South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-08-11
Letter from West Virginia.
Correspondence Of the Baltimore Sur.l
Moonrr1rrn " Va A,o,,s. ,

hooRETiErp, W Va, August |.
BID CToP'-7He Grape CSltpre- Wsae Produe-
t'0n--Raiiroad Communication Neeled-Nar-
roc Gauge Project, sc.
The weather here is intensely hot. with
little or no abatement, and in consequence
OF this aud the late spring Frost the crops
OF corn, (our staple,) potatoes and other
vegetables will be very short The great
heat and continued drouth will, it il sup
posed, reduce the corn crop to one half, if
no worse. Tolerably fair crops of wheat
and nay were raised, though the pastures
are now naked aud bare of verdure. The
fruit prospects Except grapes were all
blasted by the froSts of May, and although
IN the higher attitudes there is an abund-
ance, we of this valley will not have enough
Tor family purposes OF grapes, however,
we shall have so ample supply. Blythe
bye, the grape L. now being planted on both
uplands and bottom lands in this valley
pretty extensively, and the vintage of the
present season Is Likely to yield some one
or more thousands of gallons Of wine Ono
grower, DR. i w. Anderson, is most ad r.
vauced in the grape and wine business here.
lie has large area now in full produ'inu
of the celebrated Concord grape, and has
made thorough preparations for a great On
Iargement of his vineyards, and tue manu-.
tacture of pure and unadulterlted article
OF American wine, designed for speci,l f,m-
lily, medical aud church purposes. lie has
given to the subject Of growing grapes and
the manufacture Of wine several years of
thorough study, and his wine has already
acquired reputation among physicians and
cIergymen, which has rendered It popular
wherever known, aud in few more wears
our valley, through his perseverance and
extensive operations in tho manufacture of
pure aud genuine American wine, vii be-
come the Ch0tCHU JLuyoc of the 1 States.
What we now need most is rairoaS com
municaiou with your city. We have a
grp Of some fifty miles over IL rough cum
try to transport our products to the B7ri-
more and Ohio railroad, and that IA our
trouble. We have been agitatipg Tue sub.
ject aud cogifating the means of ob-1ining
this facility for several years, and fear
our prospect for its contamination j. 40 bad
as ever. While our neigbbors of Rpmuey
arc likely ~ obtain in n short time,
through rue all of the b gilmore AMI Oli5
Railroad COMPANY a continuous rail- com.
! municatinn with Baltimore, fear We shall
have to look and anguish after the 30 call.
ed Washington aud Ohio road long time
before 1t reaches US TIE board Of super
visors OF our county lave ordered vote Of
the people to bc taken upon making o sub-
scrip;ion Of Sl5O, 900 to the stock Of the
latter company, and as most Of The heaviest
taxpayers of the county are 10 favor Of sub
scrhing yet rger amount, | presume
the stock will be taken. Other Counties
thr ugh which the road il contemplated to
pass arc also expected TO subscribe ILLEGALLY
by taxation, and a small amount may be
subscribed by individuals.
Whether the company will lie able TO
raise the funds necessary to extcrd their
road through 10 the Odiu river. Or even 10
this place, Is more than We can say, and
there seems TO b.. M definite Information
/ on the subject. Ny own impression is that
our better plan would be TO fall in with rhe
proposition of the Baltimore aud OAio Riil-
road Company, made to a prominent ci,iz u
of this place through Mr. John W. Garrett.
ts president, and tack on the narrow -guagc
railroad now ~ The course Of construction
from Romney to Green Spring run, con
Meeting there with the Baltimore aud Olio
railroad We should then only have about
twenty miles of road to make aud with Mr..
CARROTS liberal offer to furnish one half Of
the money, and many other facilities to-
wards its construction, aud what wp could
raise by tax and iudividul. sub,crpt %.
we couli then in a short time have this
most necessary object accomplished This
il, in my opinion, the shortest way, the
surest way, and iudeed ;he .,,!y way ns can
get a RAILROAD IT, is the interest &C the
Baltimore and O1io RGIrorl Company {,
help Us to make the roafl, and ,hcir asiuic
president. well knows it, Yours, &c.
! g. NJ