The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-20
letter from ROckbrfdGe So"
Correspondence of the Richmond piSp''''
RocKBRrpGE COUNTY, nA"}

kOCKBRIDGE SotSa Ivy
November II. 1869.
ry,o ;nor,tbar;,o of the corn in this region
of country shows the unusually Small crop
which was anticipated in consequence OF inc
ssxere drought OF last summer. But WIN
abundance Of wheat and grass, and faiI
nronortion of pork and beef, no serious ana
p;nching scarcity is anticipated, except
among the very poor, OF Whlch theFe art
some In this as in every community.
Considerable disappointment Is eXpc-
rienced by farmers at the late price Oh Wheat
and flour. by which their expected means OF
nayinc their taxes and other debts are
greatly curtailed.
The crop of wheat seeded for next harvest
&c Think. largely in excess Of that winch
was sowed twelve months ago.
Although the general condition OF the pco-
pie in this part of the State is much bcttcr
than that of Eastern Virginia, there arc
many cases Of extreme cmbarraSsmeni. Inc
last act in the drama OF the stay-law-VZ.,
the contamination of the term when par
ties who had not paid interest should pe
sold out, has brought forth many! judgments,
and eager lawyers are pressing tiie Z, II ia.
rnon unhappy debtors. Sheriis s'!les LOT
taxes are frequent, and oiten surprise Iile
community the parties advertised beng,
In numerous cases, persons oil ample ilicans
and large business TRANSACTIONS. Such iacts
show the excessive scarcity OF money.
The desire for the construction oil the
Valley railroad is growing, and the question
of routes is frequently discussed. Inc
plank road. so called, from Staunton to
buchanan is, for the most part, well graded,
long stretches Of it running by the creeks
and between great hills, with level almost
enual to that OF the roads in the flat coun-
trv Of Underwater Virginia. The course OF
this road has many advocates. us most
formidable competitor is perhaps line that
would strike the valley Of the North river
beIoy Lexington. follow it to the James
lust above Balcony Falls, and then run
along the banks of the latter TO buchanan.
There are immense bluffs on both OF these
rivers which would require much labor and
expense in tunneling ind lcvcllng, and the
location Of the road on this route would
Mace these hills between farmers OF the
rivcr and the railroad. said hills being at
this time great hindrancc in the way OF
the Transmission Of produce by the canal.
Between the mouth of North river ana
Buchanan, about twenty miles, there Is but
one important landing that has good Wa
eon road leading to it. In many places II Is
almost impossible to reach the canal with L
vehicle. and the same would be true Of Il
railroad running near it. This route can,
therefore. only BE popular with the people
along the river.
Notwithstanding the drawbacks above re-
terred to the James River and hanaWha
canal is popular with the people OF TINS
county, and Richmond seems to be favor
tie market still with many. Large quanti-
ties Of flour from the country mills Is now
shipped to that city, though II costs / be-
lieVe about one dollar III freight ana tollS 10
place each barrel there.
If this county were more accessible To
market, its apple crop could be made the
means Of very large revenue to the people
here. This wear it * most abundant. ana
the varieties are very fine. The prices now
are much lower than they are i'll Richmond,
and about the same that they are III Lynch
burg-about $50 per barrel for the best
kinds.
Other products of the smaller class-but-
ter. dried fruit. &C., &c.-arc so well pro-
portioned TO the rates of the cities Is to
afford no great margin for buyers. LcXing-
ton consumes Il great deal, ana there are
other agencies by which the country Is
pretty well drained Of all articles OF food
that are much in demand.
The apDIe-buttcr season has been Sp!en-
did one The apple-boilingS,' 10y which
this rather troublesome compound OF clder
and stewed fruit is made, are rs absorbing
while they last as harvest or hog-killlng
Somebody has to be up all night to stir the
big kettle every moment, and there Is not
much rest in the family night or day while
the peeling, and pairing, and beating OF
cider, and chopping of wood, and constant
watching OF the job, are going on. 1t IS cX-
tensively consumed by The natives, and tho
surplus is held at fifty cents gallon. Be-
sides apple-butter, we have qulncc-buttcr,
damson-buttcr, and | know not how many
other kinds of butter. 1t is quite common
to have three kinds ranged round plate Of
"cow" butter, which they vainly attempt
to rival. though good in their place.
| am sorry to tell you that hor>c-stcallng
has become inconvcniently fashionable.
Only the finest are taken. one OF these dis
appears periodically, and in every case
every effort to discover whittier he is gone
or by whom taken is a failure. There are
stories of Il rendezvous in valley whence
adeDts come forth under shadow of night,
and where they hide their rich prizes i'll
gorges and caves known only to themselves.
Put in order to reach it they must cross the
river by Il ferry, and it seems quite strange
that with this difficulty in the way they
still elude the most diligent search. But
murder will out. A suspected party was
summarily dealt with the other day, but
with no other result so far than the arrest Of
those who had so roughly treated him and
their examination before several magistrates.
In the mean while several gentlemen and
ladies are mourning the irreparablc loss OF
their fayorite riding horses; and everybody
who has particularly handsome and dcSlra-
BILE beast" is, as the saying Is, - sleeping
with one eye OPEN" am sorry 10 INFORM
you of the progress OF REORGANIZATION Ill
this region of sublime natural scenery. But
scenery evidently has no effect upon the
human heart. Some parts of the county
are, however, entirely exempt from inc
wasting system Of petty thc1ts SO prevalent
in most places in Eastern Virginia; but IN
some of our neighborhoods these too prevail,
and are q serious source OF annoyance.
After this unpleasant account OF inc slaIe
Of society with some, it may not he aliiisS
to inform you that the friends ol lioiaiit,
and religion are not idle. The people, under
many disadvantages, are striving TO educate
their children, and good schools are well
patroniZed though it is painful to see now
much the necessity laid upon them to keep
their children at work interrupts the stu
dies of promising and gifted youths.
The several denominations of ChriStlahS
have during the fall made some specia'
efforts to promote the influence OF Chfls-
tianity, and with some success. AT one
church, Falling Spring, Rev. ID. W. shanks,
pastor Presbyterian), as many as twenty
were added on last Sabbath. The Sabbath
is by many strictly regarded, and in some
neiehborhoods there is little intemperancc
or disorder.
We have had four or five light SHOWS, and
il is real winter time III this region.
Mr.. Charles Brown, for many years 4
lock-keeper on the James River and kan;t-
Wha canal a few miles above the mouth OF
North river, was killed recently by the fall
ing of tree upon his body. The Lynch
burg Ne,os states that his skull was broken,
and death ensued instantly. The injury was
not on his head, and he survived Il week,
being conscious most of the time. lie was
worthy citizen, member of the Baptist
church land one Of the most industrious
men in the county. flDEo.