Middletown transcript., 1873-08-16
Winchester, Harrisonburg, Rawley
Springs, &c.

In our last issue We promised to give
our readers . continuation Of the account
Of our trip to the Valley Of Virginia &c.
Winchester, 90 notorious during the
war, shows many marks of the rough
usage to which il was subjected by the
great contest No city or town in the
entire South saw more, il as much, Of the
war than Winchester. 1t changed hands
. great number Of times. being alternate.
y in the possession Of Confcderatss and
Fcderals. It is n struggling town situa-
ted in so rough and rocky place that one
involunturily wonders wha, in the world
ever induced anybody to think Of build
ing a town in such a place. and that q
city should grow up there is surprising,
indeed. Before the building Of the Valley
railroad, Winchester was the market for
the farm produce Of the surrounding
country, aud its merchants did good
traffic in grain, -four, &c, bu, the supc-
rier facilities for shipping furnished BY
the railroad, and the better prices obtained
in larger markets induced the farmers to
send their grair elsewhere, and the busi-
ness Of Winchester suffered in consequence
The city has recovered but very mcagre
portion Of its an,e-b bellum prosperity
The crumbling walls OF burnt houses still
remain as they we're left by the war; and
with the dcclcnsion Of business, they
stand very little chance Of being rebuilt,
We were told that the town is going
down very rapidly since the war. or ra,h-
er since the extension Of tho railroad. II
this be so. it furnishes one instance, at
least, where a railroad has injured rather
than benefited town. but. though the
town may have been injured the sur
rounding country is certainly greatly
benefited.
The first station after leaving Winches-
ter is kcrnsiown, an insignificant little
village Of about n dozen houses, but ia
nous as the scene OF Stoncwall Jackson's
FIRST battle. that is. the first one in which
he was chief commander With only
2,IO0 troops he Tough. Banks army Of
1000 men all day, and finally carried
of the remnant VI his little band in
safety.
Harrisonburg, the county seat Of Rock
ingham county. is thriving town Of
some 3. 900 or more inhabitants 1t ha.
improved very rapidly since the close of
the war. Many new houses have been
built. and several are in course Of erection
Being the prcsen, terminus Of the Valley
railroad, it receives considerable import.
ancc from that circumstance. II has a
large aud aourishing lanyard. comb fac
tory. iron foundry, &c. /, contains sew
eral good hardware, dry goods, grocery
aud drug stores. Two weekly papers are
published here: " The Old Common
wealth." aud :. The Rockingham Regis
ter" Il is also the scat Of the U. s.
Court for tho Valley District The sur
rounding country ia one of the richest
sections Of Virginia. Splendid crops Of
wheat, corn, oats, &c, being raised every
year. The extension Of the Valley rail-
road to Staunton is being pushed rapidly
forward. there being, it is said, upwards
Of 1000 men engaged in tho work Of
grading. ballasiing. &c.
Harrisonburg suffered bu, comparative
u little during the war. It changed
hands. il 10 true. once or twice. but be-
youd . few con6scations. and the whole.
sale destruction for 6rewood Of all garden,
yard and other fences. the town was but
little injured. 1t is now far more -four
ishing and prosperous than ever before.
About twelve miles to the west Of Har-
risonburg are the Rawley Springs, reach.
I'd BY stage from the town over one Of the
valleys justly celebrated pixies and fas.
bceoming one Of the most noted aud pop
ulas Summer resorts in tho State. Pre-
vious 10 the war there we're bu. few at.
trsstions about the place. the sccommoda.
liess Tor visitors consisting Of a rather
ebslors house. very limited in its dimen.
sioes. After the close OF the contest,
However. number Of gentlemen formed
> stock company aud purchased the place.
ssd built aud furni-hcd a large. commo-
dicus hotel. which they placed under the
skillfsl management Of Maj Jos. N.
Weodusrd. whose well-mcritcd and wide.
j ksosp reputation ss hotel proprietor.
fsssthes ~ish the highly rcputed proper.
~ n sbs waters, soon caused the house
- - 1llsa y ovsrao~iag With guests
- "A 10 tie buildinR Of Z large sddi