Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-01
Front Regal and its Surroundings.
From the Richmond Enquirer.


of our interior and somewhat out-of- the world
villages or rural ncighorhoods There you
NAV not iud much OF a certain kind of ''stylc'
in dwellings, furniture and apparel, but there
NAV bc Just as much, to say the least, of the
best kind Of refinement and culture, and moro
Of primitive sociability and Hospitality, which,
may it live forever ''-has hitherto coustitu.
It'd 50 much the charm Of society iu our loved
old Virginia.
Some thoughts and feelings of this kiud were
lately elected In my own case, by a visit to the
little capital Of Warren county. This latter is
u small county, composed of portion of the
narrow but fertile valley enclosed by the Mass;l-
hutton or Fort mountain on one side and tho
Blue Ridge ON the other. Page county forms
the other part of this vale-somctiucs styled,
from its county scat, the "Luray Valley
which, being iu most parts. OF the two counties
not gcuerally over six or eight miles IN width,
wilens as it euIcrgeS lrto the eXpanse OF tue
great valley, at the western or upper end.
Warren county has population of some seven
or eight thousand. Its people are generally
steady, industrious ana thrifty; raiSiug plenty
Of wheat, corr and hay, and good cattle, on u
soil that we'll rewards their labor. Are not
such farmers, by the way, the people who en-
10y the most OF the real comforts of this life,
with their abundance of good bread, butter,
milk and fresh meat?
But as to the little provincial capital: Front
Royal became such iu 1886, which believe, is
the date of the formation OF the county from
Shenandoah and Frederick. 1t is situated on
one of the tributaries of the Shenandoa is
composed Of generally plain buildings, and has
nothing particularly interesting in its OVID
immediate site. But its surroundings of
scenery arc quite picturesque and pret-
": and the village is superior to most of
the small towns OF the great Valley in the di-
yeIsy of being built on more than one street,
in opposition to the monotony of one long one
and when the naples and other trees which
line these streets shall grow up they will give
more of beauty to the village spot itself.
Though the place seems hemmed IN by hills
and mountains, it is not so much out of the
world as might be supposed !; for they. have a
partially macadamised road toward Winchester
and short brauch railroad of mile or so con-
Meeting with the Orange, Alexandra and Man
assas railroad am unable yet to give the
grand new title OF this latter 1t might be Ia
POROUS to write it.
The eye Of the stranger is attracted by a ro-
nantle-l looking group of buildings, with their
surroundings, on the ascent OF the hills that
border rie village vale. This is the residence
and property Of Mr.. Marcus Buck, who has
become well Known by his culture of the grape
and of fine fruits MIR. Buck from his vine
yart produces pure and good wines, as, also,
another thing which, if kept where it ought to
he, on the apothecary shelf, would be valua-
ble-I mean brandy.
The Presbyterians have a good, substantial
brick church -edifce here. The Methodists
are furnished also and the Episcopallans,
whose building is neat one, in modern style:
The two branches of the Baptists, odd and
New School," are also represented, but as
yet have no building. The people ought to be
religious. and | believe they are, to large ex
tent
Front Royal is remembered by everybody
aconaintcd with the late war, and connected
with Gen. Jackson's visit and compliments tt
Gen. Banks, and other military movements
Some so glorious and some so sad, OF that event
lu period. 1HlLos.
EXPLOSION OF FLoUR.-If our houses are
to be set on fire, and we ourselves are to be
blown up by so generally presumed innocent an
ipstrumenalty as the domestic flour barrel, II
Is time we knew it positively and definitely
Here is the New York Board of underwriters
giving currency, again, to the recent publication
Of Dr. McAdam. The board remarks IN its re-
port that, by experiments made by the doctor
IN London, fires in -four mills were shown to
result from the explosive and dangerous nature
ri Hour dust and smut, and as both evolve
gas there great liability to either spontaneous
combustion in certain states of the atmosphere
Eitnu the mills, or from sparks resulting from
n@n0n % OF the stones was thoroughly demon
Ia'a'Sn. ,"S. As the same clsss of dust gathers
"r, ''s IN the great grain elevators otour West,
,hn ln ,"un'fy, IT gives the solution to many OF
NY scri0us trcs that have caused no little
n,,I. ""Iy ancc IN times past Can this spontaneous
,onJ "Jas'1n 40 Ge traced any further? Does it ex-
,I", ". ~ 70 1le Hour barrel? Is,here daily danger
d;"n. '"e bread will not rise the chief iDgrc-
n".no n'.ut lry nay! For the sake of the disturbed
% sbonII u ! ln'lnlnerable families, MIR. McAdam
anJ "J"'u oe called upon to pursue his researches
id and satisfy the public mind that flour when
"".aeiea Is not Of an explosive and dangerous
l.A CURIOUS LETTER. find this curious
s;sna. "r. Ia one OF the New York papers over the
signature Of "A Pick-pocket:"
H.: 'ease advise your readers always to leave
ti t'eie names and addresses in their pocket
,Las V'As It frequently happens in our business
o"a ora. we come lu possession of porte monnaes
vjt";'l1lnns private papers and photographs,
WI n,lcil we would be glad to return, but We have
S ~ means OF doing SO. 1t is dangerous to carry
i".n aoout-so We are forced to destroy them.
:emelnoer an instance where | met with
,s ,e.'ous trouble because | could not make up
~ Iy.m1'nn mind to destroy picture of baby which
rtIG uad found in the pocket-book Of gentleman
""'cn came into my hands 10 the way of bust
Isi Ies> on the Third Avenue road. | had lost a
oaey myself, the year before, of the same age
a. a. 'h'S one, and would have given all | had
" Ur such picture. There was no name in the
pol'e ,n. monuaie, and no way of finding out who
snS "as the owner so like fool | advertised it,
Suu rou got shadowed for it by the police. Tel
'OuF readers to give US fair show to be decent
noaa apa always leave their addresses in their
pocA cAet-books. We want to live and let live.
OdATO CATSUP, on draught, for sale il
Quantities TO suit by
AuERv G, nhUTDo0N