Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-03-14
SALEM, VA, March 10th, 1871.


D6UF ODcCtUtCf.-
We arrived at Charlottes
vile on last Tuesday, at IL O. clock, and as tn
L7nchburg train was not due until 2 clock
we concluded to visit Monticello the resi-
dence of the long since deceased statesman
Thos Jefferson. In company with friend
we hired two horses from livery stable, nea
the depot, for which we paid the exorbitan
price of 81 so piece. After a terribly rough
ride of about half an hour, over a horribly
muddy road we reached the point of our des
| tination, and was conducted thro' that ancien
| place of renown, called Monticello. 1t is {
wonderful place wonderful as monument O.
| the folly of the man who constructed the build
ing You ascend the building by winding
stairway, running up almost perpendicularly,
with only about Is inches space from the hand.
railing to the wall The steps were evidently
made without view to crinoline, or even an
anticipation of death, as the old gentleman
who keeps the place informed us that two per-
sons had died in the second story, and their
corpses had to be taken down out of window,
as it was impossible to get them down the stair
way. Notwithstanding this, one of the largest
and most capacious rooms in the building is on
the third floor. and was constructed expressly
for ball room. After occupying about hall
an hour in looking through this old, dilapida-
ted antiquarian structure, we mounted our
steeds and hurried off for Charlottesville, ar
irving there few minutes before the train for
Lynchburg came in.
On the arrival of the Lynchburg bound train
we found it already crowded with ministers and
delegates on their way to this place to attend
the Baltimore Annual Conference Of the Meth
odist E. Church, South. In few minutes,
the crowd. which had anxiously awaited the ar
rival of this train, were all packed aboard,
and off we steamed for Lynchburg town. We
arrived at Lynchburg about ST o'clock, and in
a few minutes the ticket Office of the Va. &
Tennessee Railroad was so effectually besieged
that the agent was compelled to surrender to
overpowering numbers. He sold tickets until
he ran out of change, and then closed his Of
flee, ordering US to get aboard and pay on the
train. The t. r. managers endeavored to
squeeze the crowd into the train already made
up, but failing in this attempt, they were com
PEELED to hitch on another old, ricketty coach.
by means Of which enlargement of the train,
they were enabled, by nice packing, to accom-
modate the crowd. We left Lynchburg about
6 clock, and after rough and tedious ride.
We got to Salem about 10, where we found a
committee of the citizens of the place In atten-
dance with omnibusses, carriages. wagons, &C. i,
to convey the members of the Conference to
their homes. The Conference commenced it's
session on Wednesday morning, the 9Th inst,
with Bishop Pierce presiding. There were
quite large number of members present on
the first day, and large number have arrived
since that time. The Conference is held in the
Lutheran Church, and the business before it is
being transacted as rapidly as possible.
The Rev. j. r. Finley preached in the Lu-
theran Church on Wednesday night; on Thurs
day night Rev. DIR. Bond preached in the Pres
byterian Church; Rev. VIM. Wilson in the
Lutheran Church. and Rev. I. W. Canter in
the Methodist Church. The Rev. Dr. Mum
sey will deliver his lecture on music, in the
Lutheran Church on tomorrow night, for the
benefit of the parsonage in this place
The citizens of Salem will never be forgotten
by the Baltimore Conference, but they will
ever be held in grateful remembrance for their
kind and liberal hospitality, which they so
warmly exhibited in the generous manner in
which they are now entertaining that distin-
guished body
Staunton will be nominated and largely sup
ported as the place for holding the next annual
session of the Conference.