Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-08-04


her bed by sickness, she being lnductd 10 put
her name to it by the urgent representations OF
MIR. TitoD thar ii would be for her best litter
ests. She said that Mr. Tillon seemed 10 lave
a sort Of mania for DINING into her ears be-
lief that Mr.. Ba3cher was guilty. lie used re-
peatedly to take down the Bible and read 10
her the passage: But | say unto You, that
whosoeycr looketh on woman to lust after
her, hath committed adultery with her in his
hear" aud would then say, There, Elizabeth
don't you see that Mr. Bccchcr is guilty .!
adultery p
OLD VIRGINIA: A few items Of interest to
Virguians, as we'll as TO immi grants-Wcaith
Of the State-Developed aud Undevelnped
Resources-Wha is needed to make Vir-
GINA the Greatest State ip the Union.
The Agricultural, Manufacturing and tliuer-
al Resources Of Virginia; her sauhrious eli
mate. as well as her very geographic relation to
the other States, and to Washington, the Cap
ito of the country, all these are items worth
few moments r. fl cton
Out OF the IS, 54S square miles, or "A 542 12O
acres, the entire area Of the State, there are
but few aud comparatively small sections that
are not adapted to farming purposes. Only
the crcsts of the Appalachian ranges, the sandy
watersheds of the middle country, aud the
swamps of the It'd, water Country are not fl Tor
farming purposes.
The great valley, the bottom lands along the
streams Of the Middle county, the valley OF the
Appalachian, and the Underwater country have
all soil of unsurpassed produc!ivencss Even
the Blue Ridge Is almost everywhere culvable
TO the crest, and many we'll cultivated farms
may be seen in the highest parts of it. The
character of the soil, the early opening Of
spring, and their accessibility, have made the
sea board counties the market garden Tor the
large cities Of the Atlantic coast, and already
the products of small portion Of the cDuutry
around Norfolk bring an annual return of over
$50, 900, 600 Especially is this region noted
for the production Of peaches, pears aud straw
berries, and the fig thrivcs also, aud bears
abundanty.
Iu 1870 there were in the whole State Of
Virginia Is $40 farms, including s, lGj, 90 acres
of improved, 1921 734 acres OF wood land, and
| Csc, l. 81 acres OF uulmprrved laud.
The length of the growing season. the pecu-
liar quality Of the soil, and the mild temperate
climate, as we'll as the favorable distribution Of
rain aud moisture through the mouths OF the
year, to say nothing Of It's remarkable eXtmp-
ton from heavy sturms lit this State for the
PRODUCTION Ol all muse Std tlCitS dindJS III
demand in the markets OF every land.
Virginia is as rich in mineral treasures as
any Of the States east Of the Rocky Mountains.
Midway in the middle country is strip OF land
fifteen 10 twenty miles 10 width, and runnlng
for two hundred miles through the State, that
has long been known as the gold belt. Large
amounts OF gold have been taken from it, cspe-
cially pear the Rappahaunock and James rivers
L., has h.tt III,
of iron, nor greater abundance, and perhaps
10 State has such an abundance Of this most
valuable of all the metals that could be obtained
and prepared for the market with SO little cost
to the miner. In the two items of coal and
iron alone, if properly worked, Virginia would
SION exceed her more energetic sister State,
PENNSYLVANIA. The other metallic aud mineral
resources of Virginia, that abound in excellent
quality, are copper, all the sui phuret>, lead and
barytes, manganese, plumbago, hre-cay, zinc,
gypsum, or plaster Of paris, rock SALT &c.
Now with all these grand treasures OF wealth
in her lap, with only one-sxth of her rich soil
under any sort of improve ment. Dearly 2O,OD0,
600 OF acres of laud still uncleared, and with
all the above named advantages, what remains
to be done to make Virginia what she ought to
be, the most desirable home in the great Re-
public? Why just what the State has neg lect-
ed to do
Dcvelope her conu ercia facilities. Her di.
rect trade with foreign countries is less IN pro.
portion to her facilities than OF any other State.
What other State, with such internal wealth,
bias SO many and such commodiouS hsrbors
and deep estuarieS?
She has seven custom house districts or ports
of entry, US Alexandria, Cherrystone, Norfolk
and Portsmouth, Petersburg, Richmond Tap:
pahannock and Yorktown, with commercial
feet which might all be well employed by anry
to be increased seven fold. The railroad facl!i-
ties are susceptible of like extension.
But how are all these desirable ends to be at-
tanned A hint or two here may suggest to some
one who is capable Of helping, on this desirable
prosperity by giving more light
One of the first steps To be ttken IL to restore
the confidence of the masses of our own cltzans
in the solvency and coed faith of the Commoa-
wealth, and of the continued protection of the
unmixed civil and social rights of all classes.
One way Of doing this, and the best way that
seems feasible is TO inform all classes Of people
in these matters Show them such fac as those
given above and many Others of kindred nature.
For instance how many of our own c'tz ms,
Virginians by birth, knew all the iac:s just
stated How many know that the State debt oil
Virginia has been diminished over ten millions
of dollars in two years, from 1870 to 1872 that
the entire State debt, Ut that ratio, would DC CAN
ceed in ten years?
There IS great book, inst out, which is full Of
lust this kind, and every other desirable kind Of
knowledge not only OF our own Virginia. bat OF
every other State and Territory in the Unl.ed
States of America The information is reliable,
and brings its facts up to the present lime. Ev-
cry person in the whole country should possess
one of these valuable books.
It is the Centennial Gazetteer of the United
St ties. Such is the demand for this work that
it has gone through three large editions in five
weeks. The writer of this communication is NJ
thorizt d to take orders from all who desire this
great book, and will take pleasure in furnishing
everyto ~ with a copy. JOHN LITTLE.
DIED.