Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-01-11
For The Register.
SALEM, Roanoke Co., Va,
Dec. 80, 1872.

Dec. 80, 1872.
Mr.. Editor-A good local paper such
as consider yours to be, can be appre-
ciated fully, only by those who have
migrated to foreign parts and who, with
strong love for their homes, are deslr-
Gus of knowing what is Transporting
amongst the people with whom they
once acted and associated To them,its
weekly visits are as those of dear and
cherished friend All the matter it con
tains is scanned with eagerness, and
items which may appear to the most OF
vour readers, too trivial Tor lnSertlon,are
enioyed with no little amount OF pleas
ure. Even those advertisements which
are sometimes termed "eye-sores, are
read and re-read.
heartily endorse your action i'll not
publishing paper during the holiday
season, believing that printers need re-
Taxation as we'll as other people. Ex-
eessive and continual mental labor, with
ont iudicious care for the health OF the
BODY, will quickly undermine the most
robust constitution We have an evi-
dence of this in him, who few months
ago stood prominently, as the first news
paper man of our country, but who Is
now in his grave martyr to Over-work.
As did not receive Reg ster this
morning, l thought that as you through
the columns of your paper, have furnish
ed me with the news Of home during
the wear. that a letter from me to you,
from this poirt, might not either prove
uninteres,iug to yourself or 10 your
readers. Salem, where L am located, Is
a pleasant country town, containing
about 1900 inhabitants, and is situated
ON the Va. & Tenn. II. r., about 6O
miles west of Lynchburg. 1t Is the
County-seat of Roanoke county, and Is
surrounded by the richest lands in this
norton of the State, which produce the
cereals equal to the fertile soil OF your
own county This place has maderapld
strides in improvements since the war,
and bids fair to take its place as the first
town of Southwestern Virginia. Build
ings are going up continually. 1he
move of the hammer, the grating sound
of the saw, and clang of the trowel, are
heard on all sides. Since the close OF
summer a street has been opened upon
which has been already erected four prl-
yate residences, and Baptist Church IS
now on its way to completion can
give YOU some idea of the enterprise
manifested by the people in this dlrec-
ton, bv stating that some time ago
contractor, advertised in the county pa
per. for forty carpenters The facilities
here for manufacturing purposes are
great, but the people have not received
their education in that department OF
industry, by which the resources OF a
community can only be fully developed.
They have not yet become ynnkeeizsd
and therefore lack that tact by which al
most everything can be turned into
money.
This is to be the terminus of Nj, Gar
retts great Valley Railroad, that is, if
il is ever completed. The prospects at
present are not very hattering. The
neople seem to be losing the confidence
they once reposed in the enterprise Sa-
lem has, independent Of the large sub,
scr,ption voted by the County, voted
twenty thousand dollars to the road, I'M
dor a nromise that the shops OF the
COMPANY would be located here. The
;mnression. until recently, prevailed mere
that the Grand Trunk Railway, passing
through your town, was to terminate al
This place. The changing OF the line
has been a source of deep regret to TINS
naonlc. as it would certainly have added
rreatly to their commercial interests.
Roanoke College is located here. She
has since the late war, through the un-
firing energy and perseverance OF her
honored President, DIR. d. +. Bittle, ac-
nu;red no little reputation as an instltu-
,ion Of learning, and now occupies
,,ace of prominence among the best In.
p.;,ut;ons of the South. Her course OF
Sd is thorough and full, as her grad
hates nates always attest. The fine discipline
of their minds speaks well OF her ETH
o;ancv and never fails to draw forth the
onn,m.ndation of the heads of the Uni
uers;ty of Virginia to which they usual
u 30 "a be educated in their profession.
Tbs most especial characteristic OF the
institution is the strong moral influence
which is brought to bear upon every
.udent in attendance consideration
81. .bould be well pondered by every
soas n .aJ hafare entrusting his child to the
care Of others to be educated. Iae I .hs
fe.sors in their labors to educate ,.; ;no
mind. exercise the greatest pfe1'
,Sst thew do not instruct it at the eA'
'uo. tho better part Of man, allow