The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-28
Correspondence or the Richmond Dispatch.
PEAKS OF Gifer-Wnst E7se Il Traveller
naW IN Southwestern VIRGINIA.


OK THE WING. November %, 1871.
4 correspondent Of the Dispatch, writing
from North Carolina some few months
since, said that q lifelong wish Of his had
been eccomplished-he had seen tdr-heel
| on his native heather. So may write TO-
! day of lifelong wish OF mine. l have seen
the Peaks CT Otter. Leaving Lynchburg at
the unreasonable hour OF 4:30 A. Nj. l soon
fell asleep in the cars, ana was only awaken
ed by hearing the brakeman ut the early
hour of six cry i'll the door, "Liberty-
tTcuty minutes for breakfast" On looking
out we could only see the first faint streaks
announcing the approach OF the god of day.
They charged dollar for breakfast, but 1
tempered that mesl to tho Shorn traveller,
and occupied my entire twenty minutes in
drinking coffee, eating oysters, chicken, hot
rolls, &c. When Oh the cars again THAI:
twenty minutes had made great change in
the aspect around. Objects hitherto unseen
now become visible, and as the train was
put into motion we saw just ahead of us,
seemingly right Oh the line OF the railroad.
tho
. PEAKS OF OTTER.
! For many miles they were in sight, and
the constant onward progress OF the train
gave ever changing views Of their towering
heads, but there they stood there they
, have ever stood, and there they will ever
stand, the wonder and admiration Of the
tourist and sightseer. When they first
cane into view they were
j "Wrsppel IN vel! OF slender MIST"
, but that was ere long dispelled, and while
it WAS not yet fully light at their base, the
first rays Of the morning sun were caught
, on their tops and reflected back in all their
golden beauty. The dark cloud beyond
moving slowly off to the northwest, the
bright mountain top bathed in the glorious
sunlight intervening, and the light heccy
clouds so beautifully colored by Natures
own hand, altogether formed picture sci.
dom seen, but, whea once seen, never to be
FORGOTTEN. 1t alone was worth all the pre-
yiJus discomiorts Of my trip, and l found
it freely in my heart to forgive the brakes
. man for his harsh cry &rouSins ms at &
; o'clock.
! The Atlantic, Ohio and Mississippi rail-
road is doing great business III the freight
line just now. There are eight, some
; times ten, freight trains of eleven or
twelve cars each day from the West bring.
! Ing cotton from the South, zinc and lead
orc from Pulaski, iron ORC from Wythe,
barytes from Marion county aud along the
banks of New river, aud cattle from every
: point slong the whole line. Near Lynch
! burg this morning we passed t,Co trains OF
eleven cars esch, slItcen OF winch were
. filed with cattle.
There arc more signs OF material pros.
: perity this side of Lynchburg than have
/: seen in any other portion Of the State.
Lands are apparently well titled. fences are
kent in repair, and new buildings going
10 on every hand. In the little village OF
Dublin alone I noticed fifteen to twenty
! new houses, either just completed or IN
: process OF construction, and Tue same
though not TO so great al eXtent-may Oe
said of many other places along the line OF
the road. Portions of this route over
" hich we have come to day lie III country
as wild ss one would wish to see. A short
distance west of the Allegheny we strike q
valley through which runs Peake's creek,
and this creek is crossed by the railroad
eighteen times in the distance OF seven
miles. Roanoke river ~ crossed seven Times,
and the HoistOn six. AT the highest polnt
in Duford's gap, where we cross the Blue
Ridge. we attain height OF tWenty-one
hundred feet above tidewater, and at hural
Retreat, where the road crosses the MounC
Airy range, spur OF the Alleghanles, Inc
attitude attained is t~enty-siA nunuEeo
feet.
MANY of the little valleys in the gorses
Of the mountain are of the most productive
character, and are even now covered WIN
= carpet of the richest verdure, where
cattle find plentiful supply OF grazing
until it becomes covered with snow. AUD
the same may be said of much OF the fu-
lsek lands, so famous for It's tue cattle.
The wheat is looking very well INDEED,
80 far as my observation has extended. Inc
season for seeding has been good one, ana
plsnters have Consequently put IN an
average breadth of land. The corn crop,
Just now being gathered in, is, west OF Inc
A lIeohanies, where the drought was not SO
bad as in the Roanoke Valley, an excellent
one, The planters in this section, unlike the
most of those in eastern Virginia, follow
corn with wheat, cutting off the stalk and
rutting In their wheat with cultivators or
shoyel-ploughs. The corn thus cut Is
stacked in Inc field, and most OF the farmers
arc now husking it there and hauling II 10.
Much of the scenery on this road is OF the
crandest character. The mountains are
never lost sight of from the time we leave
Lynchburg, aud the eye finds new points OF
interest in the eyer-Varying character OF
the landscape. The view from The summit
Of tue Alleg hany, looking eastward down
Roanoke Valley, with the stream running
through the green fields, dotted with farm
houses and the village of Big Spring in the
far distance, equals If it does not surpass,
any view OF the kind ever saw. d.
GREELEY AND TIE PREsIpENCY-dE