The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-02
From tho sarcnt Vnficy.
sEcTIoN 81, vALLEY RafSKoAp.s
RoCgBRlpGE County,. VA. .Anrii r2S.s

.
but to-day is bright and beautiful, and rail.
road life springs forward with renewed en-
ergy to make up for lost time. Hands come
in freely TO the work, and every preparation
is being made to push the Valley railroad
through 10 Salem from this time on with n
vim never before shown In railroading In
Virginia.
Captain Wise, Of Buckingham, and the
negro Patterson, heretofore reported So sc.
verely injured by blast, have recovered un-
der the skilful treatment Of DIR. K. IL. Min.
son, physician on this line. II there is such
a thing as restoring "lost sight" IN these
days, WiSe's case is certainly one.
Fine specimens Of coal, marble, slate, litho.
graphic stone, iron, &c, are being turned up
on this line through Rockbridse frequently,
and it would certainly pay the county 10
employ competent geologiSt to make re-
port of its mineral resources. which the Ia
mentcd Commodore Maury said far sur
passed those of any county in Virginia.
There is and has been much depression
among these people on account OF the scar
city Of money, taxes, and the backwardness
Of all farming operations; but lands have
increased greatly in value, and the large
amounts daily spent by railroad contractors
Will soon tell favorably for the financial con.
dition, TO say nothing of the new life ana
energy infused by the railroad work and the
incoming of new men and means. The coun-
ty roads have been and are still being i'm.
proved by contract and above all, the pres
ent gloomy state of affairs, those who look
ut the natural resources Of this section, see
much that is hopeful in the future, and have
bravely gone TO work to profit by one of
prosperity that will make the past seem only
an ugly dream.
There are about one hundred Italians at
worked on the famous Mt. Gents tunnel,
and have most all Of that kind OF work on
the line. They are generally able-bodied,
fine looking men-polte, quiet, but good
and industrious workmen Mt lower wages
than our people work for, and they are much
liked by contractors and the people. They
begin to talk little English, and most OF
their "bosSeS" can navigate "the language
very well. They drink wine and lager, and
don't like "commSsary whiSkey," and l
| have the first one to see drunk yet. They
expect to locate permanently in Virginia,
and will make good citizens.
The number of young and old "F. r.
VS." from Tuckahoe aud Cohee at work as
bosses, bumpers, clerks, laborers, &C., on
| this work-many never raised to hard Ia
| boris the best answer l have seen yet to
| the Yankee SANDERS about "want of ener-
gy" on our peoples part, aud their I" look
| ing down on honest labor" Let Mr.. Yam.
kee-not one of whose tribe the regular
.'blue noses" l mean) ever did an honest,
square days work in his life, so long as he
| could "live by his wits come and try a
! hand with them railroading, and he will be
| taught lesson similar to that this same Fir-
GINA stock, under Lee and Jackson, taught
| their much-boasted aud energetic legions
during the war, though in different field.
| From the "railroad giants" who are
| building this road-Mason, McMahan, the
Harmans, Mcneifce, ShauahaD, Green, and
others-men who built the Chesapeake and
| Ohio and other great works, and were ac-
knowledged masters Of their work by Hunt"
ington and others, down to the humbIeSt
| negro laborer--VTgina can point with
| pride in answer to the SANDERS that have so
long filled the northern papers upon the cha.
| racler of her people as ,corhers, and upon
| the system OF society amid which they were
raised and educated. But time and your
space forbid further comment upon this in
terc>ting subject, though may be tempted
| hereafter to give you pen.pcture OF the
syndicate" anu its members for the bene-
| fit of the rising generation and to show them
how honor, wealth, and positions of useful
ness surely crown the lives OF those who
learn young ho1r TO labor and gr0lr strong.
| A word about Richmond and Baltimore
before | close, and again | say ga word to
the wise is sufficient" Railroad contractors
and merchants here, and above, say they
want to trade with Richmond, but can buy
as cheap, If mol cheaper, in Baltimore, and
ship to Staunton and Goshen by the valley
railroad and Chesapeake and Ohio cheaper
and quicker than by canal or railroad from
Richmond, and much more certainty. Balti'
more, they say, gives time to meet payments
| for supplies by the estimates for work, and
| Richmond does not; and the Baltimore rail-
road lines give cheap treights and your lines
| do not. Ii these matters are not attended TO
by your business men how can you expect
| the Valley to help "to build up Rich
! mond"?
In Lexington, Saturday, I picked up an
| item or so. Generally the old "Athens"
| is looking up.
Both the Virginia Military Institute and
Washington and Lee University have fewer
students than last session-a fat that shows
how hard times are South.
Colonel William Preston johnson, OF
W aSUluS lOu auu lASS, IL ID SeiiSht ASpO'tSa'
| will soon resign and settle in BardstoWn, Ky.
The Rev. DR.. Pratt, OF the PRESBYTERIAN
Church, Che who swears est. Patrick was
| Blue Stocking"), has returned from the
| North, entirely recovered from serious
affection OF the brain. much to the delight of
| his friends and admirers. Governor John
Letcher is attending court in Bath, leaving
| Colonel Bolivar Christian, Major j. B. Dor
| man, Hon. J. Randolph Tucker, and that
| learned "county court lawyer" James D..
| Davidson, Esq, in fine health, to do the
horors legal and otherwise, of the city. The
| Dispatch is the city paper.i in "The Athens"
but many regret that " Vlat0r" no longer
keeps it posted on Lexington matters.
No serious damage reported from high
! water last week.
"Parson " Lafferty still keeps up lively
| war in bis Gazette in favor OF the Valley
railroad extension, and convention OF val.
lev counties in Lexington on July 4th; and
the Citizen backs up bis positions in mod
crate way. The question is not so much DIS
cussed now among the people, as they, gen.
orally have faith that the next Legislature
| will grant the charter, and what is lett OF
Old Virginia remain one and lrdlYlsable,
now and forever more.
All hands were paid off on the railroad to-
day, and everything is "jolly accordingly.
Laborers get Sl.25 per day, and there Is
work for all who want it, IS"
Murder By FgLoN UNDER SEN TENCE OF
DrArH.-Hud son, ~ Y, April 3O.-Joe
waltz. the murderer, who is sentenced to be