The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-29
Letter from Giles County.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.

III.
PEARIsBURG, August q, 1878.
AS your most interesting correspondent
and sasacious picker-up of interesting Incl
dents, "Viator," has never visited us, you
may allow less agreeable writer to give
some items from this remote region.
Giles county was cut off from Augusta
county and organized in 1906. Since, other
counties have been taken from the original
limits, SO that territorially Giles is quite un-
pretending. The county Is intersected by
New river, the "arrowy Rhonco of Vlrpi-
MIA, whose rapid current, cutting its way
through narrow gorges. furnishes some of
the widest and grandeSt scenery on the con-
tineut. Precipitous ellis, whose rocky
walls lift themselves almost perpendicularly
for hundreds of feet, seem ready to toppite
over in the stream below. Although moun-
famous, the county is very rich in fertile
soil, which yields in corn, wheat, oats, tobac-
co, and hay liberal returns to the industrious
farmer. Estates are generally small and not
so princely as in Eastern Virginia. Land
sells from Sl5 to $40 per acre.
Iron ore is abundant, but has not been
much worked. because Of the want of easy
transportation. Some northern capitalists
have made heavy investments i'm anticipation
of the building OF railroad from New River
bridge, in Pulaski county, to Hinton, in
Summers county. TO effect this connection
between the Chesapeake and Ohio road and
the Atlantic and Mississippi road survey
has been made and a company organized.
Our shire-town does not take its name
from the fast boy Of olden time who brought
his royal family and his native city to such
untimely grief, nor from the city Of Baron
Hallsmann, but from q former resident, MIR.
Pearls, one of the earliest settlers, who gave
to the county fifty acres of land for the court
house and other public buildings. A veneer
able local preacher of the Methodist church
| used habitllally to pray for "the little city
| of PearSburg." and il remains little city
| to this day. although the inhabitants are in
| teligent, patriotic. and hospitable. Judge
| Mahood, of the Circuit Court, resides here,
| although he will soon transfer his residence
to Salem. Colonel Pendleton, 4 brother of
| the famous Jack Pendleton, at an advanced
| age still heads the legal profession with in.
| tellectuaI force unabalcd. DR.. Munsey, the
eminent divine. such remarkable prodigy,
! was born in this neighborhood, aud his cUn-
! temporaries delight to tell Of his assiduous
| devotion to books. and his marvellous pow
erS of mental acquisition when poor boy.
This border land-the West Virginia line
| Is Il lew IllllSS I'll Vi GS-NtS uOL
| historic during the "late unpleasantness
| by any bloody engagements. On the 10th
of May, 1862, General Heth drove from the
| village Il superior Federal force with slight
| loss OH either side.
If any of your city preachers or professors
need little heathful rest during the hc7ted
term. send them up to enjoy our cool lime
stone wafer and balmy nights. DIR. Curry. OF
your city, was with us last Sabbath. he
preached in the morning and at night, and
delivered an education address in the after
noon. Tie people-and our best citizens
were preSent-seemed to enjoy the lecture
on education, and were anxious to hear
another on the general subject. Of course,
on Sunday the speaker gave religious
turn to his remarks. Addresses by compe-
tent men on the public school system would
| do much good in some OF our counties.
Several students will 60 from this county
to Richmond College. AS they are good
boys, we ask Fl. X. f. Senior or Junior oil
the Dispatch to give them special attention.
| Ion.