The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-08
Letter from she Valley.

Correspondence o; the ;.ichmond Dispatch.
BUCHANAH, BuTETorET COUNTY, VA, }
March 4, 1870.
This little town, Of some one thousand or
fifteen hundred inhabitants, is situated on
the James river, one hundred and ninety
seven miles from Richmond, at thc present
terminus of tho James River and kanawha
canal.
4 large amount of work was done years
ago towards the continuance Of the canal
above Buchanan, by which a great deal of
money was spent. This investment yields
so far no profit, though it will avail some
thing whenever this great work is taken up
for completion.
The bridge over James river at Buchanan
was burnt during hunters raid by Colonel
McCausland. 1t has been well rebuilt, and
is a covered and substantial structure. The
village bears the marks of fire at the
same time, by which much valuable pro-
perty was destroyed. Just outside the
town, on the road to Salem, the walls Of Il
handsome and once hoEpitable mansion
bear silent testimony still to the cruel anu
reckless spirit Of that band of marauders.
1t was the beautiful residence Of MIR. John
7. Anderson, who had the misfortune to be
q public man. The house was fred IN SO
great hurry rs to give the family time to
save but very little OF its valuable contents.
The McAdamized road which traTerses
Southwest Virginia begins at Buchanan.
1t is splendid thoroughfare, and retains
lis popularity. Its route Is by Salem,
ChristiansburE, Wytheville, &c. Before the
days Of railroads this roa1 and its prede-
ccssors of the mud turnpike order used to
be throngcd with wagons which carried the
products Of the country down the valley of
Virginia and ON to Baltimore. Some of
them came as far as from East Tennessee
and North Alabama. Among the traditions
of the old settlers you may hear many sto--
RIGS of the cool old times when the road
wascnlivened with camp fires by night and
by day with long rows Of white-top wagons
and fine teams, and by the whooping of the
drivers when the wheels were stuck in the
mud. Then also there were travellers on
horseback and in all sorts of vehicles, COM
ing and going, and conveys of crowded
stages, and lively little hotels, where
charming hustle and confusion were often
to be enjoyed, amid the array Of strange
faces. the lowing of herds, the cracking of
whips and the fuvcr of hot beef-steak, boil
ing coffee, and fresh warm biscuits. Sic
transit dc.
From Buchanan, in the northern direc-
ton. there is q well-graded road to Lexing-
ton, twenty-four miles, and thence to staun-
ton, thirty-six miles more. This is the
only substantial relic Of the piank-roaa
izzle, which is 81 sore subject to the people
along these sixty miles in Augusta, ROCK.
bridge, and Botetourt. Ii the money ,nat
was speut in the planks-not one of which
remains to be Of any use-had been ex-
pended in Matchmaking this road great
and permanent advantage would have oeen
obtained. This benefit, however, remains
The grade of the much-abused plank-road
is excellent. 1t gives fine level route for
travel, and is kept in tolerably good order
rs turnpike. There is tri-weekly stage
between Staunton and Bonsack's, which
liyerges from the plank-g0ad 20 as to touch