The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-01-10
Correspondence.
THE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA.

Mr.. EDITOR: Having Just returned from
IL trip to the lower Valley Of Virginia, |
purpose, with your consent, to give your
readers who have never visited that sec
ton of country, some idea Gifts appearance
and general characteristics.
Crossing the Potomac at Harper's Ferry,
we enter the Valley at its extreme south
east corner. The first impression is of wild
grandeur, connected with ruin and dcsola-
tion-grand nature and desolatcd art. Here
the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers come
together, surrounded on all sides by high
mountains and rocky cliffs, rising abruptly
and almost pcrpcndicularly from the dash
ing waters, and lifting their rugged heads
hundreds Of feet into the air. The scenery
is Of the most magnificent character, and
seems to have been fitted by nature for the
site of some of the most startling and TO-
mantle incidents in the history of our coun-
try. Standing on the platform in front OF
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad depot
you can be entertained for hours, by obser.
wing the various historic and other inter-
ing points On one hand; the waters of the
Potomac, on the other those of the Shenan.
doah, make continued murmur, which has
Il sort of hollow sound between the noun
tains, and which, together with the wild
notes of the bugles from the canal-boats,
which are continually passing up and down
the banks of the river, add much to the 70.
nance of the place. High up on the rocky
pile, on the opposite side Of the Potomac
you will, after much scrutinizing, be able
to discern the tar-tamed portrait of Wash
ington, and will doubtless be surprised at
the remarkable resemblance it bears tC
some of the pictorial representations Of oul
national parent. Nearer at hand, on YOU
left, you will see still standing, through all
the vicis5itudes Of battle and fire and wa.
ter, the engine-house, where old John
Brown entered the wedge Of civil war
And near it, the ruins of the national ar.
mories, where were probably made the same
guns that, later, dealt death and destruc.
ton arond their walls. All around YOU
will observe indications Of trough times,
such US those when Stonewall Jackson
stood on the surrounding heights, and drop
ped hot lead on the covering hosts below
Along the banks ofthc Shenandoah, there
is a fearful scene of destruction and ruin
produced by the great flood some two OF
three years ago, which swept everything
before it, including many of the inhabi.
tants Of its banks. Iarper's Ferry is not
a prepossessing looking place, but when
we consider its history for the last ten OF
twelve years, we can readily pardon its scar,
red and dilapidated appearance. The Po-
tomac here is spanned by the magnificent
iron bridge Of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company, which divides in the
rniIlln farm, t,rn l,ro al, o,o f,r I, j.,
main stem of the road and the other for
the Winchester branch road the two form
Ing junction in the centre of the bridge,
Immediately over the channel of the river.
Taking the train on the w inchester road,
we steam for mile or two up the banks
Of the Shenandoah; then curying gently
round to the right, we pass in among the
splendid limestone fields of efferson coun-
ty. Stopping for moment at Halltown,
which consists chiefly of II large paper mill,
surrounded by huge piles Of straw, we
whirl away again; and presently slacken
speed as the conductor calls out Charles
town. This is the county-seat of Jeffer-
son, and is celebrated as the place where
old John Brown was tried, condemned and
hanged. Charlestown is pretty place, OF
about 1900 inhabitants, and contains a
very handsome courthouse, which is at
this time undergoing repair, and with its
four great columns in front, and arched Gu
pola, presents quite an imposing appear
ance. There are several fine churches and
hotels in the town; also numerous hand
some residences. Adjoining is beautiful
cemetery, where reposc the beloved ashes
of many who died for the land wherein
they rest
Leaving Charlestown, wei pass on through
Il succession of the same rich fields, which
afford probably the finest farming lands in
this country their greatest objection being
the immense beds of limestone, which I'M
der lie nearly the entire lower valley, and
50 near the surface rs to render the soil eX
tremely susceptible of the effects of drouth,
and in many places crops out so thickly
as to make cultivation very tedious bus
inees. However, it is to this limestone
that the soil owes its great strength and
fertility, and what it lacks in one respect
is more than balanced in another.
We soon reach Stephensons Depot, where
passengers for the celebrated Jordan Sui
pher Springs disembark, and are convey
cd the short distance of one mile and
a-halfto that Charming place ofresort. Five
miles farther on we reach our journeys end,
Winchester. On getting out of the car,
we are greeted by the combined vocifcra-