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

than the direct line, making the wlndlngs 1:S
times the direct course, and having fall OF
about 900 feet IF the fall were equally dis
trlbuted it would give 80 feet to the mile for
the direct line of the rivers length, or over Is
feet for each mile of the actual channel of
course considerable of this fall is found In the
upper portion of this stream and at particular
points, but we think, from an examination OF
much reliable data, that there is from to 13
feet OF fall, of permanent availability, for each
of the 68 miles of the developed length of
Middle river, IN many cases nearly twice that,
and its waters are now used for mechanical
purposes from within two miles of its source to
its mouth, propelling l9 Touring mills, and
| there are places where two mills, not more than
mile apart, have each head of over 10 feet,
others have over 20 feet If we describe cir
Gle 20 miles in diameter, with point near
| Staunton as the centre, we will embrace the
| larger portion of Middle river and all its
branches hardly touching the basins of the
other two main rivers; our circle will include
| 3l4 square miles, and we have stated the ex-
| tent of the Middle river basin at 32S square
miles, SO it is evident that this embraced the
very heart Of the county OF Augusta section
of great fertility, crossed by the line Of one
railroad the Chesapeake and Ohio, in active
ley railroad, with fair prospects of an early
completion, the two making 40 miles of radii
for our circle.
Only small portion of the superior water
power of this finely located river is now used,
while the raw materials for varied manufac-
turing industry are abundant in all its course
running through limestone belt it is fed by
perennial springs in all It's length, so the vol
ume of it's waters is but little affected by the
seasons, and may be relied upon as a motive
power, while it is secured from damaging fresh
otS b,, ,,n;f,orp, 40 ,oopt tortuouc au
mel and no mountain affluents: running often
at right angles to the highly inclined limestone
strata, it has necessarily conhned channel,
making favorable sites for dams of cheap and
durable construction. In some places, as at
Valley Mills, a tunnel Or canal of hundred
yards or less across one of the bends Of the
river, gives 20 feet of head enough for the
constant running Of merchant mill with four
pairs Of stones and at other places, as below
Cline mill, fall of fifty or sixty feet could
be obtained by canal less than smlle IN
length, Of easy construction.
The principal tributary streams OF Middle
river are Long Meadow Run, Christian S creek,
Lewis creek, Falling Spring run, Bells run,
Bakers creek, Back creek, Buffalo branch,
Jennings's branch, taking them in the order In
which they would be crossed in passing from
the east to the west of the county. Christian
creek is the largest draining 80 square miles,
having direct length of 20 miles and devel~
oped one OF &c, giving A miles of windings or
% times airline length; its principal tributary
Is Mill creek, fine stream for mechanical pur
poses, besides numerous smaller branches fed
by springs that make them water powers from
their very origin-making Christian creek and
its branches of much importance for both me-
chanica and agricultural purposes; they have
over 200 feet of fall and occupy a central
portion OF the county
Jennings's branch flows from the mountains
on the west, draining % square miles, (2O OF
them west of the Little North mountain, with
miles of direct and Is of developed course
having fall Of 843 feet from its head near
Lebanon White Sulphur Springs, to its mouth
near Churchville, but only the last three Or
four miles of its course is a permanent water
power the rest Of it, running through states
and sandstones, dries up in summer, but fur
nishes power for saw mills for eight months of
the year; its chief branch, Whiskey creek, is
fine mill stream five miles long.
Motfetts branch also originates In the noun
tains on the west, having basin OF % square
miles, more than 20 miles of it being In the
Valley, with miles of direct line, from its
head in the vicinity of the Augusta White
Sulphur Springs to its mouth near Spring Hill,
and channel ! 3 miles long-it waters a fertile
region, aud has some good water powers, as al
Buffalo branch is the other western mountain
affluent of Middle river, draining 25 square
miles, with miles of direct and 10 of devel-
oped course; it only drains I square miles of
Valley land, and is of minor Importance a
mill stream, although it furnishes several val
liable sites, and its location, furnishing the gap
for the passage of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad to the West formerly the route Of the
great buffalo trail makes it itimportant- besides,
its head spring is on Eot's Knob, over 1000
feet above tide, and is an object of interest to
the tourist that visits that noted lookout. =
Dry branch is its chief tributary.
! Lewis creek-on which Staunton is situa-
ted, and on whose banks John Lewis made the
first settlement in the county-drains twenty
i've square miles of the central portion of the
county. 1t is eleven miles, air~line, from its
source to its mouth, with channel seventeen
miles long and fall of 583 feet, with two
branches Peytons and Fannys runs, having
together fall of ITO feet Though only a
stream OF small size, its volume of water is
quite uniform, and so great is its fall that 1t
becomes important as motor, especially when
we consider it's location, passing through the
rapidly growing City of the Hills" Staunton,
| where portion of its fine power is already we'll
used, but where all of it will eventually become
source of wealth and industry The old
'Fackler Mill, that out its lease OF nine
| ty- nine years. turned by Lewis's creek, was
the centre around which Staunton grew up,
and as it since the war has given its place to
the large establishment of Parkins, Nelson q
| Co., that could pack away half dozen of the
original model, so the Staunton of ante belluns
has Overrun the little valley of the creek and is
stretching away over the surrounding hills: the
plow of Augusta, with Stauntons looms and
anvils, will make her city with tens of thou
sands before the century changes It's name.
| Falling Spring run drains but four square
miles, with direct course Of five and q devel>
oped course Of six miles, but it is laughing,
Joyous mill stream worthy OF mention; and
Bell S run, draining eight square miles, with a
direct course Of six and winding one Of seven
miles, deserves notice for it's fertile meadows.
Both occupy central locations
Baker creek lies west of the centre of the
county, drains fifteen square miles of meadows
and pasture lands, reaches Middle river in
seven miles of direct line and nine of winding,
and falls rapidly, furnishing several very good
small powers.
Back creek Of Middle river lies further to
the west. and draws its waters from 20 miles of
territory, with ~ miles of direct and II of de-
veoped course, from its source near Middle
brook to its mouth near West View-it fur
nishes a number of fine sites and passes
through good farming and grazing. district );
its head is not far from that OF Middle river,
with which it runs nearly parallel, and becomes
its first important tributary.
Long Meadows run, lying in the eastern por
ton of the county, Is the last of the tributaries
OF Middle river we shall mention; it drains IA
square miles of fat lands, emphatically mead
olcs lands for the expectation OF hay: from its
source near Fishersvllle to its mouth near that
r NJ -. e. NJ