Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-02-22
1-au,Iann County-NO. 5.

tr0 -,
Potomac on the cast side of the Cotoc'on noun
tain and TO the south fork OF Cotocton creek,
which cmpties into The Potomac near The Polnt
of Rocks, ard on the west side OF the same
ronoo az least twelve miles above The mouth OF
Goose Greek. A portion oil this country IS very
hiIIy, and some Of the gorges through which
tho streams flow would seem wild.
TheI land. however, is veryhu grazing land,
ond thouph some of it is hard to work on &C
count q, the surface stone, yet when TILED 1t
nroduces most abundantly Of wheat, corn, oats
and rye, Limestone is found and used for build
mo Mastering, &c., and for farming purposes.
" Tbne principal mills are Taylor's and Cham
bliu's, there we're more, Abut Gen.. Sheridan
" r. Round Hill and Black Oak Hill are detach'
cd high grounds some miles from me Blue
Ride. and Scotland" lies north of the Lees
burg and Smokers Gap Turnpike. - -,
The principal villages are SnicSeraVilie' 10
miles from Leesbure, and Purcellvllle, about y
miles and they are respectively ten and three
miles from Hamilton Station on the A, H. q
H. r, r. r;.,
is graded and macadamized tor ten miles from
Leesburg, and only graded tor the last SIX
miles of the route. 1t were much TO De deslIeu
that the small sum necessary to complete TINS
portion Of the road and to repair the other,
should be raised in some way.
The Smokers Gap Turnpike leads OF III the
direction of Aldie and used to be the route
over which all the grain and -four from this
fine region, was carried to Alexandria, which is
distant about ffty.fve miles from the extreme
western end of the county oil LoudOun. NoW,lt
all goes to Hamilton. -
The view from Smokers Gap embraces all
of the eastern part OF Loudoun except that
which is shut out by the Cotocton range, and
ovcrlooks it and pierccs far into Fairfax, and
southwark into Fauqaicr The south fork OF
Cotocton separates it from District No. 5:
Proceeding along the loot Of the Blue Ridge
Won reach the Potomac at the junction with
the Shenandoah, passing Keyes' Gap through
which one line of the railroad was located ne
fore the war, but there has been some tax
about changing it ID Smokers Gap some i've OF
six miles to the South.
Somewhere near the railroad line there Is
| said to be famous sweet spring. when VIII
some day come into play should this Ioca ton DC
| adopted.
There is an abundance of iue iron ore not
far from Hillsborough and limestone neal
/
| fire CLAW. and other minerals are Tying about
the country .,, ,
/ Returning by way OF the Hillsborough and
| Har Der's Ferry Turnpike. now abandoned to
| the county land may add by the county, you
reach Hilisborough passing through region
| blessed of all Wing candidates, between the
Hills" that is between the Short Hill and the
Blue Ridge The Short Hill Is range paral
| lei to the Blue Ridge land about three or foul
| miles from summit to summit winch mas a
very decided gap at Hillsborough through which
| flows the north fork OF Cotocton creek. I'M:
| hill then rises nearly as high to the south o
| H;lIsborough as it was on the north of the vii
legc aud ends abruptly about two miles to the
| South Of the town.
The north and south forks OF Cotocton anc
their numerous tributaries, water this region
and Piney Run flows between the hills to
the Potomac.
There are numerous mills the most noted arc
Janncy's at HiIlsboroush, Smith (Fanvatersl
below it, PurceIl's on South fork, and Wheat
land on the road to Lcesburg Henry Gaver
has good wooden factory at Hiisborouah.
Ncwsvillc and HilIsborough and Whcatand
are the postofiices. lllsborough has a tine
school. Morrsonvile is on the edge OF District
| No. G The srurs oil the Blue Ridge and the
slopes OF Short Hill are very we'll adapted 10
the culture Of the grape.
In all the region so far described building
stone for houses and for fencing is very album
dant, and clay for brick is also in tnll quantity
and o. excellent quality.
| Churches and schools abound; the main de
nomination is the Methodist, now divided into
two bodies, while there are some Lutherans,
Preshyterians and Episcopalians with smart
sprinkling of Baptists, if they will allow the
term to be in connection with them.
The market was until lately Berlin (P; y.
named Barry on the B. & 0. Il. Il. aud G.
& o. Canal, and Harper's Ferry, but now the
tendency for the corn, especially, Is to AleS'
andria, which Is regarded AS the best corn
market for our county, while Berlin is The
best wheat market inand III Virginia. 1t is
about IS miles from Baltimore and - from
Georgetown and - from Hisboroush.
The Loudoun and Berlin Turnpike lar road
gives the nalc a set ia that direction, while II
good turnpike would bring it by Hamilton to
Alexandria Hamilton is 43 miles trnm AIeg-
andria, and c from HilIsborough,
For the present. we will rest. ALlQUl5
WASHINGTON ITEMS. There has been some