Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-08-17
Editorial Correspondence.
LINDEN, VA, AUGUsT -. 1872.

and coal dust, arriving at Pied
mont without mishap Here we
waited for the $50, A. NJ. train
east which came after delay of TWEEN
ty-hye minutes We got on and sped
away quite lively until about two miles
below New Creek an enginewheel
broke. The repair of this mishap took
up one hour and thirty minutes. This
was an unhappy prospect for connect
ing with the Strasburg train at llar
per's Ferry. However, we went on.
Arrived in the latter place we found
the Strasburg train had left some
time before and we would have to
wait several hours for the next train.
This interval we occupied in look
ing at the prominent points of place
remarkable for the coincidence Of its
historic with its natural features
Old ruins of government buildings,
with the relics of powerful machinery,
tell of a vast expenditure and a la
mentable destruction. These were
destroyed by both Federal and Con
federates as the fancied exigencies Of
war demanded. The Arsenal shows the
marks of the tragic enterprise Of JOHN
BRowN-how he obtained access and
how it was made his prison house
From here we went high on the hill,
ascending, in places, on steps hewn out
of the solid limestone, where not only
a good view is presented of the
Shenandoah river and of the mighty
assure in the mountains, but here is a
large tabular rock, supported by four
brownstone pillars, consecrated to the
name and fame of JEFFERSON. 1t is
said he once made a speech from this
rock, and from this circumstance
it obtains it's name-"JEFFERsoN s
Rock" Certain it Is he was a lover
of nature and delighted in her widest
physical freaks. From this limestone
platform, upheaved by the same for
ces probably which projected the pas
sage of the rivers through the noun
tains, he infused his mighty spirit in
the minds of people who have also
bequeathed him to posterity in the
name of their county.
The sun was now
ION the summit of his shining ARCH"
And we left this stone without en-
dorsing it with our autograph, simply
because there was no space for even our
brief praenomen and patronymic. 1t
is literally covered with the names of
hundreds of visitors, so intermingled
and run into each other that consec-
utive perusal would be a task almost
equal to decipher Of an Egyptian
tablet. We went away satisfied with
out the attempt.
The "Mountain View Hotel at
Harper's Ferry is one of the best kept
houses in all this section, Judging
from our experience on this occasion.
Mr.. II. H. PERcIvAL, Superintendent,
is a model landlord. After dinner a
stranger from the West, evidently an
extensive traveller, remarked to us
he had never partaken of superior
hotel dinner than that served to us
that day.
The evening train for Strasburg
was now ready to leave. Our object
was now to reach that place in time
to connect with the east bound Or
ange freight We arrived only
to learn it had just passed. The
alternative was now to stay in Stras-
burg until Monday or walk eighteen
miles with fair promise of rain
before u.s. We chose the latter. The
result briefly stated is-two blistered
feet, one weak knee, and boots sever
al numbers smaller, seemingly, than
when we commenced that stampede.-
AS walkist we are a failure.
Despite the hard times in Virginia
we observe many evidences of recu-
peration. Longcontinued droughts
have materially depressed the agri-
cultural interests, but, somehow, the
people are building and improving,
and, what is better, are hopeful. The
spirit of enterprise is more largely
ditfusing itself than ever before, and
really the promise of better times is
daily becoming mo2e tangibly ex-
pressed.
The wheat crop this year reached
a little above the average and is of
good quality. In the Valley away
from the mountains the prospect for
corn is far from satisfactory. On the
mountains, however, the promise is
better for fair yield.