Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-01-28
From our Special Correspondent.
Correspondence From Rockbridege.


Correspondence From Rockbridege.
Winter Eareling in Rock5ridge-Beaut
SceneW- Lexington and Darkness
Buffalo Forge Forks Valley
Balcony Falls, de-, de-
BALCONY FALLS, Va.
Jan'y 2lst, 1872.
Editor Spectator
| was from Thursday until Satur-
day reaching this point, IA miles from Lexiug-
| ton, being stopped and turned off the regular
| route by high water, aud would not have gotten
through IN that time but for meeting Col. VIM.
Ruff the great cattle dealer Of this section, at
| Goshen, who kindly loaned NE his fine saddle
| horse to ride to Lexington, the stage not being
able to cross Bratton's Run, one mile from Go.
| shen, until Sunday. At Goshen there were ev-
| ident signs of life aud Improvement Capt
| G0och was preparing to erect new store
| house, which Will make six he owns in West
| Virginia and Virginia. There is more in the
new county Of ''Calf Pasture than appears at
| first blush, AID the people are In earnest about
it. A glance at the map will show that by GO
| ing west to old hliiboro, north to Desrfield
south to Goshen Pass, east to near Cralgsville,
with Goshen as county seat, they will have the
area and the immigration now steadily flowing
in, and the narrow gauge to be built, at 10 dis
| tant day, to Rockbridge Alum aud further,
| makes Goshen proper site for Courthouse
| Large sales OF land, mostly mountain, have
lately been made to wealthy Northern and Eng-
| lish companies, and the new county bids fair
to rival its mother, in the next ten years, in all
that goes to make material prosperity The
| water power is unlimited, and the mineral de-
posts, timber. &c, simply inexaustib!e This
question bids fair to stir old Rockbsidge to
| the marrow bone shortly, and the Gazette will
6nd it no laughing matter, when it comes to
| meet it seriously.
| Leaving Goshen the traveller passes through
scenery that equals, il il does not surpass, any
thug in this country. To attempt descrip-
sion of the awful grandeur of Goshen Pass,
with its winding road, roaring and rushing NV
err, towering mountains and fearful chasms; or
to picture the milder beauties of the Rock
bridge Baths Valley, would be like gliding re-
fued gold or painting the lilly 1t is simply
| incom parab!e, ia all that Nature can do to awe
the mind Of man, crafty his love of the sub
timely beautiful Or enlarge his capacity for ap-
preciating the w0ndrous work Of Him who laid
the foundations Of the earth, ere the morning
| stars sang together, or the angels chorussed
forth the glad tidngs that man was formed In
| The image Of his God An cnterprising people
| would have long ago had, at least a splendid
NcAdam road through this beautiful county to
Lexington, and it would have Thousand where
it now has dozens passing over it yearly. Once
penetrated by q narrow gauge, and fully known
to the World, and there Is no limit to those who
| will visit 1t for pleasure more solid benefits,
the living waters OF life and heathfune.s its
Baths offer to an invalid. At the Baths We MOTTO
ed some Improvements upon apd around the fine
residences Of Mr.. Anderson and Mr. Adams =
The Baths are in charge Of Billy Williams, a
polite, business colored man, to whom | am in
debted for about as square meal' as ever
| i h. =
but not bottomless as reported, and By night
arrived at Lexington
Enterug the hub at night, after leaving
Stanton with its gas lights, passabla crossings,
pavements, busy look and solid streets, is like
coming from New York to Staunton, Or from
life and activity to city Of the dead. After
vainy tryiug to see your way from iIocher'
Mill, and to find some light or laud mark &c
guide you through the barely fordabs street,
you grow reckless and giving your horse his
head, grit your teeth and plunge ahead. You
do very we'll along by the V. III. [ lights, but
the tug Of war comes at the 'Jord'ng" at the
old Eo.el, now used by ". ( L. Unlvers ty fol
boarde:s There your horse stops ADD the
spur is needed to make him Try the passage.
Oace over. the rise OF the hill is solid, and
Plman noted lamp shines forth welcome tc
the best the land affords, which is supplied
you in real cid Virginia style For Al hour or
two you try to reach the post office and few
stores to see old acquainiances, aad return con-
glnced there is one thing worse than Goshen
roads, aud that is the streets OF Lexington ai
night. By the way, | heard a stranger Illus
trate the difference between Stauaton and Lex
ipgton III the following forcibe style: ''Ir
Stauoton," he said, when new nan comes
there to live, the people pat him on the back
aud say Go ahead, we'll help you," whie il
Lexington they give him kick and tell him
10 go 10 the devil The same gentleman says
he ''ssaid in Lexington for sometime once, and
ever since, when he has the nightmare, he
dreams OF this sojourn. | cite these Incidents
III no feelings OF unklndness TO a place which
contains many warm friends and men of ener-
gy, but which, like all college towns, seems IA
Ted never to have unity of purpose, concentra
tion of It's entire energies and capital, for the
public coed aud a3vancement but doomed (un-
less the V. T. X. works change in the spirit
OF its dreams) to be forever divided On pet
ty local issues. sectarian ieuds, and to have nc
higher aspirations than t. supply the college
boys With peanuts, paper collars, &c, and year
by year lose Its trained artlZans, skilled work
men, scientific men, and youth and life, while
it stands like sign board at she crossroads,
edaca;in the youth OF the country pointing
the way 10 others IL cannot follow itself. The
Gazette is stirring its people up generally -ou
now accommodates all who come and has plenty
Of room LETT, and wants new enc TO make
Lexington summer resort, &c Mrs Beech
CIR sageiy says first catch the hare" and then
cuok it, and it strikes us, friend Lafferty over
looked this little item in his article. First have
a way for people 10 get to Lexington, and the
demand will soon create the Hotel and many
other things. And on this point we heard hat
citizen went to Two big lumber yards in Lex
ington, recently, to set tin Der 10 build wood
she'd. He found at both only 500 shingles, all
told, and concluded not TO bid on the new Ho-
tel yet awhile.
The people are now cheerful on the Railroad
question are generally down then new
members and the Legislature and much encour-
aged by the prospect Of a large Immigration
III the Spring. No county has greater natural
advantages aud her people, like old Virginia
apple trees, though little cIu.ty, are true and
tried, and splendid stock to graft newer life
and energy upon, Leaving Lexington and
coming by d. Z. E. Brady's splendid place, at
Buffalo Forge, (which We learn is soon to have
a large mauufactory. We cross Sailing's moun-
tain and enter he lovely Forks Valley, with
It's enclosure Of mountain peaks and BORDERS
frlnged by the sivery lines OF the North and
James till they unite. and, together, burst asun-
der The rock ribbed Blue Ridge toss over the
Balcony Falls aad push merry along to the
sea-a vast and unused power that Is soon to
be enliyened with the roar OF blast furnaces,
aud the click Of The spindles 1t turns the
wheels of the greatest manufacturing people on
Garth Rjpht here the Echol Iron COMPANY