Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-04-10
I.OusIOun County. Va.

We take the tnllowing letter. descriptive of
I.ouloun county from the Capital paper
published in Washington. and edited 10y Donn
Plltt
l.oudouu county Is divided by two parallel
ridges into three agricultural sections, running
in !, general direction from the Potomac, which
separates it from Marylanl to the line of Fau-
auicr county: and buried in these ridges Is
nearly every kind Of mineral wealth. such as
hematite, magnetic and spccular iron ore, cop
per, led, barytes. sulphur, gold. silver, soap
stone, limestone, sandstone. granite aud mar
ble.
4 company of Washington gentlemen have
recently opened i quarry upon the banks OF
Goose Creek about ten miles from Lccsburg.
which discloses three ineXhaustble VEINS oI
red, white and blue marble; showing conclu-
sively that there is some patriotism under the
soil at least Specimens of the white marble
from this quarry have been pronounced by
competent Judges to rival tlse famed Carrara III
whteness and to excel it in tincneSs OF grain
and closeness Of texture. Active operations are
being inaugurateu to bring it speedily INTO
market, and it is expected that the good taste
of our people will compel its use in the erection
of the new State Department and other public
buildings which are to adorn the " ;>hlngton OF
the future, as it caunot be surpassed for beauty,
durability and cheapncss by granite, red sand
stone, or any other building material ut present
in use.
The first agricultural district approached on
the railroad Is that lying east or southeast q"
what is known by the classic appellaton OF
"Niggerhead Mount;lu. This district IS very
slightly undulating; the soil is comparatively
light rcd shale. considerably worn out by bad
farming, and very destitute of good improve
@Ia "a, Of bn Jua cIy
time it has been largely occupied by Northern
men, whose superior skill and energy are al
ready very apparent in the improvement OF the
lands and the erection Of comfortable dwellings,
stores, and other buildings, particularly about
the stations of llendon, Gulltord and Farm
well. Lands in this section range In prlce from
ten to thirty dollars per acre.
The next district to the west lies between the
Niggerhead and Catoctin mountains, in the
centre of which is located the county seat, Lees
burg, one of the oldest towns in the State.
With a present population of about 500 in-
habtants and improving rapidly since the war,
it contains one Of the finest court houses IN the
state, an excellent academy, Il bank recently
organized, new agricultural machlnc shop,
and many fine private residences. The streets
are paved, and the town supplied with pure
hydrant water from il spring IN the vicinity
The surface of this district is slightly unduat-
inc, the soil is principally limestone and red
shale, and seems to defy I'LL efforts of bad
farming to impoverish it. On many farms IN
this section corn has been grown upon the same
fields for ten successive years without pcrceptl-
Div diminishing its productive power: -
Throughout this valley is to be found cropping
out almost everywhere the pudding stone on
calico marble, similar to the pillars which a!lorn
the old hall of the-iIousc of Representatives.
West of this district. lying between the Cat"c.
tin mountain on the east and the Blue Ridge
on the west, is another agricultural region OF
equal fertility known us the Loudoun |alley,i IN
which is settled large Quaker population,
originally from Pennsylvania and New jersey
under whose care the valley has been made
glad with smiling fields and fruitful orchards.
lands in these two sections range in price from
torty to one hundred dollars per acre
This county suffered serious y in the late Wal
As it's fiery surges swept over its fair fields, but
it is RAPIDLY rccuperating' and bids fair to sooI
resume its prc-cmlncncC as al agricultural dis
trict. The county is we'll adapted to the growth
of all the cereals and grasses, among the latter
of which the blue grass is Indigenous and alsc
adapted to the growth of fruit, especially ap
ples. of which the Albemarle and Loudoun pip
pins have wide reputation. The former have
sold in England, am told; within the last yeal
ut SIC per bbl The Whole county abound;
with game, such rs partrldges, pheassmtS, wild
turkeys, and the Potomac affords the finest OF
black bass fishing
1t is All old settled country, and oil the beau
titul elevations afforded by the undulaing sur
face of the Valleys and along the eastern slope
of the Catoctin mountain, are many fine mall-
sionS such as the taste and wealth Of the uldell
time were accustomed to produce. Among
these | notice, particularly, the country scat OF
President Monroe built during his Presidency
after the model of the White House, and tc
which he retired at the close of his official term
Reversing the course Of his SUCCESSORS, he dc
scendcd from the Presidency To the uillcu .
county magistrate, in which capacity he fire.
uucntlv appeared as presiding justice OF til,
county court The mansion occupies Il com
manding eminence in the midst of grove o
oaks. from which it obtains the name ot "Oas
llill and from which panorama of unpar
alleed beauty stretches away for Il distance o
twenty miles The place was recently plrchas
ed by DIR. Quinby, of Rochester, New York
for the sum of $50, and has been great.
improved by him. \ few miles from this pllr,
is the magnificent estate OF the Carriers, III
English family, who have ocrupicdit for Scvrr;l
generations. 1t embraces, L tract ut eighteen
hundred acres of very fertile land and is i'm
nroycd with a fine brick tlourin" mill. arg
brick barn, and other outbuildiugs; howe
garden, which is said to have cost its owne
800. 1000, and a spacious mansi ion which In
cost at least an cqaal sum, and in which tn
present owner dispenseS "a combined Engls
and Virginia hospitality. Governor Swami, I
MARYLAND is the owner Of L palatlal reSldcnt
and an state of twelve hundred acres. I"
Mason is the fortunate owner OF a modest iar
of two thousand acres.
Time would fail me to more than mentit
the elegant country seats of COL Fairfax, Wl
Beverly, George ". Ball, aud many other
which like a pretty girl must be seen to be a
prcciated. MIR. Paxton, of Pennsylvania, HI
recently purchased fine estate of seven hu
dred and sxty-fve acres adjoining the town
l.ecsburg and is erecting thereon Il 81! lend
stone mansion OF modern style, with view
1 permanent residence. Aud the writer, alt
having knocked up and down the weste