Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-04-12

umphs Southern energy. has achieved in
its tireless devotion tomaterial interests since
the war. Even the most sanguine and sue
cessful are astonishcd when they calmly re-
view the past; when they look at the desc
lation, gloom and all.pervading desponden-
cy of '66-'6T, and think of what united and
individual effort has accomplished since
Such general retrospection can but en-
co urage the mos! respondent, for the change
has been as solid as rapid. In our own
section and City the results have been mos,
marked, and to them we will, as we proposed
in our last, devote our attention in this and
coming issues, but over the whole South,
while unjust and hostile legislation has done
much to retard progress, yet the general re.
suit is encouraging, On every side the
waste places have been, or nearly so, re.
claimed and the power and the wealth of the
people increased, by the application and de.
votion Of the South to he practical business
of life, instead Of theoretical and visionary
political schemes. In spite of every obsta-
cle-the entire change of the labor system,
which had become part and parcel of our
society, and the rash elevation of that labor,
in moment, to the rights Of citizenship
the harassments of carpet-bag legislation
and the enormous taxation and squandering
Of State funds-that heroism, which carried
the Southern people bravely through the
war, has triumphed and is every day work
Ing out new victories 10 Science, Agriculture
and the Mechanic Arts. This is patent tc
every thinking man, and we proudly point
to it and bid our people throw off all gloom,
and prepare to take their position in the fore.
front of material progress, as they did in
battle-a progress that DIS only persistent
effort and never ceasing labor to bring
wealth out of our untold material resources,
and with it political power. "
"Blood will TELL" especially the mixture
that makes up the hardy, energetic sons Of
the Valley and Virginia, for it combines all
the best elements which Eave made the great
working nations of the earth prosperous,
rich and powerful. Here are united the
"pains-taking" German, the ''canny" Scot,
the "fery-blooded" Irish and the 'sober-
sided" English, together forming the men,
who, though unused to war, gained our in
dependence under our Washington and made
the world ring with the fame of Stone. wall
Jackson and Lee. Against all odds, and
we might truthfully say against the world
in arms, they carried the Star-crossed ban
ner always to victory, but when the strug-
gle was over came their greatest triumph.
With the same pride as exhibited in their
war record. and the same devotion as to the
principles they risked all for, they lost no
time in useless repiniug over what could
never be reclaimed, but emulating the ex-
ample of their loved and honored chief-the
great and good Lee-they at once turned
their swords into plow-shares" and became
the saviors of their section in a so-called
peace. And they can point as proudly to
homes rebuilt, farms highly cultivated,
roads and fences repaired, great railroad en-
terprises carried out, mines developed, vast
mercantile and manufacturing establishments
now on firm basis, and growing daily, al
! the result of moral heroism unexamplet
in conquered people since the world be-
gan. Nothing has daunted them and NJ
obstacle will stop them, in their presen
spirit, until Virginia and the South assume
their proper places, as FIRST and foremost ii
all that is great and glorious in intellect
morals, labor and poyar op the American
Continent.
With these cheering mountaineering be
cause they are true, we turn our attention
to what we purposed in the beginning, and
continue our notices of the manufacturing
interests in our midst.
The extensive Foundry aud Machine
Shops Of Eyler, Cooper 4 Co., on Spring
Lane and Water Street comes next in review
They are built on the old Moncure Mil
property, on Lewis Creek, which runs
through our City, which for years fowec
uselessly, encountered as the property was
with an old-fogy SO year lease and the dog.
in-the-manger policy of the lessees. That ex
pircd in rs aud in '66 and Messrs. John Par
kins, W. 81. n lson, St. F. c. Roberts, &
M. G.. Hartman determined to ntilise it by
the erection of the present Iron Works, and
run under the name of Parkins, Nelson &
Go. Like all enterprises Of the kind, start
ed in those gloomy days, they had to con
tend with the Cassandra VOICE of the croak.
ers and with the depressed financial and
agricultural condition of the country, but
they came opt of the struggle. successfully
having built and maintained one of the lar.
est works of the kind in the South, and ad
ded to its capacity from time to time. AT
ter several changes In The firm, Messrs.
Eyler & Cooper, experienced Master Ma
chinists, came in and added largely to the
capital and business working Of the firm
They now work "a hands and are prepared
to do all work in their line with the dis.
patch and cheapness Of the Eastern Cities
They are re6tting the Buffalo Gap and
Elizabeth Furnaces and filing large orders