam
car. But II survives In It's glory In Bristol
IL Is great part OF the present prosperity
Of the place the busy streets are choktd
| with wagons, some Of which have travelled
| sixty or seventy miles 10 these markets
bearing the stores Of an abundant country.
| At every step we meet the WAGNER, and
the streets are garish with the gilt sign-
boards, aud fame with the immense plscarda
| which denote an appeal to the country Gus
toner. IL Is the peculiar display of thriv-
ing country tow0, and tbs effects o the
gilded letters and the painted pasts-board
though coarse are brilliant, and, We doubt
not, stunning" TO the rustic. The hotel
sccommo iations Of the place are foe, and
even unexceptionable'
A days journey from Bristol transports
rs TO the Natural Tunnel; but so little Is It
| visited by travellers from a distance, and
4 an m "a fata il bA NH
scene by perso Is VINO live near II and have
grown familiar with 1t, that ih,re is some
hesitation In giving the directions OF the
road TO II. Yet there Is a passiby good
road TO II, and plain one, too. The trav.
eler goes westerly tw.nty eight miles to
Estillville, the seat Of Scott county, and
thence again westerly ami slightly TO the
north for fourteen miles, crossing the Clinch
River, and he Is at the Natural Tunnel hav-
ing made the distance forty-two miles on
| road, the great portion Of which |, the IN ,in
thoroughfare TO Cumberland Gap, aud all
| Of which may be pleasantly travelled either
| In vehicle or on horse back.
We chose the latter conveyance. The
rosd TO Estillyille takes u,, In turns, through
| two States. IL Is the great thoroughfare Of
| the wagon trade to Bristol, aud Il is pictur'
esque with white covered Wagons winding
| over the hills, separate or in trains, dotting
the landscape, several Of them being almost
| constantly visible on the tract OF country
that the eye sweeps. These are the tohite
ships Of the mountains. They are freighted
with grain and fruit, and the other stores
| necessary in the distant homes from which
they have come. Some of them we're emf
grant trains tr .veling westward. The modes
OF "moviDg" are interesting. Whole FAINT
lies live for days, AMI even weeks, iu tho
COVerRd nf I'M
and sleeping under the trees by the way
side; AMI as the hesVy vehicle lumbers on
| in the day, such OF the emigrsnts rs are
able 10 walk, trudge by the dc of II,
while the aged and feeble ride, aud IL is not
uncommon 10 see the curious eyes of little
children, In various begrimed conditions,
peeping from the white CANVASS that covers
the moving household.
In one passage Of the road, we met Gloss
| train Of five covered wsgons-a few men 10
iOnt with rifles 90 their shoulders, and
some six or seven 6aretooted somed in their
| rear, Of all ages, from the old crone In her
narrow and dirty dress of linsey woolsey
TO, the young girl of mountain beauty un-
adorned, walking slow and painfully over
the stones as their teams lsbJured up the
hill.
"where are you g,ing'' We asked one
of the men.
"GwIns 10 Arkansas" was the reply,
with strong accent on the last syllable.
"You have q long j ,urney before you, my
friend"
"Yer, furrer'n fVe hundred miles, reek-
| or" was the snswer with certain air of
| determination in the bronIed, set face, and
| slowly, sturdily the train moved on ia that
long and weary journey, which poverty aud
disappointment elsewhere had appointed for
the emigrants.
| We we're weary from riding when we got
sight OF the village of Estillville. Passing
| through the well defined Moccasu gap, aft
er having crossed the North Fork of the
lolston River, there suddenly came into
| view the twenty or thirty houses which com
pose Estillville, overlooking beautiful bit
Of meadow bounded by line Of river
knobs " 1t is village that boasts a half
finished church on the hill side, aad q new
courthouse with q cupola and gilt ball.
Spending the night at so-callei hotel.
where the real aud unaffected kindness of
the lady proprietor IN td, amends for the
imperfect accommodations, aai more shan
compensated for the single dollar that was
asked for supper, lodging, breakfast for odr
selves, and stabling for our horse, We were
fortunate in making acquaintance wi b two
l
helped us in our journey the next day to the
Natural Thnnel. Que Incident of Eslill-
Vile must uot be omitted, 1t was natural
for traveller, wearied by long ride, to
ask for glass Of spirits, and one whose
experience hitherto had been that there was
not a crossroads. much less village, ID
Virginia, where whiskey of some quality
might not be procured. But not drop oi
! liquor Of any sort is to be got in Estllyille
aad the remarkable fact WAS ascertained
that not for fifteen years has there been q
license to sell liquor 10 tho county. Here
is record indeed for the temperance cause
and that, too, in mountain coun,y Of Vir
ginia, where the display OF so much virtue
has been lost to fame. A little obserya tiOu
was convincing enough that there we're nc
harder, healthier, manlier people TO b,
found IN Virginia than those among WHOM
our lot haG fallen Tor few days and rec
olections OF their hospitality, their in ELI
gence, their thrifty and honest and inno
cent Ives, have been borne away by at leas
one grateful traveller.
The ride ia the fresh air aud through til,
} scenes Of the next morning was delightful
and Was constantly entertai led by inform.
tion Of the country through which we pass
cd. Here on each side Of the road aud IA
every direction were pointed out the uhds
J veloped resources of one Of the riches
= parts Of Virginia. The intelligent CONVEX
satiou Of Mr. W Of Estillvilie, Wal
constantly directing US to the woalerfa
mineral resources Of this rrg'on-the iroI
Of which had already been tested in th,
workshops Of OiDciunat as the best from
any quarter VI the Union the copper
~ ines that sbdnndsd aud we're yet unex
plored, the wonderful deposites Of the lvst
so rich that from a bank, mile from
Clinch river where our road lies, the neigh
bors had cut out plugs aud moulded bullet
from them In the late war. but all thss,
resources are as yet u ideveloped, and whil'
Scott county awaits the marches OF enter
prise, the people are sati fed 10 raise grsil
and fruit--the batter so abundaur that il
tbs scarcity Of moosy IL has actually fur
nished q currency, and dollars aud can't
are counted by pc .obes Red apples.
nj