The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-30
A Hasty Trip to the White Sulphur--A Few
Things We Saw.

A cocktail, hasty breakfast, drive to
the depot and off we go, bound for the
glorious old Greenbrer White Sulphur.
A few minutes ride and all visions OF
Richmond are gone. We begin to look
around, fearful our boss would recall his
two days leave of absence, unless we could
find something to make an interesting item
on our return. We found several and
hurriedly give our readers the benefit OF
them. aI.U 81, .-s4sit
Ten miles from the city, we easily dis
covered the blighting effects of the drought.
The corn was parched and yellow, and
looked as if full supply of rain would fail
to do it any good.
We saw no change as far as we went,
and upon. entering a region of country
where grass grew, we found it equally af-
fected by the drought.
AT GOrdonsville, where fried chicken and
hard-boiled eggs do muchly abound, we
found q thousand, more or less, slobbering
dogs, watching the car windows to greedily
catch the falling bones, as they dropped
from the mouths of the passengers into
their, own, and were gulped down even
without. cracking. We found the village
well astir with great crowds of country
people, eating gungers, candy, apples, and
watermelon rinds. Looking to the right
we soon discovered the cause-"Jim Robin
sons Great Combination Circus" was in
town. That was enough---that was set
tier, and everything in Orange that could
raise the needful, was there to see the grand
balloon ascension, and to hear the clown in
his inimitable .jests.
Eating several pieces of chicken, which
had been fried fortnight or more, and a
few eggs, we hurried on to the West. Be-
fore leaving Gordonsville, we met our old
friend, Carter Anderson, for many years
one Of the conductors on the Chesapeake
and Ohio road. We found him the same
as of old-polite, attentive, and kind to
those under his charge, yet firm and posi-
tive in his business duties. He seldom errs
in his position, but when he does, his errors
are serious and of distressing kind. For
example: he left lady and gentleman at
Coyington few evenings ago, whose nurse,
with a young infant, were on his train. So
excited was he over the mistake, on reach
ing the White, he consigned the baby to
the care of young lady, begging she
rived. If friend A. had been single man,
we might excuse him, but having number
of interesting children at home, we cannot
overlook this great mistake.
Il. Charlottesville presented its usual dull
ness during vacation at the University, but
she never fails to send an immense delega-
ton to the depot to see who is on the train.
Staunton looked unusually lively, so
much so as to cause us to congratulate one
of her citizens on the life of the town. Said
he, Gas soon as the train leaves, she will
go back in her shell, and you, can scarcely
see man on the street." From this, we
imagine it will never do to judge by appear
ances.
A few miles west of Staunton, we saw
the dead, silent remains of the "Siberton
Steel and iron Works." Before reaching
there we imagined we would find the place
all life and hustle, with her smoke-stack
putting and blowing, while molted iron
would be running in streaks of red from her
fiery mould. Not so, however; all seemed
like death, while the large and comfortable
building which stood in beautiful shady
grove in the valley, had been burned, leav-
ing four or five chimneys, standing grim
sentinels of what once was. 4n. H
This property was purchased several
years ago by a company of Northern capi-
talists through Mr.. Sibert, after whom it
was named, who, by the discovery of a
new process of manufacturing steel, had ac-
quired quite reputation. At least hum
dred Thousand dollars were spent in i'm
provements and arranging for making iron.
Everything necessary was procured, re-
gardless of expense, and when ready to 90
to work, the distressing fact was discovered
that no iron ore was to be had. This caused
the closing of the works. Why practical
men did not first satisfy themselves of this
fact, we are at loss to know. The works
are there, and will bear, for years to come,
evidence Of the want of common sense.
Hurrying past this spot of folly, we ap-
proach variety Springs" little unosten-
tatious watering-place, buried almost be-
meath the mountains of Augusta, but whose
neat appearance gave evidence of comfort
and contentment. A number of visitors
were there, all eagerly watching the arrival
of the train.
We are compelled to pass other places
of note on the road for want of space, and
will name only one, that of Goshen, al
which point passengers for the Rock Alum
leave the cars and go by stage. A number
of persons are here spending the summer
and but for two important necessities il
might be made place of considerable note,
The water is far from being good, while
the present proprietor and owner OF the
property is anything else than first-class
Whether his importance is caused by having
more money than he knows what to dc
with or not, we can't say, but that he is ;
perfectly self-important individual and de
cidedly lacking in polteness, so necessary
in n lan1lnrd we have alyavc fnun1 true q