The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-15
.nond nlspanh.
Day. FEBRUARY 10, 1871
VIRGINIA NEWS.
..er from the Upper Country.

I-rprR JAMES RIVER. Feb. II, ISL.
This letter, assuming Clifton Forge as
.,n,,iu,r pnirs. will give you some account
:, ,hr country from this locality down the
VIA. nf The James river. with an occa-
s;,',al dctour into the mountains ana val
.,rnuud when any object OF sufficient
inheritance demands DEPRESSION.
'" N clifton Forge depot, the point where
,h- thrSapcskc and Ohio railroad nrst
,'n.Ngs .Iatkson's river, the chief tributary
-, The James. von shall find when 10 Ua,a
:. ,,,>>iue solitude hat is At once ma&nltl-
.,,i,i a"d oppressive. Ii IS one OF INC most
picturesque places | ever saw a"a iiaS 4
'.,gnd CONJUNCTION OF mountain scenery to
S,,ti,r Il pcrpctuallv Interesting, but it Is If
1872 ,iihk loucsome--l can hardly tell why.
II i especially so 10 4 solitary hor>eman,
wh,. a;proachnc il from the cast on some
,,;rr day, finds nobody about the depot,
,'rhoi, ABOUT the ferry. ana hawis TIL ne is
n,,r>r ior the my>lcTiou> !crry!nan, who Is
.,.d 10 reside somewhere up on the SIDE
- The treat mountain hat sleeps before the
,nnat,cUt rider on the other side oil the
river
There !, no railroad bridge ut this spot.
The railroad follows the river about TWO
miles westward before crossing. When the
wafer j. low The river nay hc lorded al Inc
Jerry. and there is another ford short DIS
r.ucc below The depot, where The old turn
!Gh" road from Lexington TO IofihSloh
Crr.S,> The river.
The passage of the river through the
maintain inst below the depot affords 4
yr.y line view. I h silence and grandeur
II ;h, scene are very impressive. There IS
u, rush or roar OF the waters. The great
hin, on either side, separated forever TO
rive channel 10 The stream, lift their heads
- ,hrrluuds while the waters smoothly take
their gentle course. have heard OF pro-
irci!ou> Oh the one side exactly cores
poudinr 10 indcniureS on the other. show
my that the mountain had been cleft asuil-
der hy some conYulSicn vi nature. but l
have never had an opportunity OF eXamIil-
ing them.
The Covington turnpike having crossed
The river ]ust below, runs along the bank OF
the river through this great assure; and
here, too we lind the lonely remains OF the
old Clifton Forge. which, though they give
name 10 The place, are completely out OF
sight of the railroad and depot. There Is Il
store here also. the number of visitors at
which removes the impression of loneliness
somewhat. and remind the observer That
the country around Is thlckly settled. \
G,,m miles further down is the confluence or
the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers, and
lust below this point covered bridge
Lick Rum over the James.
Before pursuing our way down the James
we will take a little trip down the turnpike
eastward. II runs in the same direction
with The railroad. and At Il distance of from
one 10 tive miles from it, until we reach the
nci-hhurhJod Of North Mountain, where i
wider and more rugged and mountainous
space begins 70 intervene. Leaving Jack
son river nj Clifton Forge and following the
turnpike eastward we reach, within four
or live miles, the CowpaSture river few
miles above the mouth. he road from the
Forge 10 this point is firm, and SUI. tor the
most part, Ill good order, but affords few
prospects of haDitation. though many OF
varied beauty. Coming 10 the CoWpasilUe,
however. we find Il neat brick church and
>rAool.hou,c near the bridge, aud Al open
ana pretty country with wide low-srounds
that remind us OF Eastern Virginia. The
new road turning northward ut the church
lead, directly TO the railroad ut new depot
east Of Clifton Forge, established tor the
accommodation Of Il furnace, Of which we
shall presently speak.
Crossing the CowpaSture, and proceed
ing eastward. we travel for three miles over
a STRAIGHT aud level road, crossing occa-
rluuaIly Il circultouS and beautiful mour-
tain stream known As "Simpson'> creek,
and passing several handsome residences.
At lcn@t4, ~ HcapHroach the y orth Mouu-
tain, and are about to begin its lonely as
cent, we come suddenly upon settlement
on the banks Of the creek, and see the signs
ct Il furnace in full blast. 1t is the " Lucy
Suiinl - formerly worked by Mrs. Jordan,
and now vigorously carried OH by Mr. Sam'i
I,utinsJn, formerly Of richmond. Here
Nj. itobinSon and his family reside, and it
is pleasant thing 10 meet SUCH company
and such h spltnliiy rs theirs wnen one is
wr@rIcd with the loHvl!Ecs OF the
these drcary mountainS. Within twelve
months past this energetic and intelli-
gent gentleman has done an amount OF
transportation, building, and casting, u4-
der the difficulties of Il situation 50 en-
vruacd and isolated rs TO illustrate i'll Il re-
uukablc manner the uncommon industry
and perseverance, OF himself and his assist
ant. such indomitablc spirit Of enterprise
deserves and will, we hope, command and
secure success. The ore l. very rich, anu
the supply iueXhaustible. The pig metal
Is hauled about seven miles to the new de-
pot. Immense kiluS Of charcoal are con-
s'ructed in the woodlands adjacent, for it
requires many thousands Of bushels Of this
tuel TO keep the furnace i'll blast. But by
uGd-by, when the railI Dad brings coal from
The West, this great difficulty i'll the way OF
manufacturing operations in these noun
tains will DC removed, and, with 4 branch
railroad To the furnace, or furnace on the
main line and Il branch from the ole bank
TO that, operations may he indefinitely eX-
tended, and Will become proportionally
more lucrative.
But, having consumed the space of d
whole letter without yet leaving the vi
cm,ty Of Clifton Forge, / reserve for an.
other cpistIe any further notes of this de-
sUltory progress down the Upper James
TCCKAHoE.