The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-09

1--WE took the cars early on Tuesday. There
Ss few things SO exililaratfng as inorni ng
ON the mountains, especially in the early
summer. The air Is SO delieously cool, the
trees dripping with dew, and the gras so.
fresh and green, the rocks glistening In the
rising sun, and the mountain torrents rush
along the glens. Thus, In q slate OF excite
ment, we started fol: the West.
| THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO ROAD,
though carried over the tops Of mountains
and across deep valleys, Is built with the 40
| liditr of the great European roads over the
Aims. lis whole construction is as massive
| % earth and stone and iron could makeit.
| The rock blasted from the cliffs, and broken
M. as for macadamized road, make the
finest "bed !" for the huge sleepers or "tics :"
OF solid oak on which are laid heavy rails ot
| English steel. For a new road ii Is by TAR
the best that / have ever seen. unless II nc
some of those in Europe built with English
c,ral. As piece of engineering it IS won
dertul. The only pass through the moun-
taius is one made by the rivers. which IN the
LAPSE of ages have worn channel through
the rocks. and this the road follows Tor lou
| miles. For great part of this distance Il
m,ssage is cut out Of the side OF the ellis,
| wherever it can find or make niche 10 the
face of the rock. The views are wild in the
extreme. as the train ruShes on and winds
about with every turn of the river. Above
| are the everlasting bills, while beneath
1.-THE river noby foans and flows"
| often compared It to the most famous of
E,lropeau riyers-the tall cliffs crested with
pines taking the place of the "casted crags"
| that "frown DER the wide and winding
Rhine" -.
The White Sulphur Springs are on the
very crest of the Alleghanies. Here the
streams divide, flowing eastward into the
james, aud so into the Atlantic, and west
ward to the Ohio and Mississippi and the
Gulf of Mexico. First, the Greenbrier winds
its way few Niles, till swollen by afituents
it, takes the name of the New river, and lower
still in its course 1t swells into tue kanawha.
Il is in the part known rs the New liver that
the scenery is the most wild, and here the
ride is, 30 far ut least US my experience goes,
the most picturesque in America.
Where the cliffs would crowd the road
off iuto the river there it pierces into the
heart of the mountain, emerging at poiut
far below. The tunnels are very frequent
aud very long-seyeral of them three.Quar-
tiers of mile, one mile and a quarter.
The change from the subterranean darkness
TO the light. the waving forest, and the rush
inr river. is very thrilling, and gives variety
to this wonderful journey.
But some who have an eye to
MATERIAL INTERESTS
will be anxious to know about the great
highway itself, of which they have heard 81
much. Here | can truly say that the BALI
was not told me. 1t pierces region that is
amo It new, and yet that, in point of wealth,
is one uf the richest--perhaps tue very rich
cst-in America. As we glide down The val
lev of the kanawha we see the signs OF
wealth i'm The long trains of cars loaded with
coal bound east and west. The amount OF
coal locked up in these hills is absolutely
iIlimtable it is said. than i'll the
ncighboriu" State Of Pennsylvania, or than i'll
all Great Britain. Andneve was it 50 accesSi-
bic TO the working OF man. Instead Of being
far down under The level Of the earth's sur
face, to be reached only by deep shafts
sunk hundreds or even thousands OF feet in
the earth. the mines themselves are literally
hung in air" They are in layers crop
ping ont of the sides of the hills, and have
only to be pierced on level and The rich
coal, by thousands Of tons, can be Sudden
down the side of the mountain into the very
ears standing OH the track waiting to carry
il away. The hills are said to be also I'M
men<cly rich in iron and in other mineral
treasures. The business for the road from
tbi, source alone may be judged from the
enormous frpights which pass over the Penn
sylyauia Central and the Baltimore aud Ohio
1t must cl,i>e wealth to t'Ow III Il constant
stream into all the mining towns that must
spriuy up rapidly up and down this valley.
The road terminates at
HUNTINGTON. on THE OHIO,
so named after the President OF the road. TO
whose long head and skill aud energy it
owes in such IL degree its triumphant sue
cess. The town is but two years old, but 1t
las already three thousand inhabitants, with
the prospcrt of n rapid Increase. The COM
m,nv bought near five thousand acres, and
h,yc laid it off as a town with broad streets,
which are already planted with trees. 1t II
under excellent control. It's managers
keep out evil influences. Already
there are nine churches organized, some
with houses of worship. see no
reason why it should not have Il growth
that in the course of years should make IL
The rival of Pittsburgh, over which II ms
great natural advantages, from being more
than three hundred miles further down The
river. with far better facilities. more water
les ice in winter, aud fewer Sand-bars IN
summer, 10 impede navigation.
Thus beginning under the best auspices,
under the control of good men, | cannot
but oler my best wishes and lerrent prayers
for the Success of this great highway through
the mountains. and Of this young city that
is plauted on the banks of the Ohio.